Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Belief Sparks Possibility

In this episode of the Illustrating Leadership Podcast, I spoke with Pam Miller, a Life and Health Transitional Coach whose leadership story perfectly illustrates the transformative power of one person’s belief. Pam shared a defining moment from her twenties. A moment when fear was holding her back, her confidence was shrinking, and she fully intended to say no to an opportunity that terrified her.

But one leader saw something in her she couldn’t yet see in herself. That single moment changed the entire trajectory of her life. 

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When Fear Keeps Us Small

In her twenties, Pam worked with a Christian youth organization called The Navigators, supporting high school students through mentoring, small groups, and faith-based leadership development. She felt confident in one-on-one settings and smaller groups, but when she was asked to be the keynote speaker at a large youth event, she panicked.

She immediately imagined herself failing: stumbling over her words, blanking on stage, embarrassing herself. She was ready to decline on the spot.

And then her colleague Jim stepped in. He pulled her aside and gently said:
“Pam, I can see you doing this. I already see you on that stage, doing a great job.”

He saw her potential long before she did, and that changed everything.

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The Moment Belief Sparks Possibility

Pam describes that moment as the first time someone spoke belief into her in such a direct and specific way. It stopped her in her tracks.

Jim wasn’t offering empty encouragement. He was naming a gift she didn’t know she had, and he believed it so deeply that Pam began to believe it too.

She said yes.
She got on stage.
She didn’t pass out.
And more importantly — she felt alive.

That single “yes” unlocked an entirely new trajectory for her life, including decades of speaking, coaching, and eventually stepping into her calling as a life and health transitional coach.

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Fear, Mental Rehearsal, and the Stories We Tell Ourselves

During our conversation, Pam and I explored how fear distorts our self-perception. She shared how her brain immediately rehearsed images of failure and how one person’s confidence in her helped her mentally rehearse success instead.

We talked about research on mental rehearsal, where visualizing a successful outcome can create similar neurological changes to actually practicing the skill. In Pam’s story, Jim’s belief served as the catalyst that allowed her to see herself succeeding before she ever stepped onto the stage.

It’s a powerful reminder:
Our thoughts shape our outcomes, and fear often lies.

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Leaders Aren’t Born. They’re Developed

One of the beautiful threads in Pam’s story is the reminder that leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about presence, attention, and support.

Sometimes leadership looks like:

• Naming potential others can’t see yet

• Speaking life into someone who feels discouraged

• Reflecting strengths buried under fear

• Offering belief until their own self-belief catches up

Pam now carries that forward in her coaching work. She helps women who feel overwhelmed or stuck move through major life transitions and she uses the very same leadership approach Jim modeled for her: seeing the best in others until they can see it too.

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Navigating Life’s Transitions with Courage

Pam now supports women through her “Thriving Through Life’s Transitions” program, helping them navigate:

• Personal or professional shifts

• Health changes

• Identity loss

• Overwhelm or discouragement

• Fear-based thinking and negative self-talk

Her work mirrors her own journey: helping women uncover the potential that fear has buried, rebuild confidence, and experience the freedom that comes from small, steady steps forward.

As she shared during our conversation, “Everything you ever want is on the other side of yes.”

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Connect With Pam 

Go say hi to Pam on Instagram and check out her website, where you can also sign up for her newsletter "Insights by Pam." 

Don't miss out on the free resource she's sharing with Illustrating Leadership Podcast listeners: One Surprising Reason Why We Experience Stress. 

 

Your host, Jessica Wright, is a Life & Career Development Coach for Leaders and the Founder of Wright Life Coaching, LLC. You can connect with and follow her on LinkedIn.