At Brilliant Read Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Ekta Rana for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say further, Ekta is a Certified Leadership & Life Coach, Corporate Trainer and an Influencer. Let’s learn more about her background, inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Ekta:
What was the turning point that led you to dedicate your life to coaching clarity, confidence, and courage?
The turning point wasn’t a single dramatic moment; it was a phase in my life where I experienced what many people go through, but don’t always talk about openly.
On the outside, everything looked fine. But internally, I felt a deep sense of confusion and emotional overwhelm. I was constantly questioning my decisions, overthinking every step, and seeking clarity from everywhere except within myself.
What stood out to me was this: “I wasn’t lacking intelligence or capability. I was lacking clarity and self-trust.”
That realisation changed everything. I started doing the inner work, understanding my patterns, questioning my beliefs, and learning how to make decisions that felt aligned, not pressured. And as I began to experience that shift, from confusion to clarity, from doubt to confidence, I realised how powerful that transformation is.
But more importantly, I saw how common this struggle is. That’s when it became clear to me, this is not just personal growth, this is something I want to help others experience.
So, my journey into coaching wasn’t about having all the answers. It was about understanding the process of finding them within.
And today, my work is centred around helping people build that same clarity, confidence, and courage, so they don’t just move forward, but move forward with conviction.
How do you help someone move from confusion to absolute clarity in their life decisions?
Most people are not confused because they lack options. They’re confused because they are overwhelmed by too many choices, influenced by external expectations, and disconnected from what they truly want.
As a life coach, my role is not to give people answers, but to help them discover their own truth with clarity and confidence.
I help individuals quiet the noise, reconnect with their values, and understand what genuinely aligns with them. Because true clarity doesn’t come from outside advice, it comes when your mind is calm, your priorities are clear, and your decisions feel aligned rather than forced.
When people stop seeking constant validation and start listening to themselves, clarity naturally follows.
What is the difference between true confidence and surface-level confidence that people often mistake?
That’s a very important distinction.
What many people perceive as confidence is often surface-level confidence, which is heavily dependent on external validation, success, achievements, or approval from others. It may appear strong outwardly, but it tends to collapse when circumstances become difficult.
True confidence is very different. It is internal, stable, and deeply rooted in self-awareness and self-acceptance.
A truly confident person doesn’t constantly need to prove themselves. They are comfortable admitting what they don’t know, open to learning, and resilient enough to handle setbacks without losing their sense of self-worth.
In simple words, Surface-level confidence is about how you appear to others. True confidence is about how secure you feel within yourself.
As a coach, I believe real confidence is built through self-trust, when a person knows that even if life doesn’t go perfectly, they still have the ability to handle it.
Why do so many capable people still struggle to take courageous decisions?
Many capable people struggle with courageous decisions, not because they lack ability, but because of internal resistance.
Fear of failure, fear of judgment, and the pressure to make the “perfect” decision often create hesitation. Overthinking also plays a major role. When someone has too many options or extremely high expectations from themselves, they become stuck in analysis paralysis.
Another important factor is external conditioning. Many people are raised to seek approval before making choices, so stepping into a decision that may disappoint others feels uncomfortable and risky.
So, the issue is rarely capability; it is usually a lack of clarity and self-trust.
Once people understand that no decision is ever completely risk-free and begin trusting their own judgment, they naturally become more courageous in their actions.
Can you share a powerful transformation story where a client completely shifted their mindset through your coaching?
One of the most powerful transformations I witnessed was with a client who appeared extremely successful on the outside. She had a thriving career, multiple opportunities, and a loving family, but internally, she felt completely stuck.
She had been postponing an important life decision for over a year, not because she lacked options, but because she was trapped in overthinking and fear of making the wrong choice. Every possible decision felt tied to judgment, failure, or regret.
When we started working together, I didn’t focus on giving her the “right” answer. Instead, we worked on helping her build clarity and reconnect with her own voice beneath the noise of external expectations.
What emerged was powerful:
Her confusion wasn’t about lack of direction; it was about lack of self-trust.
The breakthrough came when she said, “I don’t need the perfect decision. I need a decision that feels aligned with me.”
That shift changed everything.
Within weeks, she made a decision she had been delaying for over a year. But the real transformation wasn’t the decision itself, it was her ability to trust herself again and move forward confidently without needing constant validation.
That, to me, is the true power of coaching. It doesn’t give people answers; it helps them build the clarity and courage to trust their own.
What patterns do you commonly see in people who feel “stuck” despite having potential?
In my experience, people who feel stuck are rarely lacking potential. More often, they are trapped in patterns such as overthinking, fear of making the wrong decision, perfectionism, and dependence on external validation.
Many wait for absolute clarity before taking action, which only leads to inaction and frustration. Others are disconnected from what they truly want because they are constantly focused on what they “should” do.
So the issue is not capability, it is mindset.
The moment people build self-awareness and begin trusting their own judgment, they stop feeling stuck and start moving forward with confidence and clarity.
How can leaders and professionals build confidence without burning out or constantly over-proving themselves?
Many leaders burn out because they associate confidence with constantly proving their worth.
But true confidence is not built through overworking; it is built through clarity, consistency, and self-trust.
The first step is gaining clarity on priorities so they can focus on what truly matters instead of trying to do everything.
The second is shifting from validation-seeking to decision ownership. When leaders stop measuring their value through others’ approval, they become more grounded and confident.
And finally, healthy boundaries are essential. Knowing when to pause, delegate, or say “no” is not weakness; it is emotional intelligence.
Real confidence doesn’t come from doing more.
It comes from doing the right things with clarity, intention, and self-awareness.
What is one belief or mindset that you think holds most people back from living their full potential?
One of the biggest beliefs holding people back is the idea that they need to feel completely ready or certain before taking action.
This mindset creates hesitation and overthinking because the truth is:
Clarity often comes after action, not before it.
People wait for the perfect moment, the perfect plan, or perfect confidence, but those conditions rarely arrive.
Growth begins when people shift from “I need to be fully ready” to “I can figure things out along the way.”
That mindset transforms hesitation into momentum.
If someone is waiting for the “perfect time” to take action in life, what would your advice be?
I would say that the “perfect time” is often procrastination disguised as preparation.
There will always be uncertainty, risk, or something that doesn’t feel fully ready. If you wait for ideal conditions, you may keep delaying the very growth you seek.
My advice is simple: start small, but start now.
Take one step with what you have today. Because clarity and confidence are not built before action, they are built through action.
At BrilliantRead, we don’t just share startup stories—we bring you journeys that challenge perspectives, spark ideas, and fuel ambition. Every story we feature is carefully chosen to add real value, inspire action, and ignite possibility within our growing community of entrepreneurs and dreamers.
If you have a powerful story—one that can inspire, educate, or create impact—we want to hear from you.
