129. From Information to Transformation: Why Your Clients Aren't Following Through

Financial coaching isn't about giving better advice. Most of your clients already know they should spend less than they earn. They know they need an emergency fund. They've heard the standard recommendations before.

So why aren't they making progress?

The gap isn't information. It's follow-through. And follow-through doesn't come from another spreadsheet or a clearer explanation of compound interest. It comes from something entirely different: helping clients shift how they see themselves, how they relate to money, and whether they believe they're actually capable of change.

Early in my coaching career, I made this mistake constantly. I thought if I just explained things clearly enough, clients would take action. I learned pretty quickly that knowledge wasn't the sticking point. What they needed was support, trust, and a process that worked even when life got messy.

In this episode, I'm walking you through what it actually takes to help clients move from understanding to doing. We're talking about the deeper work of coaching: listening for what's underneath the words, creating safety so clients can be honest without fear of judgment, and meeting people exactly where they are instead of where you think they should be.

This is about helping clients build confidence through small, meaningful wins. It's about rewriting the story they tell themselves about money. And it's about recognizing that your job isn't to be an advice-giver, but a transformational guide.

If you've ever had clients who say they understand everything but keep showing up having made little progress, this episode will help you see what's actually happening and how to shift your approach.

Links & Resources:

• Ultimate Growth Guide
• Join the Facebook group
• Free Workshop: How To Create Commitment With Your Clients
• Money Made Human™ Certification

Key Takeaways:

• When clients say they want a budget, they often mean "I feel out of control." Listen for the emotion underneath the request, not just the surface-level ask.
• Information isn't the gap… follow-through is. Most people already know what they should do with money; they need support in actually doing it.
• Trust is built through safety, not perfection. Normalize struggle instead of rushing to solutions. Say things like, "Of course you've tried this before and it didn't stick. Let's look at why together."
• Test every recommendation against your client's real capacity right now. If it's not doable for their life in this moment, scale it down until it is.
• Small wins create identity shifts. Once clients see themselves following through on something, they start to trust themselves. And that's when transformation begins.
• Meet clients where they are, not where you think they should be. The client drowning in debt doesn't need retirement strategies yet. Match your recommendations to their actual readiness.
• Start every session with a win, even if progress is small. Help clients name it and celebrate it. Self-trust is what enables the next step forward.