I talk a lot to my clients about clarity, about understanding what really matters to you, and about what you are prepared to do (or not) to make stuff happen.
So imagine my discomfort when, last year, I felt confused, like I’d lost my own clarity or uniqueness about my business. Sure I was still really clear about my why, the stuff that really mattered to me, the purpose behind the business; but what it looked like, what it should be called, and specifically what we wanted to do was quite frankly a bit of a muddle. Have you ever been there? It’s horrible!
Thankfully, I am very purpose driven. I believe that if you do the stuff that matters and trust what you believe in, then the rest will fall into place – if, and only if, you put the work in to make it happen.
I constantly meet people who are defined by their struggle – they are attached to it, it is part and parcel of their identity – it’s also a great excuse for not doing the scary, exposing stuff that really matters to you. The price is a life of mediocrity or worse, quiet desperation, that sinking feeling that there must be more than this…..
If you’ve ever felt like that, the short answer is yes there is more, you just have to be brave enough to show up and do what you believe in. We are all far braver than we realise, especially when something matters enough to us. For me bravery is not just about running into burning buildings; it’s about how we show up on a daily basis, it’s about the decisions we make, and it’s about letting what matters to us take priority over our excuses.
So how did I make the change?
First of all, I had to stop being ’busy’ with things that didn’t need me to do (or doing at all in some cases). This freed up the time and space to refocus on what really mattered about what we do, what had the biggest impact, what did we enjoy the most, and of course where is the money coming from.
Then came the harder part, which was what do people actually want from us (which is not always the same as what they need – but sells a whole lot better). I realised I had a values conflict – I’m a fixer, I wanted to sell people what they needed, I wasn’t so interested in what they wanted. It was focusing on wants, on the problems we solve for clients, that enabled me to find my magic again.
That magic is bravery – taking one brave step after another in pursuit of your bigger goal or dream.
Every one of us makes a difference to someone or something, some of us want to do that on a large scale, some on a small scale. The important thing is that we each do what we are here to do. That is what makes the world a better place.
Having got clear about what we were about, our final step was to decide how we were going to deliver this vision. And for us this was the easy bit. We have 16 years of helping business leaders and owners, I know what I like and what we are good at, where we get the best results for clients. It is still mentoring, coaching and training, but community also is important. That peer support, that varied expertise drawn from working with other business owners, and that space to be vulnerable, ask questions and share successes.
This is Brave Scene, a growing community for business owners who want to play bigger, who are prepared to let go of their struggle (also called your comfort zone), and who want to get clear about they need to do and get on with it.
Brave Scene is about attitude, spirit and action.
Over the coming months we’ll be sharing stories, strategies and successes through video, blogs and Q&As, and I’d love to hear from you what you’ve liked (if you’ve been in my community for a while), what you’d like to know about, whether you’re new or longstanding, and how we can best help you to show up, be brave and do the stuff that matters to you.
Bottom line is, I believe we are all capable of amazing things if we are brave enough to start. We are all far braver than we realise, especially when something matters enough to us, and this is my call to arms – you matter enough, it’s time to get brave enough to do the stuff that’s important to you!
Join Brave Scene by clicking here now.