Sim Chen Xing

There are moments in coaching when tension arises—not from the client, but from within. The moment when your instincts urge you to guide, advise, even protect… yet the core of coaching calls for something else entirely: trust.

I’ve come to recognize the subtle but powerful battle that takes place in those moments. One part of me wants to lean on logic, on prior knowledge, on what I perceive as “realistic.” But another voice—the quieter one, often overlooked—reminds me that coaching isn’t about my judgment. It’s about the person in front of me, their story, their possibility.

There was a time I nearly let that tension tip the scale. I questioned the dream being shared with me, mentally listing reasons why it might not work, why a different path could be safer. But before those thoughts could become words, something held me back. A gentle, persistent whisper: trust them.

And that changed everything.

Instead of interrupting the dream, I asked what came next. And what followed was clarity, excitement, purpose—an entire plan unfolding with energy I hadn’t expected. It wasn’t for me to decide what was realistic. It was for me to hold the space for discovery.

That moment continues to shape me. It reminds me that the greatest harm I could do as a coach isn’t missing a clever insight or a powerful question. It’s forgetting to trust. Trust the process. Trust the person. Trust that what is emerging is far more valuable than anything I could impose.

This is a lesson I’ll carry with me: to silence the skeptic when needed, to stay grounded in presence, and to always lead with belief in the person’s potential. I’m grateful for the reminder. And I hope I never forget it.

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