Paula is a Mental Performance Coach for high-performing athletes, artists, and entrepreneurs. With a background in classical ballet, Pilates, and professional coaching, she empowers her clients to raise their mental strength, build resilience, and elevate their performance both on and off the field. Paula’s diverse career path, from selling ice axes and being a clown to inspiring sports and corporate teams, reflects her adaptability and passion for growth. A mother of two and a survivor of deep depression, Paula embraces her Finnish roots while living as a global citizen currently in Switzerland. She loves dancing, making people laugh, and encouraging others to believe in their potential.
Paula Naeff, Mental Performance Coach
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
Paula is a mental performance coach for high-performing athletes, performers, leaders, and entrepreneurs. Her journey began in Finland, where she grew up surrounded by family, friends, dogs, school, and ballet. Dance was more than just a passion for Paula, it was her sport, her identity, her everything. Ballet instilled in her a deep sense of discipline and dedication. While she once dreamed of becoming a professional dancer, life took her in new directions. She pursued studies in business and art in the United States, which eventually led to a career in the outdoor sports industry, bringing her to Switzerland, a place she has called home ever since.
Paula never left dance behind and has participated in several productions over the years. She also trained as a Pilates instructor, blending her love for movement with a desire to help others. However, the world of dance, coupled with the intense self-criticism she had internalized, led her down a challenging path of depression and self-destruction. After years of struggle, Paula found her way back to the light, shedding layers of self-doubt and judgment. This transformation ignited her mission: to help other performers, athletes, and entrepreneurs build healthy, balanced lives, believe in themselves, and achieve their goals without the burden of mental health challenges.
Outside of her professional life, Paula is a mother of two, a devoted dog owner, and an active individual who enjoys traveling, laughter, and connecting with nature.
What inspired you to start your business, and how does the name "Tim This Is Me" reflect your mission and values?
The name 'TIM This Is Me' came to me in a dream. There was no connection to what it was going to be, and I simply knew this was going to be the name of whatever I was supposed to be creating in this world. Soon after the name was born, the idea of an app started to form. I discovered that I was here on this earth to help others, to be of service to others. I started creating an app with the name ‘TIM This Is Me’ for young dancers to build confidence and mental strength. This was the beginning; it was a gift to my 16-year-old self, and it was massively successful. The same name later became the name of my business.
My journey in ballet taught me how wearing masks, not believing in yourself, and chasing perfection can be mentally exhausting and damaging. The name ‘TIM This Is Me’ represents a bold step towards authenticity. It’s about high performers stepping into their true selves without the need to be 'perfect' and fully embracing who they are.
Can you describe the primary services or products your business offers and how they differentiate from competitors in the market?
I offer mental performance coaching tailored specifically for athletes, performers, leaders, and entrepreneurs who are at the top of their game and face immense pressure. The process is simple, yet it requires consistency, determination, and dedication to excellence. Something I learned throughout my classical ballet training. I work on all levels of human, mental, physical, and spiritual, and I create programs that include physical movement on top of (or in combination with) mental tools. The movement is based on ballet and Pilates, and the idea is to connect physical strength with mental awareness and spiritual connection from the inside out.
What sets me apart is my personal experience and the physical elements of my programs. Having lived through both the highs of performing and the lows of mental health struggles, I understand the unique challenges high achievers face. My approach blends mental resilience training with tools to prevent burnout and mental health issues, ensuring sustainable success. It’s not just about performing at a high level. It’s about thriving mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Who is your target audience, and what strategies do you use to connect with and engage them effectively?
My target audience consists of high-performing individuals who constantly push their limits and set high targets for themselves athletes, entrepreneurs, leaders, and performers. These are people driven by big goals, dreams, and visions but often face immense internal pressure. To connect with them, I share both my personal story and actionable insights through social media, workshops, and keynote speeches. I find that being vulnerable about my own struggles helps build a bridge of trust. High performers are used to being strong, but they also need to feel seen, heard, and understood, and that’s where I come in.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in running your business, and how have you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges was overcoming my own perfectionism and criticism. It might sound ironic, but even as I started coaching, I have had to work on the very things I teach others, embracing authenticity and letting go of the need to be perfect. Building my business while being a single mother, being in a financially unstable situation, and recovering from my mental challenges also required a lot of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual strength. I am a work in progress, and I overcome these challenges daily by working with extraordinary coaches myself, investing in my personal and business development, staying deeply connected to my mission, and practicing what I preach. I use the tools I share with my clients.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.
One of my greatest achievements was helping a young dancer overcome depression, self-doubt and a fear of failure. This person had been on the brink of giving up, but through our work together, they not only continued to move forward but also began performing at their peak. She successfully auditioned for a professional classical ballet company and was offered a contract. Seeing their transformation, both mentally and physically, was incredibly rewarding. I get goosebumps from just thinking about this particular journey. It reminds me why I do what I do, helping people believe in themselves again.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
The most pivotal moment in my life was hitting rock bottom after years of pushing myself to be 'perfect' in ballet and in life. My inability to believe in myself and the constant pressure led me into a deep depression. It was only after I emerged from that darkness that I realized the power of self-compassion and authenticity. I truly began to put myself first in my life. That moment changed everything. It gave me the clarity and purpose to help others who are struggling with the same pressures, and it brought me to the work I do today.
What future plans or goals do you have for 'Tim This Is Me,' and how do you envision the business evolving in the coming years?
I envision 'TIM This Is Me' and my approach to mental performance coaching becoming known as the “Performance Whisperer,” a resource for most professional sports teams and the “secret” behind their success. It is a global resource for high performers who want to excel without compromising their mental health.
I plan to expand my coaching, speaking, and workshops even further, offering digital courses and programs via the already existing T.I.M. This Is Me app to reach athletes worldwide. My goal is to positively impact 1 million athletes, performers, leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide.
Mental training becomes an inseparable part of daily training and leads to healthier athletes, performers, and leadership. Ultimately, I want to shift the culture of high performance to one that values mental well-being just as much as success, results, and statistics. A book is also in the works, which will delve deeper into my personal journey and the strategies I use with clients.
If you are curious to see how my services can help you or your team and athletes, let’s talk. Schedule a call here or simply email me at contact@timthisisme.com.
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