Are other people's doubts holding you back?
When I was starting my coaching business, the one thing I didn’t see coming was (occasionally) having to deal with other people who didn’t ‘get’ or support what I was doing.
As I started to tell more people what I was planning and building, I found that there were some mixed reactions, especially as coaching is a very new concept to some.
And my niche, which is to help people find a new meaningful career or start a purpose driven business, means that I’m often talking about change, and tackling fear, and potentially steering a new path away from the ‘norm’ of the 9 to 5 office job and towards working for yourself.
I try to help people create a vision of what’s possible in their lives, but this can be interpreted by some as being unrealistic, or a bit crazy, or too big a leap.
Maybe you have had similar comments from friends or family, when you talk about the changes you dream of making, which then leave you feeling deflated, or doubtful, or worried about rocking the boat.
So if this happens, it’s key to keep circling back to yourself, and trusting your instincts. Because you’re the only one who knows what you really want and what you’re capable of.
Everyone else is looking at life through their own lens, which has been influenced by their beliefs and their life experiences. They will see what’s possible based on what they were taught, but that has nothing to do with you and your own journey.
There will be people along the way who don’t get it but that’s totally ok. They don’t have your vision or determination, so don’t let them put restrictions on you.
You’ll have enough on your plate dealing with your own doubts and fears, which everyone has, so don’t take on theirs too. Just keep persevering and follow your own vision.
And be prepared to do things your way too. Yes you can learn valuable systems and structures to get your business up and running, and that’s what I teach in my career coaching programme but once you’re on your way then you can also tweak and adjust to create a bespoke business which is based around your own particular strengths, values and sense of purpose.
So if you hear that you’re doing it ‘wrong’ or getting unsolicited advice from well meaning friends or relatives who don’t actually know much about your chosen business niche, then you can thank them but you don’t have to take on their opinions or their doubt.
There is no one set way to do business. Just continue to do things your way and trust your big vision for how you want your life and career to be.
I’ll talk to you soon
Juliette xx
p.s got a dream of working for yourself but still have niggling doubts about whether to take the leap? Then learn more about my coaching programmes here and book yourself in for an introductory 45min coaching session for just £97
A simple tool for boosting your confidence
Whether it’s asking for a promotion or pay rise, speaking up in meetings, meeting new people at networking events or going for an interview, we all know that confidence plays a key part in our career success.
You can’t always rely on your boss or colleagues to shout about your skills and achievements, so it’s up to you to make sure that people are seeing you in the best possible light.
But if you don’t feel comfortable about promoting yourself, then how can you improve your confidence and visibility at work, in a way that feels natural and authentic?
Something I suggest to my new clients when we begin working together, is to start a 'Big Me Up Book'. This is a simple journal, or a file on your computer, which you use to record your successes, strengths, and any praise, compliments and positive feedback e.g when you have a success at work, or make your first sale in your new business, or just receive a lovely ‘great to see you’ text from a friend.
You can then refer back to it when you need a confidence boost, and remind yourself that you really can do this and have a great support network around you!
Our brains are wired to remember and process negative events more thoroughly than positive ones, so it's important that we make the effort to record positive events, so that we can refer back to them when we need it most.
xx Juliette
p.s Want to find a new career or start a business where you can shine? Book an introductory 45min coaching session with me for just £97 and learn more about how coaching can transform your career and your life.
Are you hanging on to a career that’s past its sell by date?
Tell me if any of this sounds like you?
Are you in a job that you used to love, but your passion has faded and now you’re just going through the motions?
Are you sticking with the status quo, only because you’re scared of taking a leap into the unknown?
In your personal life, do you tend to hang on to things e.g old possessions or relationships, even if they’re not making a positive contritbution to your life anymore?
Then you might be experiencing something called ‘loss aversion’.
I first read about this in Psychologies magazine, and discovered that it can be a big factor in holding you back from changing career.
Some people are more resistant to change than others, and don’t want to let go of things for fear that the alternative may be worse. However, sometimes this means that they don’t recognise that their current situation isn’t doing them any good either.
So what can you do about it?
Well ask yourself these two questions:
If you were applying for your current job now, how badly would you want it?
If your boss came in tomorrow and said that you were being moved to another department to do a completely different job, how would you feel?
If your response to either of those is lukewarm or apathetic, then it might well be time to look for something new! Sticking with it in the hope that things will improve, could result in even greater losses in the long run, because you are wasting your valuable skills, time, emotions and even money.
You could drastically improve your levels of joy, fulfilment, work/life balance and even salary, if you found a career or business idea that matched your strengths and values perfectly.
So how to begin the process of change?
The key to embracing the process of change is to break it down into small steps.
Starting your own business is a great example. You could start to attend networking groups and evening classes, and do your market research, all in your spare time whilst you are still in your 9 to 5.
Or go part time first, allowing you to test your services or products, create your website, and start to market yourself, all whilst keeping a regular salary coming in.
And remember, you can always change your mind. You may begin to take steps towards change, and in the process re-discover certain aspects of your job or your company, that you do actually like and value.
But unless you take action and stir the pot a bit, you will stay stuck and won’t be any closer to clarity.
I’ll talk to you soon,
Juliette xx
p.s If you want to chat through why you might be stuck in your career and discover how coaching can help, then book an introductory 45min coaching session with me for just £97. I’d love to talk more.
