Corey Wilks is a medical psychologist turned enterprise coach. He helps entrepreneurs and creators enhance their mindset and overcome self-imposed obstacles. He says a typical impediment is overthinking an issue. Others contain perfectionism, doubt, and even worry.
In our latest dialog, he addressed these psychological hurdles and extra. Your entire audio is embedded beneath. The transcript is edited for readability and size.
Eric Bandholz: Inform our listeners who you might be.
Corey Wilks: I’m a licensed medical psychologist specializing in cognitive habits remedy, the observe of serving to of us overcome unhealthy considering. I now coach entrepreneurs and creators to construct a values-aligned life and enterprise and overcome beliefs holding them again.
I write a whole lot of articles on my web site and for Psychology At the moment. I’ve appeared on a few distinguished podcasts.
I obtained an early teaching enhance from Ali Abdaal. He’s a distinguished productiveness skilled, YouTuber, and entrepreneur. He put out a 45-minute video in regards to the eight issues he struggled with in life and enterprise. It was precisely what I assist individuals with, so I dropped every thing and, in a day, wrote an article on how I’d strategy his ache factors.
I posted it on X, and sufficient individuals shared it that he lastly noticed it. We labored collectively for about six months. I didn’t know him earlier than then.
Many good issues have occurred since then. After I see anyone scuffling with one thing, I ship them both a video or an article that may assist. In the event that they need to work with me, that’s cool. If not, they nonetheless have that useful resource to verify again on.
Bandholz: What does your teaching appear like?
Wilks: Being a psychologist, all of my work is round mindset and prioritizing methods. Frequent obstacles of entrepreneurs are limiting beliefs and private narratives. Most of us know what we would like or get what we would like, however we second-guess ourselves and take heed to what others assume. We query our intelligence or worthiness of success.
Many entrepreneurs wrestle with self-doubt and perfectionism. They blame a scarcity of cash, assets, and intelligence for not getting the issues they declare to need. However that may be very hardly ever the case, particularly with how accessible info is on-line.
They discuss it, however they by no means take motion. And that sometimes comes right down to worry. A lot of my work with enterprise homeowners is about figuring out and overcoming these limiting beliefs or clarifying what issues. We then determine the place the disconnect is.
Bandholz: What’s your recommendation to individuals with expectations that exceed their capabilities?
Wilks: Intelligence after a sure level is usually a hindrance since you overthink every thing. Entrepreneurship is about figuring out issues and creating options. Good individuals are good at fixing issues. However there are an infinite variety of issues, and it’s straightforward to get paralyzed.
I do know many extra profitable entrepreneurs who’re clever however don’t essentially have a excessive IQ. They don’t overthink. Loads of mediocre individuals are excessive performers as a result of they’re not overthinking. That’s a giant factor.
Bandholz: I’m curious why you left psychology.
Wilks: I acquired fired from my job as a behavioral well being supplier — a psychologist. I specialised in habit therapy, working in rural West Virginia. I had peak job safety. Throughout Covid, I accepted a distant telehealth place in Kentucky. Two months into that new contract, I acquired an e mail stating I used to be fired in 30 days.
Within the U.S., the affected person has to reside within the state the place the therapist is licensed. I’m licensed in West Virginia, not Kentucky. I couldn’t discover one other distant job out of West Virginia and wasn’t prepared to maneuver again.
Getting licensed in Kentucky would have taken 4 to 6 months. It’s a whole lot of purple tape. I had 30 days and three paychecks to determine my life. I spent 12 years getting my doctorate, and I couldn’t observe remedy anymore. What do I do with my life? I needed to take all this data and apply it to one thing else.
I acquired licensed as an government coach, which is sort of a four-letter phrase amongst therapists. Teaching is unregulated. A 14-year-old with a TikTok can name himself a life coach.
I made a decision to pursue teaching as a result of the remedy world defines wellness because the absence of sickness. Teaching is about serving to wholesome individuals flourish, thrive, and attain their potential.
I needed to discover ways to arrange a enterprise and create a WordPress website. I did a whole lot of Googling and YouTubeing. I met some variety and useful entrepreneurs on X. We grew to become pals. They took me beneath their wing and confirmed me the ropes.
I’ve taught myself. I produce priceless content material to assist of us appeal to pals and prospects. I inform individuals to only begin after which iterate.
Bandholz: The place can individuals comply with you and be taught extra?
Wilks: My website is CoreyWilksPsyD.com. I’m @CoreyWilksPsyD on X, or add me on LinkedIn.
