This week, I’ve had the same conversations with three women working on accomplishing their goals. We candidly shared our highs but also our lows being that in some instances, we are the first in our environment trying to achieve those goals. I told them what I have often repeated to myself in my journey: “Sometimes, we are the blueprint we've been searching for. And in those instances, it is important to learn to trust our gut and keep pushing forward.”
Entrepreneurship or the pursuit of a promotion or a new career may seem exciting to the people on the outside but for those going through it, it's unnerving, discouraging, and borderline depressing. Why? Because most of the time, we don’t have someone to hold our hands and show us the way. You might say: “What about a mentor?” Well, what if I can’t afford a mentor? What if I only have enough money to launch the business? Or what if I don't know anybody at my current job or in my new career path willing to show me the ropes? And what if, unlike Noah's case, it already started raining (the economy is going crazy, the U.S. dollar is on the decline. the job market is interesting, etc...), and I need to build this ark quickly to secure my family and I's future? These are legit questions and trains of thought, while they might seem slightly dramatic. Wouldn't you agree?
But today, I’m not here to navigate these questions with you. I want to discuss the importance of keeping a healthy mental and emotional state while dealing with the pressure of being the first to do THAT THING.
Earlier, I mentioned Noah, who is often used as a motivation for entrepreneurs building their businesses. However, we rarely talk about some aspects of his story like Noah has never SEEN an ark, he might have experienced doubts and imposter syndrome while building the ark (remember it wasn't built in one day. It took a while), the crazy looks he might have gotten from his wife, his children and their wives (remember God spoke to Noah, not the whole family. So we don't know if they were on board with the plan from the get-go), the strange looks and ridicule from society. That part of Noah’s life couldn’t have been easy to navigate as HE WAS THE FIRST!!!
Today, let me ask you this: Are you a Noah? Are you the blueprint that you've looking for on Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and the rest? Are your nerves unsettling? If so, I want to share FIVE SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE STEPS TO HELP YOU MAINTAIN YOUR SANITY AND FINISH THE YEAR STRONG :-)
1- Believe in YOURSELF!!! - I mean seriously. If you don't cultivate confidence in yourself, in your skills and abilities, it's going to be very hard for you to stay strong and motivated when imposter syndrome starts creeping into your mind, or the naysayers and haters start using their tongues against you. Tell yourself every day: If you were smart enough to conceptualize the goal, you are smart enough to see it come to fruition.
2- Build a Strong Support System!!! - My best friend and I speak at least once a week about our monthly goals and what we need to do next. This helps us keep each other accountable. Additionally, I am part of a community that meets every morning on Zoom, where the hosts share new knowledge and tips to help us stay focused on our goals. If you don't have a friend like mine, a mentor, or a community to encourage and feed you, I'll be your accountability buddy because I want all of us to succeed in 2023. Schedule a FREE 15 min talk on the website, and let's work out a plan for YOU.
3- Take Care of Your Well-Being!!! - I don't know why the first part of our life we start neglecting when pursuing a promotion or starting a business is our health (both mental and physical). If you are sick, not in top shape, or start experiencing burnout, you cannot perform at your best. This could cause you to be demoted or fail in your business. Even if you succeed, neglecting your well-being could lead to serious health problems or depression because you pushed yourself too much. So I encourage you to schedule self-care activities and eat nutritious meals with the same passion as you pursue your goals. Wouldn't it be seriously messed up to get on top of that mountain and be too sick or depressed to enjoy the view???
4- Stay Focused but Flexible in Your Plans!!! - Having a plan is a MUST to succeed in any journey. However, don't be so caught up in the plans that when challenges and setbacks show up at your door, you don't know how to be flexible. The key is to focus on the goals and adjust the plan when necessary.
5- Learn to Embrace Failure!!! - Stuff happens!!! Some things are out of your control, like the weather, people's actions. Making peace with the possibility of failing before it happens doesn't mean you're negative; it just means you're mentally and emotionally prepared, so if something goes wrong, you won't be so caught up by it that it paralyzes your next moves. Your motto should be: "We live, we learn, and we become wiser and stronger."
To conclude, I invite you to watch this video, where I share some affirmations that I encourage you to memorize and repeat daily to give you the stamina to build your own ark.
Until next time,
Emma