When Everything Goes Wrong

Everything going wrong isn't a sign for you to stop.

It's a test to see how bad you want it.

It's a chance to show yourself what you're made of.

It's an opportunity to show up as someone who doesn't take no for an answer.

What if you get 500 rejection letters for your book? Send another one.

It’s not the end. It’s just a test.

I know because I've been tested a lot.

One time, I missed an international flight to Arizona and had to buy a new one.

Which immediately got canceled by the airline.

They told me there was no way I could get a direct flight that day.

So I decided to fly to the wrong airport on purpose, and take a taxi for an hour across states to another airport.

Then the taxi driver got pulled over by the police for speeding.

The driver charged me extra because of it and I objected. So he locked me in the car. I got out. I’m okay.

I got to Arizona on time.

You know what? It was SO worth it.

Just for the experience of pushing my limits. Just for finding out what I’m made of. What I’m willing to do.

And because of many experiences like this, no matter what gets thrown my way, I believe in my ability to figure it out. Always.

So if things are going wrong right now, know that it’s just a test to see how bad you want it.

Getting into Forbes

Today I want to celebrate my amazing client Erin Drummer for getting into Forbes this week!

Erin is an elopement photographer and she got interviewed for an adventure piece linking to her website.

In our coaching session last week, Erin told me she'd love to be in major publications to grow her business.

We created a plan, but I had no idea how quickly she would implement it.

It didn't take years.

It took one email.

Now anyone who reads that Forbes article can find her website and book her services.

Erin, you're an actual BOSS.

What if like Erin, you're just ONE email away from getting into Forbes?

What if your impossible goal is just sitting there, waiting for you to come and get it?

Your impossible goal is available to you, right now.

You just have to decide you're going to do what it takes to get it.

It doesn't matter if you want to hit 20k on Instagram, get in Forbes or start a book shop.

It's so much closer than you think.

Read the Forbes article here.

Check out Erin’s website and Instagram.

Sprint

We’re almost at the end of October.

Even if you walked part of the month, I dare you to sprint this last bit to the end.

Finish strong. That’s my challenge to myself.

It already feels SO good.

Head in the Game

I’ve spoken on this blog before about Stephen Covey’s quote “The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing”, but it couldn’t be truer for me now than ever.

I’ve been working like crazy to qualify for the mastermind I want to join.

It’s the kind of goal you have to push EVERYTHING aside for.

I’ve stopped doing a lot of things that seemed important to me.

I haven’t been growing my group.

I haven’t been making YouTube videos.

I haven’t been running.

Not because they aren’t important to me.

But because my priority right now is to hit my most important goal.

And I’m willing to do whatever it takes.

Even if that means sacrificing the time I’m spending on some of my other less important goals.

I will be back to growing my group, making YouTube videos and running – soon.

But right now, I’ve got my head in the game.

Double Impossible

This is my boyfriend, Daniel.

His impossible goal is to do something called a Double Cork (a double twisting backflip off one foot).

He’s SO close.

To give you an idea of skill level, at one point in time, a Triple Cork was considered physically impossible.

So to do a Double Cork will be the hardest move he’s ever done.

I’ve seen him fail this exact move for an entire year.

But he has never given up.

He trains almost every single day.

Any day now, he’s going to get it.

And the moment he hits it, a Triple Cork is going to be possible for him too.

Because he’s done the flippin’ work.

Choose Your Own Danger

“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.” – Hellen Keller

Oh, girl. You’re speaking to me.

There’s danger everywhere.

So why not go after you’re wildest, craziest, most impossible dreams and experience the danger that comes with that?

What’s the alternative? Experiencing the danger that comes from regret.

That sounds way worse.

Go wild. Go bold. Take the leap. Do the crazy thing.

People don’t become great by passing up opportunities to develop greatness.

Choose the danger that comes with being bold.

It’s more fun that way.

Note: this was just me pep-talking myself into making a bold decision right now. Done.

How to Overcome Self-Doubt

Impossible > Possible > Probable > Inevitable

This is the scale of belief.

When you first set a massive goal, your brain won't even believe it's physically possible. You're stuck in the impossible stage. Total self-doubt.

The idea is to make the switch from impossible to possible.

Then possible to probable.

Then probable to inevitable.

So how do you get from impossible to inevitable when your self-doubt is raging?

By building trust with yourself.

That means showing up for your goals and habits every day, no matter what.

Before, I used to spin in self-doubt.

But for the last 459 days in a row, I've posted on my blog.

Before that, I meditated for 365 days straight.

I've also asked strangers at the mall to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

And trained daily until I hit 50 push-ups in a row.

Now when I set a goal, I trust myself to hit it.

It feels inevitable almost instantly.

It doesn't even matter how big it is.

Because now I believe myself when I say I'm going to do something.

I've got proof.

Even if I don't know how to do the thing yet. I know I'll do what it takes to figure it out.

I'll stay up late.

I'll get up early.

I'll put my goal ahead of my in-the-moment desires.

I know I'll do whatever it takes.

Because I've done whatever it takes before.

Self-doubt is just a symptom of inaction.

And here is the cure:

Show up daily

Be willing to do whatever it takes

Then your brain won't doubt you anymore.

What are you doing today to build trust with yourself? 

Three Questions to Ask Yourself When Nothing Is Working

1) Are you working?

I’ve experienced many times when I thought “it” wasn’t working. But really, I wasn’t working. I wasn’t doing any work!

2) Is the action you’re taking directly linked to the result you want?

I spent years doing actions I hoped would bring results. But I didn’t actually know if they would.

Find out what will guarantee your result if you do it. Do that.

3) Am I believing it is working?

Choosing to believe IT IS WORKING is so much more powerful than telling yourself, “it’s not working“. When you tell yourself “It’s not working” your brain will try to search for new solutions, instead of sticking with it.

It IS working. Keep going. You can do this.

Implementing Systems

My business has never been big enough to implement “systems” before, but now it’s getting to a stage where if I don’t put systems in place to support me supporting my clients, something is going to slip through the cracks.

I also believe that in order to step into the next level business owner, I need to prepare my systems so that I can handle the next level of success without a big commotion. This is an exciting time!

Here’s what I’m working on:

• Streamlining my client onboarding process

• Creating a system to stay up to date with where all of my clients are at

• An easy system to connect with my clients so they’re not all communicating with me on different platforms

Potential solutions I’m looking at:

• Dubsado – for managing everything all at once. I don’t have a lot of documents with my clients but I’m considering it as a way to manage everything since I’m currently using google spreadsheets and I don’t know how long that will last!

• Telegram – for client communications so they could be all in one place (instead of messaging some people on email, some on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, text message… ah!)

• Scheduling systems – I prefer to schedule with my clients personally, but now that my current client list has grown beyond 15 I’m considering having it done automatically including auto-created Zoom links.

What do you use for your client systems? Let me know in the comments by clicking the title of this blog!

Accepting Total Imperfection

You know when you do something for the first time and you just realise how far you have to go?

That happened for me today on a livestream – even though it wasn't my first time.

I rewatched it thinking, "Wow. That was rubbish." 

I thought I had livestreams sorted. But it was clunky, awkward and totally unnatural.

Clearly I have a lot of work to do.

I even considered taking it down.

But I didn't. Because I think there's a kind of beauty in being a beginner and allowing yourself to suck.

Accepting not just imperfection, but total imperfection.

I am okay being new. I will get better.

Keep going, self.

Everyone sucks in the beginning.