Beyond Geography: Why Lasting Change Requires Deeper Work

Leadership Lessons from the Movie Pretty Woman.

In the 1990 movie Pretty Woman, there’s a memorable exchange between Edward, a wealthy businessman, and Vivian, a prostitute he has hired for the night. When Edward suggests that he would arrange a luxury condo for Vivian, which would “get you off the streets,” Vivian responds with a line that lingers: “That’s just geography.”

Her response cuts to the heart of transformation. Moving from the streets to a penthouse would not, by itself, change who she was, how she saw herself, or the deeper challenges she faced. Vivian understood that true change goes beyond shifting external circumstances—it requires inner work, identity shifts, and conscious choices.

This cinematic moment offers a powerful metaphor for leadership and personal growth today. Many of us try to “change geography”—chasing titles, salaries, or external fixes—when the real breakthrough lies beneath the surface.

The Illusion of Surface-Level Change

In my executive coaching work, I often see leaders equating progress with external moves: a new job title, a bigger paycheck, or a fresh strategy. These external “geographies” can be exciting and motivating, but without addressing the underlying habits, mindsets, and fears, the same struggles eventually reappear.

Think about confidence. Many leaders ask me how to project confidence during job interviews, board presentations, or high-stakes stakeholder meetings. They assume confidence is something situational, a performance to turn on at will. But that’s the equivalent of Edward’s promise to Vivian—it may look different from the outside, but internally, nothing has shifted.

Lasting confidence—or any sustainable change—requires looking beneath the surface. What’s fueling the insecurity? What beliefs or patterns are holding you back? Until you address the root cause, you’ll always be chasing quick fixes.

Real Change: From Surface to Substance

Answering Senior Leaders’ Questions

One of my clients, a VP of Legal at a Fortune 100 company, illustrates this well. She often hesitated in meetings because her leaders wanted simplified answers, while she valued nuance and integrity. For her, simply appearing more confident was not the answer—because the root conflict was deeper.

Through coaching, she discovered she didn’t have to choose between clarity and truth. By practicing responses like, “In short, yes—and there’s more nuance to consider,” she could honor her expertise while meeting her audience’s needs. She also adopted the McKinsey pyramid principle of “leading with the headline”—providing a concise answer first, followed by details.

This wasn’t just a tactic for boardrooms. Over time, she began applying the same approach with her team, streamlining discussions and helping them prioritize. The result was more than confidence in meetings—it was a lasting shift in how she communicated and led by considering her audience’s viewpoint, empathizing with their needs.

Confidence in Job Interviews

Another client, let’s call him Vinod, a director-level leader in Tech, came to me worried about interviews. He wanted tips to “look confident” under pressure. As we explored deeper, Vinod realized his anxiety stemmed from being unemployed for months. Quick somatic practices—like mindful breathing—helped in the moment, but the lasting change came when he reconnected with his spiritual philosophy of Nishkam Karma: acting without attachment to outcomes.

By embracing this mindset, he became calmer in daily life. That calm naturally showed up in interviews, where he appeared more grounded and authentic. The breakthrough wasn’t about a scripted trick for interviews—it was about aligning his inner state with his values.

Both stories highlight the same truth: when we shift from surface-level “geography” to deeper self-awareness and alignment, the results ripple into every area of life.

The Coaching Lens: Why Geography Isn’t Enough

As an executive coach, I often use the Pretty Woman metaphor to help clients recognize the difference between external moves and internal transformation.

• Geography change looks like switching jobs, chasing promotions, or adopting the latest productivity hack. These can be helpful but rarely solve deeper struggles.
  
• Identity change happens when leaders address the root—whether it’s their beliefs about confidence, their relationship with stress, or their patterns of overwork.
  

The first creates short-term relief. The second builds resilience, authenticity, and sustainable leadership impact.

This is why coaching focuses not just on performance tips, but on reflection, embodiment, and awareness. Tools like micro-mindfulness, leadership embodiment practices, and habit tracking aren’t about surface polish—they’re about wiring in deeper shifts.

Vivian’s Self-Leadership: Autonomy and Initiative

Interestingly, in Pretty Woman, Vivian doesn’t wait for Edward to save her. She takes agency, enrolling in college classes to build a future on her own terms. Yes, the fairy-tale ending includes Edward’s return—but the directors made sure it was Vivian’s clarity, courage, and initiative that set her transformation in motion.

Her famous line—“That’s just geography”—wasn’t cynical. It was clarity. She recognized that real change couldn’t be handed to her by circumstance. It had to come from her own choices and her willingness to go deeper.

Applying This to Leadership Growth

So what does this mean for you as a leader, professional, or individual?

1. Notice where you’re chasing geography. Is it a new job title, or an external fix? These can motivate, but don’t mistake them for transformation.
   
2. Ask what’s beneath the surface. If you’re feeling unconfident, overwhelmed, or stuck, dig deeper. What beliefs, fears, or habits are driving those feelings?
   
3. Adopt practices that shift identity. Micro-mindfulness, reflective journaling, or coaching conversations help strengthen self-awareness and build new neural pathways for lasting change.
   
4. Measure progress differently. Don’t judge yourself by one meeting or one day. Track your consistency over time. Sustainable change is about trends, not perfection.
   
5. Anchor change in values. Like Vinod did with his spiritual philosophy, connect your growth to something bigger than the moment. That alignment creates calm, confidence, and resilience.
   

Making Lasting Change

The next time you find yourself hoping that a new role, a new relationship, or a new external “geography” will solve your challenges, pause and remember Vivian’s wisdom. Geography can be a catalyst, but it’s not the cure.

Real transformation happens when you pair external moves with internal shifts—aligning your mindset, identity, and daily habits with who you want to become. That’s the kind of change that not only sustains but compounds over time, shaping your leadership and life from the inside out.

So ask yourself: What “geography” am I focusing on? And what deeper shift would make my change truly sustainable? Happy to offer a complimentary executive coaching session to explore.