Life as an RPG · 1:1 coaching
What if you could play your life like an adventure game?
See the bigger story you're living, choose a quest that matters to you, and grow into your next chapter.
And remember to have some fun along the way.
Personal coaching with Jan Trautwein
I've coached founders + leaders of the following companies:
A coach. A curious human.
A lover of the game of life.
I help people create a life that feels meaningful, free and alive. Their work is often a big part of that. So are their relationships, their energy, and who they're becoming.
One perspective I love is seeing life as an RPG. A role playing game. You have a character, a quest, skills to develop, and a whole world to explore.
It brings a little more perspective and playfulness to the deep work of being human.
Based in Lisbon. Working with clients worldwide.
Life as a role playing game.
We all have ways of making sense of life. I find this one particularly useful. You can see yourself as both the character living the story and the player who can step back and choose a direction.
Your life is real. Your challenges matter. And sometimes a different perspective opens up possibilities you couldn't see before.
01 / Perspective
See the bigger story.
You can zoom out from the situation in front of you and see the chapter you're living. What has shaped you? What matters now? What kind of experience do you want to create?
A question to sit withWhat would you notice if you could zoom out?
02 / Main quest
Choose a quest that matters.
You can bring more intention to where your attention goes. Your main quest might be building a business, creating a home, deepening a relationship, or bringing something beautiful into the world.
A question to sit withWhat feels worth giving yourself to in this chapter?
03 / Skill tree
Grow into your next chapter.
You can get clear on the skills and qualities your next chapter asks of you. Courage. Communication. Focus. Leadership. Your time is limited, so it helps to choose what you want to practise.
A question to sit withWhat would you love to become more capable of?
04 / Challenges
Turn experience into growth.
You can meet a challenge with curiosity. A difficult conversation, a setback, or an old pattern can show you where there is something to learn. You can try, reflect, adjust, and see the progress you're making.
A question to sit withWhat might this challenge be inviting you to learn?
05 / Play
Enjoy being alive.
You can care deeply about your life and still hold it a little more lightly. Try things. Follow your curiosity. Celebrate a small win. Leave room for the unexpected. There is more to the adventure than reaching the next level.
A question to sit withWhere could you bring a little more play into your life?
A little more intention. A little more curiosity. A little more room to play.
"I feel that I have grown professionally as well as personally in ways that I never expected. There are lessons that I've learned in communicating with Jan that I trust will serve me for years to come, and frankly, you could not put a price on these services."Alex Nicita · Entrepreneur + AI Builder
Outside the mainstream.
I've never had a traditional job.
The “normal” path never felt enticing to me. I'd rather create my own way than follow a path just because everyone else is on it. I'm a bit of a free rebel in that way.
After I finished my physics degree, I cofounded a social startup. It was exciting and fun… until it wasn't.
The biggest realization I had after I left: Happiness has to be the fuel, not the reward.
In 2018 I found my passion in supporting others through deep 1:1 work and dedicated myself fully to it. Since then I've worked with over 100 clients across the world.
I've always loved games, adventures, nature and personal growth. Seeing life as an RPG brings those worlds together for me. There is something freeing about taking your life seriously while also remembering that you get to play.
I keep investing in my own development, through coaching, retreats, and the everyday practice of living what I learn.
I'm based in Lisbon with my wife, Diara, and our two cats, Luno and Koda. I play lots of different sports. I read a lot. And I love a good adventure.
Deep, focused, 1:1.
I work with a small number of clients at any given time. We go deep and far together, over several months, usually with two or three sessions a month and support in between.
We start with you. What you want to create, where you are now, and what feels difficult. Sometimes that means getting clear on your next move. Sometimes it means looking at the beliefs and patterns shaping the way you see yourself.
I bring questions, perspective, honest reflection, and the kind of support that helps you follow through. We turn what you see in our conversations into something you can actually live.
The RPG perspective is one of the lenses we can use. Our conversations follow what is useful for you.
Sessions happen over video call or over audio while we're both outside walking in nature. The best conversations don't always happen sitting down.
When I work with someone, I'm all in to support them, their mission and their life. So I choose my clients as carefully as they choose me.
Explore working together
People creating a life of their own.
Many of my clients are founders, creators, educators and leaders. What connects them is a desire to grow, contribute, and enjoy the life they're building.
You might be building something, moving into a new chapter, or wanting to meet your current life with more clarity and courage.
Behind ClimateFarmers & Love Foundation, regenerating land & people
It's both and.
Your outer world and inner world shape each other. We make room for both: what you want to create, and who you are being as you create it.
Vision & direction
What do you want this chapter to be about? We get clear on what matters to you and turn that into practical priorities. Your work, your relationships, and the life you want to be living while you build.
Identity & inner work
The stories you tell yourself shape what feels possible. We explore the fears, beliefs and patterns that come up, and create more freedom in how you respond.
Action & integration
We bring it into everyday life. A conversation you've been avoiding. A decision you want to make. A habit you want to practise. We check in, learn from what happens, and keep moving.
"Jan has a holistic approach. He doesn't just focus on business strategy, but also on identifying core fears, limiting beliefs, and the deeper issues that can hold you back. I came into our work together feeling lost, confused, and uninspired. Over time, with his guidance and accountability, I gained clarity and momentum again. I wholeheartedly recommend Jan!"
A few things you might be wondering.
I've worked with leaders of big corporations like Apple and Amazon, actors, solopreneurs, artists, professors, resourceful students, mothers and other human beings who had something they wanted help with.
The biggest group of people I've worked with are founders. I love supporting people who want to create something meaningful, whether that is a business, a creative project, or a different way of living.
You can read about their experiences on the Client Voices page.
Most clients meet with me two or three times a month for 90 minutes. That rhythm tends to offer a good balance of spaciousness and momentum.
Between sessions, I'm available for ongoing support, whether it's going deeper into what we've explored in the last session or navigating something that needs timely attention. You can reach me by text or voice memo whenever something meaningful arises.
Coaching engagements start at 3000€ and vary with the length and intensity of the coaching agreement.
After we have a first complimentary coaching session and are both excited about the idea of doing some great work together, we will discuss what coaching engagement makes the most sense.
And I will only offer you to work with me if I know I can help you and I trust you will get a positive return on your investment.
No. Part of the transformative nature of this work is stepping into it with full commitment. So under no circumstances will you get a refund.
This is why we will spend time in coaching conversations before you transfer any money to give us both the chance to figure out if we are all in or not.
If you are unsure if you want my help, or if you have what it takes to create an amazing return on your investment, it's probably better we don't work together.
No. RPG stands for role playing game. I love the perspective because it makes things like direction, growth and choice easier to see. You can find it useful without ever having played one.
And you don't have to use the metaphor at all. The coaching is personal. We work in the way that helps you most.
For me, it's an invitation to bring more intention, curiosity and playfulness to being human. A quest gives you direction. A skill tree helps you choose what to develop. A wider perspective helps you see more options.
You still care about your life and the people in it. You can take a difficult experience seriously and give yourself room to learn, try again, and enjoy the journey.
In the past two years, my wife Diara and I built a business together providing exactly that. The focus is on helping consultants and service providers get their first or next clients on LinkedIn.
Find more information on coliberate.ventures.
