How a Mindset Coach Changed Everything
I was going to cancel during our intro call. I had signed up for coaching with Adrienne Carter through Primed Mind. and the day before our first session I had already decided that I would cancel, every excuse in the book showed up:
I don’t need this.
It’s too expensive.
I’m doing fine.
But then I got on the call and somthing just felt right. It felt like this was an opportunity that I shouldn’t pass up. It turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made.
How I Got Here
I’d been a Primed Mind member for a couple of years.
I’m a poker player, and Jonathan Little had a deal for 70% off and I figured why not. Primed Mind was already popular in the poker world for mental game coaching, so I signed up and listened to a bunch of sessions.
Then Primed Mind ran one of their New Year challenges — “10 Days to a Primed Mind”
I had signed up before and never followed through. This time I finally leaned in and did it.
Something clicked.
At the end, they promoted their one-on-one coaching program. And something in the back of my head said do it.
Even then, I almost backed out.
Im glad I didn’t.
What I Was Working With
I told myself I didn’t have a crisis. But life had stacked up, loss, family health issues, the kind of things you push through while continuing to show up. I was surviving. Just coasting through life. I knew I wanted more out of life, but something was holding me back. Working with Adrienne, we uncovered something I hadn’t thought about in decades. A moment from childhood where a teacher embarrassed me in front of the entire class. I had buried it. I assumed it didn’t matter. It did.
That moment had been quietly running in the background for years—shaping how I showed up, what risks I took, and how much of myself I was willing to put out there.
Acknowledging and confronting that changed everything.
What the Sessions Are Like
Each session is about an hour.
The first part is conversation, what’s going on in my life, what I’m feeling, what needs attention. Adrienne is incredibly perceptive. She hears things you don’t even realize you are saying.
The second part is hypnotherapy. I was skeptical. I expected it to feel gimmicky or ineffective. I was wrong. Every single session unlocks something I didn’t know was there. It’s not what you see in movies. It’s a deeply focused, guided process that breaks down the subconscious things that are holding you back. Your brain thinks it’s keeping you safe. But it is really keeping you stuck. This is where that gets broken down.
What’s Changed
The changes have been real and noticeable to me and to the people around me.
Leadership.
I co-founded Lessi AI, an edtech startup — something I’m not sure I would have had the courage to do before.
I’m showing up as a stronger leader.
More decisive.
More comfortable with uncertainty.
More present with my team.
This work didn’t just improve how I think. It changed how I lead.
Confidence.
Not the fake-it-till-you-make-it kind.
Real, grounded confidence in who I am.
I’m not afraid of being embarrassed to be myself.
That shift alone is transformative.
Sleep.
The very first thing Adrienne had me read was Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep.
That book changed how I approach every single day.
Prioritizing 8 hours of sleep has had a profound impact on my energy, my decision-making, and my patience as a leader.
Presence.
I’m more engaged in conversations.
More willing to sit with discomfort.
More intentional about how I spend my time and energy.
Poker.
This is where it came full circle.
Primed Mind started as a poker thing for me, and the coaching has had the biggest impact on my game.
I’ve had my biggest wins ever since starting to work with Adrienne.
But more than the results, I’m actually enjoying the game again.
Poker had become a grind. I was constantly worried about mistakes, beating myself up after decisions.
That same fear of embarrassment I’d carried my whole life was showing up at the table.
Once we addressed it, the game opened up.
I play more freely.
I trust my instincts.
I’m having fun again.
The results followed.
The Work Continues
I’m still working with Adrienne. This isn’t a “take a course and you’re done” kind of thing, it’s ongoing work. What surprised me most isn’t how much needed to change— It’s how much I didn’t realize was shaping my life. If you’re curious, you can find Adrienne at: