Noise attracts attention. It may also create an illusion of success and be mistakenly taken for a proxy of quality. If you tune out the noise, how can you tell who is the real deal? Use the Deep River Principle. You can use the principle to assess not just executive coaches, but other types of experts as well.

"I need to find my true self." "I want to find my real purpose." "I’ll find true love when the time is right." "I’m trying to find balance in my life." "I want to find the right path." Do these statements sound familiar to you, and yet ... a bit off? Can we really “find” these end goals, or is there a better way to reach them, if reaching them is even possible?