Case Study: Paul Lee — from Hustle to Wholeness
Paul came to coaching during a moment of quiet discontent.
Nothing looked “wrong” from the outside, but inside, something was quietly rumbling. Like many of my clients, he was asking himself an unspoken question: “I’m more than my resume, right?”
His journey became a powerful example of what’s possible when productivity stops being the way we measure our worth.
B E F O R E C O A C H I N G
Paul was the picture of competence.
As a Senior Advisor for the Project Management Office at Audible, he was calm under pressure, steadily reliable, and always “on.” But the same traits that made him a rock for others also made it hard for him to rest. Even on PTO, his brain stayed tethered to Slack and emails.
He wasn’t unhappy, but he was disconnected. He had a sense that something was missing, yet no space to name it, and the weekly cadence of fire drills would distract him enough to not be able to figure it out on his own.
T H E C O A C H I N G J O U R N E Y
01 - From Productivity to Permission
One of Paul’s early goals was to become “more productive” so he could have more time outside of work. But through our sessions, he began to notice how he never allowed himself to take a break, often working through his personal time off.
As his coach, I noticed how he spoke (I should be doing more. I should be responsive. I should be grateful this job is stable.) and how his productivity mindset was quietly stealing his peace.
So together, we worked on spotting and releasing the “shoulds” that sabotaged his rest and vacations.
“I realized I was measuring everything by how much I could get done.”
Instead of defaulting to “get through it,” we practiced asking, “What do I actually want to create space for?” This guided Paul to decide on 1-2 priorities to focus on each week, rather than tackling everything at once. This started to free up mental space so he could start to see what’s possible again.
02 - Reclaiming His Time
The next shift was practical and emotional: taking real time off — not just physically, but mentally. This wasn’t easy. Paul needed to relearn what rest is for.
To build a bridge for this change, we reframed rest as a realignment to the values that made his life worth living: family, faith, and community. Instead of seeing his days off as “lost time,” he began treating them as intentional opportunities to live into his values.
“You challenged me to take a long weekend, and that was like the hardest thing I ever had to do. But it helped me see that I’m missing so much of my life right now.”
By the end of our six months together, Paul went from never taking a day off without guilt to taking fifteen consecutive days fully unplugged—no overthinking, no checking in. He came back clearer, more grounded, and more present than he’d felt in years.
03 - From Waiting to Building His Dream
Paul had long dreamed of becoming an executive pastor, but it wasn’t until midway into our coaching that this came up. We created enough space in his life for this dream to resurface again.
“I haven’t said this out loud in years. I wanted to be an executive pastor, but it felt so far away…like I needed a spaceship to get there.”
That dream had been quietly collecting dust, shelved under routine and responsibility. It felt like he could only achieve it by adding more onto his plate. But what if that wasn’t the only way?
In coaching, we explored how his current role was already a foundation for this dream. Project management, budget oversight, and team leadership were all transferable skills.
For the first time, Paul saw that his 9-to-5 career and calling could coexist.
Rather than seeing his day job as playing it safe or a waiting game, we strategized how he could align his existing projects and the skill he needed to build up confidence as an executive pastor. We also created a plan to open up about his dream with his community.
“I mentioned this to my head pastor, and he was so excited. He’s like, ‘I didn’t know this about you. We have to explore this!’”
Now, Paul is no longer carrying his dream alone. His community is helping him nurture it, too.
R E S U L T S & O U T C O M E S
By the end of coaching, Paul had shifted his identity from “always-on operator” to a leader with a clear vision.
He made peace with rest, reconnected with joy, and started building towards his dream now — not “someday.”
“Life definitely looks different now. I don’t let a to-do list define me anymore.”
Enjoying a quick weekend trip with wifey
Having fun with friends at Comic Con
I F Y O U ’ R E R E A D I N G T H I S
Perhaps you’re someone who’s built a life through responsibility, excellence, and care for others, but now feel something is missing or wonder if you have a deeper calling. Let Paul’s story be you inspiration.
You don’t have to burn it all down to feel like yourself again. You just need a space to hear your own voice, and a coach who can walk with you as you learn to trust it.
If you’re curious how my 1:1 private coaching works, let’s meet on a free discovery call.
You’ve carried so much for others. Consider this your permission to choose something that carries you forward.
Betty Chan – Authenticity Life Coach – and aspiring foot model (just kidding).
