Everyone Needs a Coach: Why Accountability and Tracking Lead to Real Change

I’m a coach.

I help people with their health… their habits… their life goals.

But this week reminded me of something I say all the time… and still need to hear myself:

Every coach needs a coach.

Because earlier this week… I felt like a complete failure.

My puppy Ruby pooped in her bed.

Her bed… not the wee-wee pad literally right next to it.

And I had that same feeling I see in my clients all the time…

“I’m doing everything wrong.”

“I must be failing at this.”

So I did what I tell my clients to do…

I reached out for support.

I texted our dog trainer.

And honestly… just having someone to text in that moment felt grounding. Like I wasn’t alone in it.

Her response?

“Start logging what’s happening.”

That was it.

And it was like… ding ding ding.

Because that’s exactly what I do with my clients.

When something isn’t working… we don’t guess.

We don’t spiral.

We look for patterns.

And here’s the truth most people don’t realize…

When you hire a dog trainer… they’re not training the dog.

They’re training the owner.

That one hit.

So I started writing everything down…

When she ate.

When she went out.

When she had accidents.

What I was doing (or not doing) in those moments.

And almost immediately… things shifted.

Not because Ruby suddenly changed…

But because I became more aware.

I started seeing where I wasn’t setting her up for success.

Where I was distracted.

Where I was giving her too many options (balcony… pad… outside… confusing for a puppy).

Yesterday… no accidents.

And it’s only been a couple of days.

Pro tip from my trainer…

Ruby is teething… which means everything goes in her mouth.

Leaves. Sticks. Anything on the ground.

Walks were becoming frustrating… I felt like I constantly had my fingers in her mouth trying to pull things out.

So I asked the trainer.

Her suggestion?

Bring a high-value toy on the walk… something she loves.

Now… Ruby proudly carries her monkey the entire time we walk.

And just like that… no more leaf buffet.

Simple shift… big difference.

Another reminder that sometimes the solution isn’t more effort…

It’s the right guidance.

But the bigger lesson?

This is exactly what happens in coaching.

People think they’ve “failed”…

When really… they just haven’t been supported, guided, or made aware of the patterns yet.

Coaching isn’t about perfection.

It's about accountability, tracking the patterns, and building the awareness that leads to real change.

Even the best in the world have coaches.

Not because they’re doing poorly…

But because they want to stay sharp, consistent, and growing.

So yes…

I’m a coach.

And this week… I was reminded why I have one too.

Because sometimes all it takes is someone outside of your situation to say:

“Let’s take a look at what’s really going on.”

And suddenly…

Everything starts to change.