The Hidden Shift in Women’s Power That Coaches Can’t Afford to Ignore

The Hidden Shift in Women’s Power That Coaches Can’t Afford to Ignore

For the past two decades, I’ve been at the forefront of the fields of transformational education and women's empowerment—both academically through my doctoral research on women and power and in practice, working directly with over 70,000 women.

My biggest discovery? As women rise to power, their values and priorities change.

But here’s what the conversation needs to address:?This shift isn’t just happening to women who have already “made it.”

It’s also happening to women who?never fully bought into the traditional models of success—women who prioritized spirituality, relationships, and inner growth but now find themselves yearning for ways to translate their transformation into tangible impact.

Whether a woman has climbed the ranks of business and leadership only to feel a deep void—or she has chosen a different path and now realizes she lacks the power to shape her future—the same fundamental challenge exists.

The old paradigm of achievement is breaking down. Women are no longer satisfied with?just?success,?or?with personal growth that doesn’t lead to meaningful creation.

The Power Paradox: Why the Old Model No Longer Works

For decades, coaching for women has focused on breaking through external barriers—shattering glass ceilings, securing financial stability, building businesses, and excelling in historically male-dominated fields.

And yet, despite their achievements, many women feel like something essential is missing.

Here’s what the research reveals:

?? Women are outpacing men in higher education and launching businesses at 3x the rate of men.

?? They are becoming primary breadwinners and now control over $31 trillion in global wealth.

?? They dominate the self-development industry, making up the majority of participants in coaching and transformation programs.

Yet, paradoxically…

?? Over 20% of women are on antidepressants.

?? 6 out of 10 women report overwhelming financial stress.

?? Those who have achieved financial and career success often feel more disconnected from meaning, relationships, and authentic self-expression than ever before.

But?what about the women who haven’t pursued power and achievement in the traditional sense?

?? Many women who have devoted themselves to relationships, spirituality, or personal growth now find themselves longing for the ability to create impact and shape their future. ?? They may have dismissed the hustle-and-grind model, but without structures and skills to translate their growth into tangible outcomes, they feel disempowered in a different way. ?? They realize that without a way to step into leadership and influence, their transformation remains?personal?rather than something they can share or build upon.

In other words, this shift isn’t just for women who are disillusioned with success—it’s for?all?women who are ready to step into their full power in a new way.

The Hidden Shift: Women Are No Longer Satisfied with Just Achievement—They Are Seeking?Self-Actualization

For years, we’ve been conditioned to believe that achievement equals empowerment. That success is about financial growth, career status, and mastering high-performance habits.

But what happens when a woman reaches the pinnacle of success—or never pursued that path at all—and still feels something missing?

This is the defining shift: Women are no longer satisfied with simply achieving.?

They want to become who they were born to be.

They are moving beyond a focus on:

? Hustling, optimizing, and achieving for the sake of success.

? Checking off external markers of success.

? Proving themselves through traditional power structures.

Instead, they are seeking:

? Meaning, deeper contribution, and authentic creative expression.

? Feeling at home within themselves and fully aligned with their values.

? Experiencing flow, presence, and trust in their unique path.

? Power as creativity, magnetism, and intuition rather than control.

This shift is happening at?massive scale—but the coaching industry is largely unprepared for it.

Why Traditional Coaching is Failing Women at This Stage

Most coaching frameworks are still rooted in achievement-based models—strategic goal setting, high-performance habits, and overcoming obstacles through willpower and discipline.

But for women at this stage—whether they’re high achievers feeling a loss of meaning?or?women who have devoted themselves to personal growth but lack the tools to create impact—these models no longer resonate.

Women at this threshold face new challenges:

???The crisis of arrival:?They’ve built external success but feel unfulfilled.

???The fear of reinvention:?They long to shift toward deeper purpose but fear losing what they’ve built.

???The exhaustion of over-functioning:?Many have spent years carrying the weight of work, family, and community responsibilities and need a more sustainable way to create impact.

???The invisibility of personal growth without impact:?Women who have prioritized spirituality, relationships, and inner work often find themselves yearning for ways to translate their transformation into influence and tangible change.

The Future of Coaching Women: Meeting Them Where They Are

If you’re coaching women at any level, your approach must evolve.

The women you serve are not just looking to “accomplish more.”

They are seeking?transformation at the deepest level—and they need a coaching model that aligns with their new values and priorities.

Here’s what works:

? Shift from?performance coaching?to?identity-based coaching. It’s no longer about just setting goals—it’s about guiding women to become who they were meant to be.

? Help them navigate the existential questions that come with success. What’s next after they’ve “made it”? How do they align their success with their deeper calling?

? Teach them to create from their?feminine power. This means intuition, flow, magnetism, and creative emergence—not just productivity hacks.

? Help them build a?legacy, not just a career. They want to channel their gifts into something deeply meaningful—this is where coaching must go.

? Guide them to release?the inner barriers that hold women back -- invisibility, not feeling "good enough", isolation and deep rooted patterns of over-functioning and over-responsibility. Many women have been carrying the weight of the world—they need a new model for sustainable leadership and contribution.

? Support them in?translating inner transformation into external impact. Women who have prioritized growth in relationships, spirituality, and self-development often need new structures and strategies to bring their gifts into the world in a way that creates real change.

The Big Question for Coaches: Are You Ready for This Shift?

The women you serve who make up 70% of the clients in the coaching industry are evolving. Their desires, aspirations, and challenges have transformed.

The real question is:?Has your coaching approach evolved with them?

I’d love to hear your perspective:

?? What’s one shift you’ve made in your coaching approach to support the deeper transformation women are seeking?

Drop a comment below—I’d love to discuss this with you.