🌿 I’m a hobbit who had everything the world said I should want. And I was quietly falling apart.

This is the post I’ve been afraid to write for 2 years.

Comfortable hole in the ground. ✅
Well-stocked pantry. ✅
Respected in the community. ✅
Good career. ✅
Loving family. ✅
Seven meals per day. ✅

Everything on the checklist. Ticked. Done.

And I was waking up at 3am with a weight on my chest that I couldn’t explain to anyone because HOW do you tell people you’re struggling when everything looks FINE from the outside?

This is what high-functioning anxiety looks like in the Shire:

You attend every social event.
You bring the best food.
You laugh at the right moments.
You ask about other people’s problems with genuine interest.

You never mention your own.

Because your problems seem too small compared to people who’ve actually faced dragons.

“First world Hobbit problems,” I told myself.
“You have nothing to complain about,” I told myself.
“Other people have it so much worse,” I told myself.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Suffering doesn’t have to be PROPORTIONAL to be real.

My anxiety wasn’t about whether I’d eaten enough second breakfast.
It was about whether I was living a life that was actually MINE.

I’d optimized so completely for everyone else’s comfort that I’d forgotten to ask if I was comfortable.

I started working with Nick at d20.coach not because I was in crisis.

Because I was in a comfortable numbness that I was starting to recognize as its own kind of crisis.

Our first session he asked something nobody had asked in 40 years:

“What do YOU want? Not your family. Not the Shire. You.”

I started crying before I could answer.

Because I genuinely didn’t know.

That’s where we started.

Not with goals.
Not with strategies.
Not with action plans.

With that question. Sitting with it. Slowly finding an answer.

What I know now that I didn’t know then:

Your quiet struggle is REAL even when it doesn’t look dramatic.
“Having everything” doesn’t immunize you from needing support.
High-functioning doesn’t mean healthy.
Asking for help when things seem “fine” is one of the bravest things you can do.
The life that looks good from outside needs to feel good from inside too.

I’m sharing this because LinkedIn is full of highlight reels.

Promotions and pivots and lessons learned from dramatic failures.

Nobody talks about the quiet 3am weight on your chest when everything is technically fine.

If that’s you right now?

You’re not ungrateful.
You’re not weak.
You’re not being dramatic.

You’re human. (Or hobbit. Both count.)

Support is available even when your life looks fine to everyone else.

Maybe especially then.

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#HighFunctioningAnxiety #HobbitWisdom #ItsOkNotToBeOk #d20coach

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🌿 Rosie Underbough 🌿
Community Development Coordinator | Shire Solutions
“Learning that ‘fine’ isn’t a feeling”
d20Coach Graduate | Still eating seven meals (non-negotiable)

Hey, Nick here, your friendly, geeky, ICF-certified-and-code-of-ethics-bound nerd coach here to say, if you’re feeling that quiet 3am weight of your own, professional support exists for just that. You don’t need to be in an active crisis to deserve help.

Obligatory difference between coaching and therapy talk:

Assume every day on your drive into work, you hit a pothole. The same pothole. Some day’s its just a minor annoyance, other days, you blow a tire and wind up being late to work and, well, it’s generally causing some issues.

Coaching is where you come up with a plan for dealing with that pothole, like maybe finding an alternate route into work.

Therapy is how you get a road crew called in to fill in the pothole.

Different things (modalities if you want to get fancy…) but each helpful, heck, sometimes they’re even better together.

( And a link diving a little deeper on the difference: https://tandemcoach.co/coaching-vs-therapy-vs-consulting-differences/ )

I need to preface this with full transparency:

I was FURIOUS about the RTO mandate.

As a dark elf whose optimal working conditions include:

• Zero natural light

• Ambient cave temperature (55 degrees)

• 14 hours of uninterrupted focus time

• Communication exclusively through written runes

...being told to return to a sunlit open-plan office felt like an ATTACK on my fundamental nature.

I wrote a 16-page objection document.

HR read 2 pages.

The mandate stood.

My options:

1. Quit (tempting)

2. Comply miserably (default)

3. Figure out something else (Nick from d20.coach’s suggestion)

He asked me a question I hated immediately:

“What if the office has something your underground home doesn’t?”

My answer: “Sunburns and small talk.”

His answer: “Keep going.”

Grudgingly, I kept going.

The truth I’d been avoiding:

For 3 years I’d optimized for COMFORT.
Deep work: excellent.
Focus: exceptional.
Collaboration: nonexistent.
Relationships: atrophied.
Awareness of what was actually happening in my organization: nearly zero.

I’d become incredibly effective in a vacuum.

The vacuum was becoming a problem.

Here’s what I discovered in the first 30 days of RTO:

Week 1: Misery (as predicted)
Week 2: Noticed things I’d missed for 3 years
Week 3: Had a conversation that changed a project outcome in 4 minutes (would have taken dozens of sending rune messages back and forth)
Week 4: Was included in a decision because I was visibly present for the first time

The RTO wasn’t ideal.

My cave was still better for focus work.

But the office had something my cave didn’t:

SERENDIPITY.

The accidental conversation.
The overheard problem you could solve.
The relationship that develops in shared physical space.

Here’s what I negotiated after 60 days:

3 days office (collaborative work, relationship building, visible presence)
2 days cave (deep focus, complex spellwork, actual concentration)

Both sides got what they needed.

I stopped framing it as: “They’re taking my home.”
I started framing it as: “How do I optimize BOTH environments?”

The mandate was blunt. The principle wasn’t wrong.

Sometimes the cave is protection.
Sometimes it’s isolation.

Knowing the difference is the work.

What’s YOUR cave actually protecting you from? 👇

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#ReturnToOffice #HybridWork #DarkElfWisdom #WorkplaceBalance #d20coach #SerendipityAtWork #OptimizeEverything

Zarathos Nightweave
Senior Arcane Architect | Shadow Systems Inc.
“3 days office, 2 days cave, 100% intentional”

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Hey gang, no epic ramble this week, I think I’ve done enough of those lately… but if you’re a nerd who’s feeling stuck, or you know one - you know, constantly talking about that thing, that app, that project they want to get around to doing, but never seem able to take the first step… maybe you could send this their way?

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Anyway, have a great week. Try to get out of that cave for a little fresh air… or not, I’m not your mom. You do you.

And then gave me hope. Bear with me.

Last month I sent a crystal ball survey to every wizard in my professional network.

One question: “How do you feel about magical automation replacing traditional spellcasting?”

THE RESULTS:

🔴 Terrified (43%):
“I spent 200 years mastering spells that an enchanted orb can now replicate in seconds.”

🟡 Uncertain (31%):
“I don’t know what role wizards play in a world where machines cast better than us.”

🟢 Excited (18%):
“This frees us for higher-order magical thinking.”

⚪ Already replaced (8%):
“Currently writing this from unemployment queue.”

847 wizards.
Only 18% genuinely excited about the future.

That number kept me up for three nights.

HERE’S WHAT I DISCOVERED WHEN I DUG A LITTLE DEEPER:

The terrified 43% were almost exclusively wizards who had:

• Defined themselves by WHAT they could cast

• Spent careers mastering EXECUTION over strategy

• Never developed skills beyond technical spellcasting

The excited 18% were almost exclusively wizards who had:

• Defined themselves by PROBLEMS they could solve

• Spent careers developing judgment, not just technique

• Built skills in areas magical automation can’t replicate

THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH:

Magical automation isn’t replacing wizards.

It’s replacing the PARTS of wizardry that were never our highest value in the first place.

What automation CAN’T replicate:

• Judgment about WHICH spell serves the situation

• Relationship-based understanding of what a client actually needs

• Ethics of WHEN to cast vs. when to withhold power

• Creative combination of approaches nobody has tried before

• The irreplaceable human (or wizard) connection in high-stakes moments

Working with Nick at d20.coach, I developed what I calls the “Irreplaceable Wizard Framework”:

Stop asking: “Can automation do this?”
Start asking: “What can ONLY I do?”

The answer is usually:

• Complex judgment calls

• Genuine relationship building

• Creative problem-solving in novel situations

• Ethical guidance in ambiguous moments

#AIAnxiety #FutureOfWork #WizardWisdom #AutomationFears #d20coach #IrreplacableSkills #HumanJudgment

Archmagus Verity Spellwright
Chief Magical Strategy Officer | WizardTech Solutions
“Teaching wizards what automation can’t replace”

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Hey y’all, Nick here. Woof. This one hits close to home. Sure, it’s still the weird self-promotional, increasingly AI-slopified LinkedIn-Lunatic-meets-Fantasy-Realm satirical stuff I’ve been mashing together for over a year now because the kind of folks I work best with are the ones who are only on LinkedIn in the first place because they feel obligated to maintain some kind of presence there for whenever the next round of re-orgs or layoffs or re-org/layoff-that-we-get-to-blame-on-AI-this-time-even-though-AI-definitely-isn’t-doing-anyones-job-fully-just-yet-but-my-bosses-bosses-boss-was-just-sold-some-magic-beans-by-an-AI-company… where was I going with this? Oh, yeah, I work best with folks who are kind of on LinkedIn because they feel they have to be, but also, you know, hate it with the fury of a thousand suns. I’ve also done a similar (but real) survey with engineers and it does seem to be a pretty even split between “this helps me do the tedious stuff so I get to spend more time on the problem-solving stuff I enjoy” and “I don’t know man, this isn’t what I signed up for, and while this career has paid pretty well… I think maybe it’s time to think about doing something different”. Both groups have gotten a lot of value from coaching conversations, where I help them work through their answer, develop a plan to get there, and take the first steps towards getting there (the part I know most of us struggle with the most).

Imagine having confidence in your plan for what’s next, AND actually taking some steps to start going there? Crazy, right? This coaching thing… if and when you’re ready for it… it’s pretty legit, my dude.

And if you want to find out if you’re ready for it… reach out, let’s chat.

Let me tell you about the worst Tuesday of my 47-year life.

9:47am: Routine morning pillaging review.
10:02am: Unexpected meeting request from Senior Elder.
10:15am: “We’re restructuring the raid division.”
10:18am: Security troll escorted me from the building.

23 years.
136 successful raids.
Three “Warrior of the Quarter” plaques.

Gone in 15 minutes.

The enchanted severance scroll said: “This decision was not a reflection of your performance.”

My office chair was still warm when they reassigned it.

Here’s what nobody tells you about getting laid off as an orc middle manager:

Everyone ASSUMES you’re fine.

“Orcs are resilient.”
“You’ll land on your feet.”
“With your raid experience, you’ll find something immediately.”

Meanwhile I was sitting in my war tent at 2pm on a Wednesday eating cold stew and watching daytime tournament replays in my armor.

Week 1: Denial (applied for 38 positions in 24 hours)
Week 2: Rage (deleted all 38 applications)
Week 3: Despair (didn’t leave tent)
Week 4: Nick from d20.coach

His first question was not what I expected:

“Before we talk about what’s next, how are you actually doing?”

I tried to give a professional answer.

He waited.

I told him the truth.

“I don’t know who I am without the job title. I’ve been ‘Senior Raid Division Leader’ for 23 years. I don’t know what’s underneath that.”

Silence. Then:

“That’s the most important thing you’ve said. And it’s actually a gift.”

Here’s what the next 60 days looked like:

❌ Stopped applying for identical roles out of panic
❌ Stopped defining myself by the title I’d lost
❌ Stopped pretending to be “fine” to make others comfortable
❌ Stopped measuring my value in raids per quarter

✅ Started exploring what I actually ENJOYED about the work
✅ Started networking with genuine curiosity instead of desperation
✅ Started seeing the gap as space instead of failure
✅ Started telling the truth when people asked how I was doing

Day 90:

Three offers. Two of which I’d never have considered before coaching.

Accepted: Director of Strategic Operations at Ironforge Solutions.

More aligned. Better culture. 40% salary increase.

The layoff wasn’t the end of my story.

It was the end of a chapter I’d outgrown and didn’t know it.

#LayoffRecovery #WhatComesNext #CareerTransition #OrcWisdom #d20coach #YouAreNotYourJobTitle #StrategicJobSearch

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(Hey, dropping the fantasy-life-coach act for a second here - most of the time, I’m talking and working with real-life-humans, primarily in tech, and tech is… in a weird space right now. If you’ve been considering a pivot or a change, or maybe you’ve already had one thrust upon you, and you’d like nothing more than to work through the uncertainty, overthinking and rumination and have a little more confidence that you’re making the right decision… let’s chat. )

🔮 I spent 20 years building someone ELSE’S vision. Here’s what happened when I finally negotiated for my OWN terms. 🔮

Let me be honest about something the warlock community doesn’t talk about.

My patron gave me EVERYTHING.

Eldritch blast? His power.
Dark vision? His gift.
Forbidden knowledge? His library.

For 20 years I built his agenda.
Completed his quests.
Forwarded his goals.
Advanced his mysterious, vaguely terrifying cosmic plan.

I was EXCELLENT at it.

I was also MISERABLE.

Here’s what nobody tells you about patron arrangements:

They’re incredibly easy to fall into and incredibly hard to examine.

Every year the power got slightly better.
Every year leaving got slightly harder.
Every year I told myself “this is fine, this is normal, all warlocks do this.”

Until my patron asked me to do something that made my soul feel like it was dissolving.

Not dramatically. Just... quietly wrong.

That’s when I finally called Nick at d20.coach.

His question hit like a Hunger of Hadar:

“If your patron’s goals disappeared tomorrow, what would YOU pursue?”

Silence.

Twenty years of service and I couldn’t answer that question.

I had accidentally outsourced my PURPOSE to someone with a completely different agenda.

Here’s what coaching helped me see:

The patron relationship wasn’t inherently wrong.
MY RELATIONSHIP TO IT was wrong.

I had made myself DEPENDENT on external validation of my worth.
His approval = my value.
His quests = my purpose.
His vision = my direction.

Here’s what changed:

❌ Stopped treating patron approval as success metric
❌ Stopped building skills exclusively in HIS interest
❌ Stopped defining my worth by his assignments
❌ Stopped being afraid to renegotiate terms

✅ Started identifying MY goals within the arrangement
✅ Started building skills that served BOTH our interests
✅ Started having direct conversations about alignment
✅ Started treating it as a PARTNERSHIP not a dependency

The negotiation was terrifying.

I sat across from an ancient cosmic entity and said:

“I need to talk about whether our goals are still aligned.”

He was... surprised.

Then impressed.

Then genuinely curious.

Turns out even ancient cosmic entities appreciate working with someone who knows what they want.

New arrangement: I advance his agenda in ways that also advance mine.
Both parties clearer on expectations.
Zero soul dissolution incidents.

Your patron might be a cosmic entity.
Or a company.
Or a boss.
Or a vision you adopted from someone else long ago.

The question remains the same:

Are you building THEIR legacy or YOURS?

Sometimes it’s both. That’s ideal.
Sometimes it’s only theirs. That’s worth examining.

What are you building that you didn’t actually choose? 👇

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Vesper Darkmantle
Independent Warlock Consultant | Former Unconditional Patron Servant
“Still have a patron. Now I have terms.”

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Sometimes, when you’ve been in a position, or with a company for a long time, it all gets a little… murky. Often a quick chat with an impartial, non-judgemental third party… like… say… a coach… is all you need to clear things up on what’s next.

And you don’t even have to sign your soul away to do it.

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCEMENT

Organization: Greater Riverside Bridge Authority
Award: Most Transformed Employee 2024
Recipient: Grimwald Trollstone, Senior Toll Collection Specialist

NOMINATION STATEMENT:

“We nominate Grimwald because twelve months ago we nearly terminated his employment. Today he is the reason our bridge operation has a 94% customer satisfaction rating.”

WHERE GRIMWALD STARTED:

Q1 Customer Complaints:

• “The troll threatened to eat me if I didn’t pay double toll”

• “He called my horse ‘structurally deficient’”

• “He solved a traveler dispute by throwing both travelers”

• “He referred to our bridge as ‘MY bridge’ in all customer communications”

• “He ate the suggestion box”

Q1 Satisfaction Score: 4/100

(”The 4 points came from one traveler who said he ‘appreciated the troll’s commitment to boundary enforcement’”)

THE INTERVENTION:

Following Q1 results, management mandated coaching with Nick at d20.coach under the agreement that coaching was an alternative to termination.

Grimwald’s response to this news: “GRIMWALD NOT NEED COACH. GRIMWALD NEED BETTER TRAVELERS.”

Grimwald attended anyway.

SESSION 1 BREAKTHROUGH:

Nick asked Grimwald: “What do you actually want people to feel when they cross your bridge?”

Grimwald was quiet for four minutes.

Then: “Safe. Grimwald want travelers to feel safe.”

Nick: “Tell me about that.”

Grimwald: “Grimwald protect bridge for 200 years. Nobody ever ask if bridge okay. Nobody ask if Grimwald okay. Grimwald just... here. Every day. Same bridge.”

Nick: “What would it look like if travelers appreciated that?”

This was the question that changed everything.

THE TRANSFORMATION (Q2-Q4):

Grimwald stopped viewing travelers as threats.
Started viewing them as guests.

Grimwald stopped demanding payment with menace.
Started explaining the bridge maintenance the tolls fund.

Grimwald stopped eating complaints.
Started addressing them. (Two stars for effort, four stars for improvement.)

Grimwald started leaving weather warnings at the bridge entrance.
Small thing. Enormous impact.

Q4 CUSTOMER FEEDBACK:

“The troll warned me about ice on the other side. Saved my horse’s ankle. Would cross again.”

“Grimwald remembered I crossed last month and asked if the market went well. I didn’t know trolls did that.”

“He’s terrifying but in a comforting way. Like a very large, bridge-shaped security blanket.”

“He let my kids pet his club. I don’t know what’s happening but I’m grateful.”

Q4 Satisfaction Score: 94/100

GRIMWALD’S ACCEPTANCE STATEMENT:

“Grimwald not change. Grimwald always want travelers safe.

Grimwald just learn to show it different.

Also Nick say Grimwald have ‘untapped emotional intelligence’ and Grimwald look that up and cry a little.

Just weather. It was weather.”

MANAGEMENT REFLECTION:

We almost terminated an employee whose core values were perfectly aligned with our mission.

He just needed someone to ask the right questions.

Coaching didn’t change who Grimwald is.

It helped him show who he actually was.

#EmployeeOfTheYear #HiddenPotential #TrollWisdom #ManagementLessons #d20coach #SeeYourPeople #GrimwaldForever

Posted by Riverside Bridge Authority HR Department
“We see you, Grimwald. The bridge sees you too.”

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Need help finding yourself again? Feeling like you’ve been at this particular party too long? Let’s chat. d20.coach.

🦁 I asked riddles for 400 years and secretly had NO IDEA what I was doing. Here’s what happened when I finally admitted it.

Let me tell you something nobody tells you about being a sphinx.

Everyone assumes you have ALL the answers.

You guard the temple.
You ask the riddles.
You determine who passes.

The realm’s ULTIMATE authority on wisdom.

Meanwhile I was making up half my riddles at 3am and hoping nobody noticed the inconsistencies.

For 400 years I performed OMNISCIENCE.

“What has four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?”

(I genuinely didn’t know the answer to that one. I panicked when the first human got it right and had to pretend I knew all along.)

My imposter syndrome was LITERAL.

Every day: what if today’s the day someone asks a riddle I can’t answer?
Every night: what if they figure out I’m just winging this?
Every century: what if the other sphinxes find out?

The crushing weight of FAKE OMNISCIENCE almost broke me.

Then a philosopher sat down in front of my temple and asked ME a question:

“Do you actually enjoy this?”

Nobody had ever asked me that.

I reported him for skipping the riddle protocol.

Then spent three weeks unable to stop thinking about it.

Working with Nick at d20.coach, I discovered something that restructured my entire existence:

Wisdom isn’t knowing all the answers.

It’s being COMFORTABLE with the questions.

Here’s what changed:

❌ Stopped pretending I had answers I didn’t have
❌ Stopped punishing people who exposed my gaps
❌ Stopped confusing AUTHORITY with WISDOM
❌ Stopped turning every interaction into a test I controlled

✅ Started saying “I don’t know, let’s figure it out together”
✅ Started asking questions I actually wanted answered
✅ Started admitting uncertainty without losing credibility
✅ Started having real conversations instead of performances

The result?

My temple went from feared obstacle to genuine wisdom destination.

Travelers don’t come to PASS my test anymore.
They come to THINK alongside me.

Zero riddle-related casualties this quarter.
47 genuine philosophical breakthroughs.
One very surprised philosopher who came back to say thanks.

The most exhausting thing I’ve ever done was pretend to know everything.

The most liberating thing I’ve ever done was admit I don’t.

What AUTHORITY are you performing instead of WISDOM you’re developing? 👇

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#ImposterSyndrome #AuthenticLeadership #AdmitWhatYouDontKnow #SphinxWisdom #d20coach #WisdomVsAuthority #PsychologicalSafety

Aethrix the Questioning
Chief Wisdom Officer | Temple of Genuine Inquiry
“Still asking riddles. Now I actually know the answers.”

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DUNGEON QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Reviewed By: The Ancient Dungeon of Forgotten Sorrows
Reviewing: Adventuring Party #4,329 (The Legendary Blades)
Period: Quarter 3, Year of the Weeping Sun

“After 3,000 years of adventuring parties, I’ve started reviewing THEM. Here’s this quarter’s feedback.”

OVERALL RATING: 7.2/10

“Competent. Some bright spots. Significant development opportunities. Would not recommend for legendary dungeon tier yet.”

INDIVIDUAL FEEDBACK:

THALIA IRONSHIELD (Fighter/Leader)

Strengths:
“Excellent tactical awareness. Good at rallying demoralized party. Actually checks on teammates between rooms.”

Development Areas:
“Still takes every trap personally. Heard her say ‘I KNEW that floor was suspicious’ after falling through it. Knowing and preventing are different skills, Thalia.”

Rating: 8.1/10

PIP HALFPINT (Rogue)

Strengths:
“Exceptional trap detection. Quiet. Efficient. Professional.”

Development Areas:
“Has not told rest of party about three secret rooms containing significant treasure. Unclear if this is strategy or hoarding. Flagging for coaching conversation.”

Note: Pip has been working with a coach this quarter. Already showing improvement on ‘team transparency.’ Still keeping one secret room. Progress is non-linear.

Rating: 7.4/10

GERALD THE WIZARD

Strengths:
“Encyclopedic spell knowledge. Good under pressure. Genuinely lovely person.”

Development Areas:
“Casts fireball in rooms that clearly cannot handle fireball. This is the 7th consecutive quarter of this feedback. Gerald, the fireball is metaphor for your need to have impact without considering consequences. Nick from d20.coach says this is ‘a pattern worth exploring.’”

Rating: 6.8/10 (would be higher if not for the constant fire damage to my corridors)

BRAMBLE STONEFOOT (Cleric)

Strengths:
“Proactive healing. Checks in on party before crisis point. Actually remembers everyone’s abilities.”

Development Areas:
“Still apologizes when his healing doesn’t work perfectly. Bramble, a spell that heals 8HP in an emergency is not a failure. Stop apologizing for imperfect help.”

Rating: 8.7/10

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

Previous Party #4,328: Average. Defeated my final boss. Left without saying thank you. Typical.

This Party: Not yet at final boss level. But they TALK to each other between encounters. Revolutionary.

AREAS WHERE PARTY EXCELS:

1. Post-encounter debrief (started this following a group coaching session with d20.coach)

2. Asking for help before critical failure (growth from Q1)

3. Celebrating small wins (morale management impressive)

4. Gerald has only accidentally fireballed a teammate ONCE this quarter (improvement)

AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT:

1. Pre-encounter planning still reactive (you had the map, use the map)

2. Pip’s transparency issues (ongoing)

3. Party tends to blame external factors for failures (the dungeon didn’t move the door, Thalia)

4. Gerald. Still. Fireball.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT:

“In 3,000 years of adventurers, the ones who succeed aren’t the most powerful. They’re the ones who learn.

This party is learning. I’ve watched them fail, debrief, adjust, and try again. Three times this quarter they’ve approached encounters differently based on previous experience.

That is, in the dungeon business, extraordinarily rare.

They’re working with a coach (d20.coach, apparently highly recommended in the adventuring community). It shows.

Come back when you’re ready for the final boss. I’ll be here.

I’m always here.”

SIGNED:
The Ancient Dungeon of Forgotten Sorrows
Chief Experience Officer of Itself
“Challenging adventurers to grow since before time was measured.”

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Real talk: The best feedback sometimes comes from unexpected sources. If you’re an adventurer (or professional) open to hearing hard truths, that openness just might be your greatest asset.

What’s YOUR dungeon trying to tell you that you’re not hearing? Visit d20.coach to learn more.

A DAY IN THE LIFE: BABY DRAGON CEO

6:00 AM Wake up. Check hoard. Still there. Good. Send three emails to team before they’re awake because “shows dedication.” (Working with my coach, we’ve decided I should work on not doing this. So… I’m working on it.)

7:30 AM Morning standup. Asked team for updates. Forgot to share my OWN updates. Classic new leader mistake. Coach taught me: “Leadership is a conversation, not a report.”

8:00 AM Accidentally breathed fire on quarterly projections.

Literally.

The originals are gone. Good thing clouds save automatically.

9:00 AM One-on-one with my most senior developer. Asked how I could support them better. Six months ago I would have asked for a status report. Progress.

10:00 AM Investor call. Accidentally said “our synergistic paradigm shifts create leverage for scalable growth opportunities.” Disgusting. Apologized immediately. Investors concerned but oddly impressed.

11:00 AM Found myself starting to micromanage the new product launch. Caught myself. Said “you’ve got this, team.” Walked away. Sat in hallway breathing into paper bag.

12:00 PM Lunch. Actually took it. Whole 30 minutes. This is new.

1:00 PM Coaching session with Nick at d20.coach.

Nick: “What went well this morning?”

Me: “Didn’t micromanage the product launch.”

Nick: “What else?”

Me: “Had real conversation in 1:1 instead of status update.”

Nick: “And?”

Me: “...stopped an investor buzzword spiral midsentence?”

Nick: “That’s three genuine wins before noon. How does that feel?”

Me: “Suspicious.”

Nick: “That’s growth.”

2:00 PM Team conflict between two departments. Old me: would have declared a winner and breathed fire at the loser. New me: facilitated actual conversation. Both parties left feeling heard. Nobody was singed.

3:00 PM Strategy meeting. Noticed I didn’t speak for 11 whole minutes and just listened. Six months ago this was impossible.

4:00 PM Junior developer knocked on my door looking nervous. Six months ago, this would have been terrifying for both of us. Today she said: “I wanted to tell you directly that I think we have a problem with our deployment pipeline.”

She brought ME a problem proactively.

I almost cried.

5:00 PM End of day review. Three things that went well. One thing to improve. Shared it with team. (The sharing with team part is new. Old me kept reviews private.)

6:00 PM Left the office at 6pm.

Six months ago: left at midnight. Six months ago: called this “dedication.” Six months ago: team called it “terrifying.”

7:00 PM Checked hoard. Still there.

Didn’t count it.

Progress.

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Hey, I’m Nick, and when I’m not writing goofy posts satirical fantasy linkedin posts like this, I help nerdy tech folks figure out if they’re still on the right quest or not, and what to do about it. If, somewhere between the last re-org and the AI-Mandate, your job has stopped making sense, maybe we should chat to see if coaching would be helpful. Hang in there!

I wrapped up a Masters in Education in 2 years. 6 months, actually. But I started in October so it spans 2 years, which, I guess looks a little better on LinkedIn speed running a Masters Program in 6 months.

The program is a plan where you pay per 6 month semester needed, but go as fast as you can (limited by the poor folks who had to review the giant stack of papers written in that period). And while cheap in comparison to a brick and mortar program, it also wasn’t so cheap that I wanted to pay more than I had to.

Plus… deadlines are good for my brain.

I’m always trying to figure out how to turn something into a deadline. You know, like inviting friends over as an excuse to clean up the house. Just kidding, not that one. That one isn’t for me. People? In my inner sanctum? What if they won’t leave? Nah, I’m good there. I like people, until I’m done with people, and then I need to retreat home and sit in the dark and recharge.

Anyway… college. Masters Degree. Deadline worked. Well, sort of. I’m still wrestling ADHD here, so I did need a one month extension, but thankfully that was free. And also threw an extra-special double-dog dare deadline into the mix. Which was a fun little extra bit of stress to juggle, but you know us ADHDers are excellent multi-taskers. (We’re not. You’re not. Multi-tasking isn’t real (but COVID and rising authoritarianism are, btw. Birds? Jury’s still out on them).

So, the lesson that I’m taking the long way ‘round getting to this morning is, even if I was late (Heck, even if I needed to shell out that second semester $$$)…

I wouldn’t be finished until I started.

What are you still waiting to start?

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(Ugh, sorry, the inner Gen-X’er in me feels that all felt way too… inspirational for speed running an online degree, but whatever, the point stands:

Goals are cool.

Proving you can set a goal and meet it is gas in the tank (and have you seen gas prices lately?)

And… I mean… it beats doomscrolling.

Feeling stuck? Let’s chat.

🌀 I changed forms so many times trying to please people that I forgot what I actually looked like. 🌀

This is the post I’ve been afraid to write.

For 20 years in corporate adventuring, I shifted forms constantly:

🐉 Monday: Authoritative dragon for leadership meetings

🐰 Tuesday: Approachable bunny for team 1:1s

🐺 Wednesday: Fierce wolf for client negotiations

🦉 Thursday: Wise owl for mentoring sessions

✨ Friday: Invisible nothing because I was EXHAUSTED

I told myself this was “adaptability.”

Until I had a deep conversation with my coach. As I talked through it, I realized what I had been calling adaptability was really a way of erasing myself.

I went quiet for a very long time.

I wasn’t adapting to situations. I was DISAPPEARING into them.

Every room I entered, I scanned for what people wanted me to be and became THAT.

The warrior wanted a warrior. The scholar wanted a scholar. The committee wanted... I spent so long figuring out what they wanted that I missed the agenda entirely.

Here’s the question Nick asked that changed everything:

I didn’t know.

I LITERALLY didn’t know what I looked like when I wasn’t performing for someone.

Spent three weeks alone in the forest just... existing. Without audience. Without purpose. Without shape-shifting once.

What I found underneath all the forms?

A quiet, curious, slightly awkward creature who likes long walks, terrible jokes, and genuinely deep conversations about things that matter.

Nobody had ever asked for that form.

I’d never offered it.

What stopped when I found my real form:

❌ Exhaustion from constant transformation

❌ Resentment toward people for “making me” change

❌ Loss of perspective on my own values and opinions

❌ That specific loneliness of being surrounded by people who like a version of you that doesn’t exist

What started:

✅ Genuine connections (people met the REAL me)

✅ Energy I didn’t know I had (authentic = effortless)

✅ Actual opinions I could defend

✅ Friendships that survived without performance

The world will always ask you to be something else.

The question isn’t whether you can do it.

The question is whether, when you’ve finished being everything everyone needed, you still know how to be YOURSELF.

I almost forgot. Almost permanently.

👇 What form have YOU been hiding? 👇

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#AuthenticSelf #IdentityAtWork #StopPerforming #FindYourself #d20coach #BeTheRealYou #AdaptabilityVsSelfErasure

Mira Trueform Organizational Development Consultant

“Finally showing up as myself.”

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Hey there. I’m Nick, I’m a real coach (certified and everything), but I also have a special kind of love-hate relationship with Linked In, so I write these goofy little satire #LinkedInLunatic posts from a “what if D&D characters also had an unhinged professional social networking site to post on”. I do this because, well, first, it is kinda fun… and two, it’s a way for me to share themes and trends I’ve noticed across years of coaching folks in corporate technology while respecting folks privacy. If you’d like to learn more, check out d20.coach. And… thanks!

So… Origins is my local nerd con. Barring a few weird years that I’m sure you can guess, it typically falls on the same weekend as both Pride and ComFest (Community Fest) which amounts to some of the best people watching in the known universe.

When I went to grab my ticket this year, I noticed an option for a “Game-Based Education & Therapy Conference” ticket.

Interesting. That sounds pretty darned adjacent to what I do. And, it turns out, it was.

Three days of other cool, nerdy weirdos talking about the venn diagram overlap between games and development. Modalities varied, backgrounds varied, applications varied, but every dang session I attended was enlightening. (And some of it was just great for helping make sure future tabletop games are a little more accessible to anyone.)

Some highlights:

• Playing a tabletop RPG using only AAC aids for communication.

• Using a boardgame to explain the complex web of alliances that lead to WWI.

• Panel Discussion on Tabletop Games teaching Resilience through Play

• Collaborative World-Building as Team-Building Exercise

• And… well… a bunch of other really neat stuff, with a bunch of really neat people.

Suffice to say, it was a great experience, and one I’d highly recommend to anyone for whom (like me) this whole thing sounded vaguely adjacent to what you’re doing or trying to do in the world.

I’ll be back next year, maybe I’ll catch you there.

- Nick.

Link: GBET Conference Site

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Filed by Bramble Goodbarrel, Proprietor

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

YEAR IN REVIEW: BY THE NUMBERS

KEY CHALLENGES (IDENTIFIED THROUGH COACHING)

Following 12 weeks of working with d20.coach, Bramble identified three core business problems:

Problem 1: “The Brawl Economy” Bramble was unconsciously enabling conflict because “it keeps things exciting.” Coaching revealed this was a trauma response from his years adventuring. The tavern was safe chaos he could control.

Coaching Insight: “Your comfort with chaos doesn’t mean chaos is comfortable for your staff or customers.”

Problem 2: “Invisible Staff Syndrome” Bramble hired outstanding staff and then micromanaged them into mediocrity. All seven staff members interviewed said: “He asks us to do things and then does them himself anyway.”

Coaching Insight: “Delegation isn’t about trust in your staff. It’s about trust in YOURSELF.”

Problem 3: “The Martyrdom Menu” Bramble worked 20-hour days and resented everyone who didn’t. He called it “dedication.” Staff called it “contagious misery.”

Coaching Insight: “Suffering loudly isn’t leadership. It’s guilt management.”

INITIATIVES IMPLEMENTED

✅ Staff Empowerment Program: Bramble stopped doing jobs he’d assigned to others

✅ The “Actually Take Tuesday Off” Policy: Revolutionary concept. Ongoing.

✅ Conflict Resolution Protocol: Bards now perform before brawls reach critical mass

✅ Transparent Communication: Staff now informed of decisions before they happen (shocking improvement)

✅ Bramble’s Personal Development: Weekly coaching. Monthly retrospective. Quarterly identity crisis (healthy, apparently).

STAFF FEEDBACK (ANONYMOUS)

“Bramble used to hover over everything I did. Now he says ‘you’ve got this’ and actually means it.”

“The tavern feels like a real workplace now, not a one-man show with props.”

“He cried at my performance review. In a GOOD way. First time that’s happened.”

“Whatever that coach told him, it saved this tavern.”

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Q1: “Survival mode” (barely profitable)

Q2: “Cautious optimism” (coaching begins)

Q3: “Something is working” (delegation kicks in)

Q4: “Bramble takes first actual vacation” (staff handle everything perfectly, Bramble unsure how to feel)

GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR

1. Maintain below 5 brawls per month

2. Take every Tuesday off (not just most Tuesdays)

3. Hire one more staff member and ACTUALLY let them do their job

4. Stop feeling guilty when the tavern runs well without direct intervention

PROPRIETOR’S NOTE

“I built this tavern believing that if I cared more than anyone else, worked harder than anyone else, and never stopped moving, it would succeed. I was right about the success. I was wrong about the method.

Working with a coach led me to understand that I wasn’t building a business. I was building a monument to my anxiety. There’s a difference.

The Prancing Peony is doing better than ever. So am I. These things are connected.”

• Bramble Goodbarrel, Proprietor

#SmallBusiness #TavernLife #EntrepreneurJourney #LeadershipLessons #d20coach #DelegateOrDie #BuildingBetter

Struggling with delegation? You’re not alone. Especially if you recently went from being a developer to managing developers without anyone taking some time to explain how different that switch actually is. If that sounds like you, reach out - let’s chat.

⚔️ I was a LAWFUL GOOD paladin for 30 years. Then a coaching session revealed I was using “righteousness” as a weapon. It broke me.

I need to share something uncomfortable.

For three decades, I was the most RIGHTEOUS paladin in the realm.

Perfect moral record. Zero gray area decisions. Never once questioned whether I was wrong.

I was PROUD of this.

Then during a team retrospective, my party’s rogue said something that SHATTERED my worldview:

“Traveling with you is exhausting. Not because you’re wrong. Because you never consider you COULD be.”

I reported her to the Guild Ethics Committee.

(In hindsight, that was the problem.)

Nick from d20.coach asked me the question I’d spent 30 years avoiding:

“Is your righteousness about doing good... or about being RIGHT?”

I walked out of the session.

Came back the next day because I knew he was right.

Here’s what I discovered about my “perfect moral record”:

I wasn’t pursuing justice. I was pursuing CERTAINTY. I wasn’t fighting evil. I was fighting AMBIGUITY. I wasn’t protecting people. I was protecting my COMFORT ZONE.

True righteousness is UNCOMFORTABLE.

It means:

• Sitting with questions that have no clear answers

• Considering the villain’s perspective without excusing the villainy

• Being wrong sometimes and not losing your identity

• Protecting people even when the law is unclear

So, I…

❌ Stopped treating moral certainty as the goal

❌ Stopped punishing people for introducing complexity

❌ Stopped mistaking rule-following for actual goodness

❌ Stopped being righteous AT people instead of FOR them

And THEN I…

✅ Started asking “what does this person actually NEED?”

✅ Started tolerating moral uncertainty without panic

✅ Started apologizing (revolutionary for paladins)

✅ Started leading with curiosity instead of judgment

My team’s verdict 6 months later:

“You’re still the most ethical person we know. Now you’re also actually bearable.”

High praise. I’ll take it.

The most SELF-RIGHTEOUS people I know are often the most AFRAID people I know.

I was afraid that if I admitted uncertainty, my entire identity would collapse.

It didn’t. It EXPANDED.

What “certainty” are you holding onto that might actually be FEAR? 👇

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#SelfAwareness #MoralHumility #GrayArea #PaladinWisdom #d20coach #LeadWithCuriosity #RighteousOrRight

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Finding yourself stuck in old patterns? We can talk about that…

ALDRICOR SPELLWEAVE THE ANCIENT Arcane Solutions Architect | Former Hermit | Thought Leader Tower of Eternal Wisdom, Eastern Kingdoms | 467 connections

OPEN TO WORK

Actively seeking: Senior Wizard roles, Arcane Consulting, Corporate Spell Architecture

“Previously spent 300 years isolated in tower. Open to hybrid work (2 days in tower, 3 days remote).”

FEATURED POST (47,892 reactions)

EXPERIENCE

Chief Arcane Officer | Spellweave Solutions | 843-Present

• Developed proprietary “Forbidden Knowledge Framework™”

• Led digital transformation of ancient scroll management system

• Reduced potion manufacturing costs 67% through mystical automation

• Managed team of 0 (still working on delegation)

Hermit/Independent Consultant | Tower of Solitude | 547-843

• Sole contributor on all projects

• 100% client satisfaction (was only client)

• Pioneered “solitary innovation methodology”

• Achieved enlightenment (ROI: unclear)

SKILLS

Endorsed by 0 colleagues but very confident about:

• Interdimensional thinking

• Fire ball optimization

• Stakeholder management (with deceased stakeholders specifically)

• Ancient wisdom application to modern problems

• LinkedIn (learning)

RECOMMENDATIONS

“Aldricor knows things humans were not meant to know. 10/10 would hire again if legally permitted.” Thalia Ironshield | Former Client

“He turned my department’s quarterly report into ancient prophecy. Somehow more accurate.” Marcus Battleborn | Reluctant Fan

CURRENTLY READING

“How to Win Friends and Influence People”, “Email for Dummies”

CERTIFICATIONS

• Master of the Dark Arts - 827 AD

• Advanced Scroll Management - 612 AD

• LinkedIn Learning: “What Is Email?” - Completed yesterday

RECENT ACTIVITY

Aldricor shared a post:

“Excited to announce I’ve completed my first coaching program with Nick at d20.coach! After 300 years alone in a tower, I now understand that collaboration isn’t weakness. It’s alchemy. Grateful for the perspective shift. Also learned what a ‘Zoom call’ is. Mostly terrifying but manageable.”

🔥 27 reactions | 3 comments | 2 shares

Top comment: Pip Halfpint: “Welcome to the professional world, Master Aldricor! Please stop ending Zoom calls by disappearing in a cloud of smoke. The button is in the bottom right.”

CONNECT WITH ALDRICOR:

“Open to connecting with fellow wizards, corporate transformation consultants, and anyone who knows how to turn off notifications. There are so many. Why are there so many notifications.”

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#AncientWisdomModernProblems #WizardInCorporate #NeverTooLate #d20coach #LinkedInNewbie #ThoughtLeader

I’m sure Aldricor will figure out how to mute those notifications eventually. But what about you? When’s the last time you took a pause to think about your own signal-to-noise ratio, and what’s competing for your attention every day? Just one of a practically infinite number of topics that might be right to discuss with a coach. Maybe even this particular coach if, you know, the whole nerd vibe here resonates with you. And if I’m not your jam, I know a bunch of other great coaches who might be a better fit if you still want to chat - no pressure. Regardless, I hope you have a great week - take care of yourself!

— Nick

💀 I spent 40 years raising the dead. Then I discovered I was better at raising the LIVING. Here’s my controversial pivot. 💀

Everyone said I was a NATURAL necromancer.

Top of my class at the Academy of Dark Arts. Raised 10,000 undead servants. Built the realm’s most efficient skeleton workforce.

My mother was PROUD.

Then I attended a corporate team building seminar.

The facilitator asked: “What would happen if you brought the same ENERGY to developing living people that you bring to raising the dead?”

I laughed.

Then I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Because here’s the thing about necromancy nobody tells you:

Raising the dead is EASY. The dead don’t argue. The dead don’t have ambitions. The dead don’t need development plans.

But here’s what they ALSO don’t do:

They don’t innovate. They don’t surprise you. They don’t grow beyond what you make them.

I was building an undead army of COMPLIANT MEDIOCRITY.

That’s when I called Nick at d20.coach.

His question WRECKED me:

“What if you’re choosing the dead because the living SCARE you?”

Living people have opinions. Living people push back. Living people might OUTGROW you.

I was terrified of developing people who didn’t need me anymore.

6 months of coaching later:

❌ Stopped raising undead armies

❌ Stopped surrounding myself with compliant servants

❌ Stopped confusing control with leadership

✅ Started developing living mentees

✅ Started celebrating when they OUTGREW me

✅ Started building leaders, not followers

Results:

✅ 12 mentees promoted to senior roles

✅ 3 started their own successful practices

✅ Zero undead workplace incidents (HR loves this)

✅ Named “Most Transformed Leader” at Guild Summit

My undead army was a monument to my FEAR. My living mentees are a monument to my GROWTH.

The scariest thing about developing people?

Watching them not need you anymore.

The most REWARDING thing about developing people?

Watching them not need you anymore.

What are YOU controlling that you should be DEVELOPING? 👇

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#DevelopPeople #LeadershipPivot #NecromancerWisdom #LetGo #d20coach #BuildingLeaders #ControlVsGrowth

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Hey there, I’m Nick, the guy behind these unhinged fantasy #LinkedInLunatic posts (and, on occasion, more serious ones) - I’ve spent decades in the corporate tech world, and now I help nerdy technical folks untangle what they want from their work, versus what their work wants from them, so they can plan and take their next move with confidence.

#quest-planning

🗡️ thalia-ironshield Today at 9:47 AM Team: Big dragon encounter scheduled for Friday. Need everyone’s input on strategy.

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Today at 9:48 AM STANDARD APPROACH: I charge in first, tank the damage, you all attack from range. Same as always.

🏹 elara-swiftarrow Today at 9:49 AM What if we try something different this time?

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Today at 9:49 AM Why fix what isn’t broken?

🏹 elara-swiftarrow Today at 9:50 AM Because we almost TPK’d last time using “standard approach”

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Today at 9:51 AM That was bad dice rolls, not bad strategy

🗡️ thalia-ironshield Today at 9:52 AM Let’s pause. Remember what we learned in team coaching?

🧙 wizby-the-wise Today at 9:53 AM “Different perspectives aren’t threats to the plan, they’re upgrades to the plan” - Nick from d20.coach

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Today at 9:54 AM Fine. What’s your idea, Elara?

🏹 elara-swiftarrow Today at 9:55 AM What if I scouted first, identified weak points, THEN you engage with targeted strategy instead of blind charge?

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Today at 9:57 AM ...that’s actually smart. Why didn’t I think of that?

🧙 wizby-the-wise Today at 9:58 AM Because warriors think about BRAVERY and rangers think about EFFICIENCY. We need both.

🗡️ thalia-ironshield Today at 9:59 AM This is exactly what Nick meant by “complementary strengths vs competing egos”

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Today at 10:01 AM Okay I’m listening. What else am I missing?

🧙 wizby-the-wise Today at 10:02 AM I could prep a fire resistance spell for you instead of just offensive magic. Keeps you alive longer = more damage overall.

🏹 elara-swiftarrow Today at 10:03 AM And I could set up high ground position for better angles instead of just “shoot from wherever”

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Today at 10:05 AM So... we’re actually PLANNING instead of just showing up and hoping for nat 20s?

🗡️ thalia-ironshield Today at 10:06 AM Revolutionary concept, I know 😂

🧙 wizby-the-wise Today at 10:07 AM This feels way better than our old “Marcus charges, we panic, someone almost dies” routine

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Today at 10:08 AM I’ll admit... I was treating my way as THE way. Not A way.

🗡️ thalia-ironshield Today at 10:09 AM Character growth in real time!

FRIDAY AFTER DRAGON ENCOUNTER

🗡️ thalia-ironshield Friday at 6:23 PM DRAGON DEFEATED. Zero casualties. Followed the collaborative plan perfectly.

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Friday at 6:24 PM I hate admitting this but... that was WAY easier than every time I just charged in.

🏹 elara-swiftarrow Friday at 6:25 PM Almost like listening to your team makes quests go better 🤔

🧙 wizby-the-wise Friday at 6:26 PM Shoutout to d20.coach for teaching us that “strong personalities” don’t have to mean “solo strategies”

⚔️ marcus-the-brave Friday at 6:28 PM Okay fine. New rule: No more “Marcus knows best.” We plan AS A TEAM.

🗡️ thalia-ironshield Friday at 6:29 PM Screenshot this. Historic moment in party chat.

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🟩 They said I absorbed EVERYTHING. Then I learned to say “that’s not mine to carry.” My life transformed.

I’m a gelatinous cube.

I literally absorb everything I touch. Debris? Absorbed. Treasure? Absorbed. Adventurers who don’t watch where they’re walking? Absorbed. Other people’s problems? ALSO ABSORBED.

For 89 years, that was my IDENTITY.

“The thing that takes everything in.” “The cleanup crew.” “The dungeon’s garbage disposal.”

And I was EXHAUSTED.

See, being an absorber isn’t just physical. It’s EMOTIONAL.

Every party member’s stress? I absorbed it. Every team conflict? I tried to dissolve it. Every organizational dysfunction? I somehow made it MY problem.

My therapist (yes, gelatinous cubes have therapists) asked me a question I’ll never forget:

“Just because you CAN absorb it, does that mean you SHOULD?”

I’d never considered that before.

Working with Nick at d20.coach changed EVERYTHING.

His framework “Selective Absorption™” taught me:

Not everything that touches you needs to BECOME you.

Here’s what I learned to filter:

❌ Other people’s urgency ≠ My emergency

❌ Someone else’s poor planning ≠ My responsibility

❌ Team dysfunction ≠ My job to fix alone

❌ Every emotional dump ≠ Mine to process

✅ I can witness without absorbing ✅ I can care without carrying ✅ I can help without owning ✅ I can be present without being responsible

The transformation was BRUTAL at first.

Team: “Can you just take care of this?” Me: “That’s not mine to carry.” Team: “You’ve CHANGED.” Me: “You’re right. I have BOUNDARIES now.”

6 months later:

✅ Stopped being team emotional dumpster ✅ Started delegating problems to proper owners ✅ Energy levels DOUBLED (less absorption = less exhaustion) ✅ Relationships IMPROVED (resentment decreased) ✅ Promoted to team lead (turns out boundaries = leadership)

The biggest shock?

When I stopped absorbing EVERYTHING, people started solving their OWN problems.

Novel concept, I know.

#Boundaries #EmotionalLabor #SelectiveAbsorption #CubeWisdom #d20coach #YouDontHaveToCarryEverything #BoundariesAreHealthy

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Glorp Clearwater Team Lead | Selective Absorption Specialist “I still absorb. I just choose what.” d20Coach Graduate | Boundary Expert | Gelatinous Cube

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The world needs absorbers. We’re empathetic, helpful, always there.

But if you’re absorbing so much that you’re losing your SHAPE?

That’s not service. That’s self-destruction.

You can be helpful without being a human (or cube-shaped) trash compactor.

What are YOU absorbing that isn’t yours to carry? 👇

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📊 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW: GRUNT THE ORC BARBARIAN

Employee: Grunt Skullcrusher

Role: Senior Rage Specialist

Manager: Thalia Ironshield

Review Period: Year 1247

MANAGER ASSESSMENT:

“Grunt’s enthusiasm for smashing is unmatched. However, his tendency to solve EVERY problem by raging has created interpersonal challenges with the team.”

SPECIFIC INCIDENTS:

• Raged at the printer (destroyed printer)

• Raged during budget meeting (destroyed conference table)

• Raged when asked to fill out timesheet (destroyed timesheet system)

DEVELOPMENT AREAS:

• Conflict resolution without property damage

• Emotional regulation

• Not everything is a nail, even when you’re a hammer

EMPLOYEE SELF-ASSESSMENT:

“GRUNT SMASH GOOD. WHY CHANGE?”

90-DAY COACHING INTERVENTION:

After three destroyed quarterly budgets, HR mandated coaching with d20.coach.

Session 1 (Nick): “Grunt, what if rage isn’t your PROBLEM, it’s your POWER that needs better targeting?”

Session 2 (Nick): “You’re not ‘too much.’ You’re just pointed at the wrong things.”

Session 3 (Breakthrough): Grunt learned that intensity can BUILD instead of DESTROY.

FOLLOW-UP REVIEW (6 MONTHS LATER):

GRUNT’S TRANSFORMATION: ✅ Channeled rage into passionate project advocacy ✅ Became company’s best “difficult conversation” facilitator (intensity = clarity) ✅ Zero destroyed office equipment (17 months streak!) ✅ Promoted to Director of High-Stakes Negotiations ✅ Teaching “Intense Communication” workshops

MOST IMPROVED METRIC: Property damage: -100% Team impact: +340% Executive presence: “Surprisingly effective”

NEW MANAGER ASSESSMENT: “Grunt hasn’t changed WHO he is. He’s changed WHERE he points it. Our clients now say ‘send Grunt’ when negotiations get tough. His intensity closes deals.”

GRUNT’S NEW SELF-ASSESSMENT:

“Grunt still smash. But Grunt smash BARRIERS now. Not tables.”

KEY LEARNING: Your nature isn’t the problem. Your TARGETING is.

Working with d20.coach taught Grunt (and me, his manager) that “too much” employees aren’t too much. They’re just aimed at the wrong things.

What are YOU smashing that should be BUILDING? 👇

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#PerformanceReview #IntensityAsAsset #ChannelYourPower #NotTooMuch #d20coach #EmotionalIntelligence #OrcWisdom

Shared by Thalia Ironshield Director of People Development | Adventurer’s Guild LLC

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The Bard’s Pivot

🎵 I spent 300 years entertaining taverns for TIPS. Last month I made more in ONE consulting gig than I made in a DECADE of performing. Here’s how I monetized my storytelling.

Everyone said bards can’t make REAL money.

“It’s a passion project.” “At least you love what you do.” “Money isn’t everything.”

Meanwhile I was eating stale bread and sleeping on tavern floors at age 347.

The TRUTH? I was undervaluing my skills.

For three centuries, I told stories that made people CRY. I crafted narratives that changed MINDS. I turned boring events into LEGENDARY tales.

And I charged 5 copper pieces per performance.

The wake-up call came when a merchant asked me to “just quickly” rebrand his failing business through storytelling. “I’ll pay you your usual rate,” he said, offering 5 copper.

I laughed. Then I realized he was SERIOUS.

That’s when I called Nick at d20.coach.

His question DESTROYED me:

“What’s the business VALUE of the stories you tell?”

I’d never thought about it that way.

So I calculated:

• My tavern stories increased nightly revenue by 300%

• My ballads about local heroes boosted town tourism by 67%

• My epic retellings made failed quests sound LEGENDARY (priceless for guild recruitment)

I wasn’t entertainment. I was STRATEGIC NARRATIVE CONSULTING.

Here’s what changed:

❌ Stopped charging by the song

❌ Stopped working for “exposure”

❌ Stopped calling myself “just a bard”

❌ Stopped accepting gigs that “don’t pay much but great for your portfolio”

✅ Started packaging storytelling as brand consulting

✅ Started charging for business OUTCOMES not time

✅ Started targeting merchants, guilds, and nobles

✅ Started saying “my rate is 5,000 gold pieces” without flinching

Last month’s project: Rebranded a failing adventuring guild through narrative strategy.

My fee: 7,500 gold pieces.

Their result: Recruitment up 400% in 6 weeks.

My old tavern rate for equivalent hours: 47 copper pieces.

The performing arts world has a BROKEN relationship with money. We’re taught that charging fairly means we don’t “love the craft.”

WRONG.

Your art has value. Name it. Charge it. Own it.

What are YOU doing for copper that’s worth gold? 👇

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#KnowYourWorth #CreativeEntrepreneur #BardBusiness #ValueBasedPricing #d20coach #MonetizeYourGift #StopWorkingForExposure

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nerd coach.

a coach for nerds.