FEELING STUCK?

Is this you? You dream of working as a coach, or starting a social movement that will revolutionise the world of healthcare, or of writing a book.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗔𝗡𝗬 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡 𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗞𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗞𝗘𝗘𝗣 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗖𝗞 - 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠:

𝟭.𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲.

 You assume that the thing that lights you up and that makes your heart beat faster will be disregarded and derided by others. But in truth it is YOU who disregards it.

You’re worried that what you love is too weird. Too far outside of accepted social norms. Not good enough.

You are looking at what you love through the lens of some imaginary harsh external critic.

Thus you either hide what you love altogether or dilute it for fear of imagined ridicule, criticism and confrontation.

𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:

𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲!

In fact, the joy you feel when connecting with what you love most is an infallible compass for creating a life without regrets. In the words of Rumi: “Whatever makes the corners of your mouth lift—trust that. Your heart knows the way—run in that direction!”

Everything you do, you can do so much better with joy.

Most of us unconsciously hold this back because we’re socially conditioned to believe that work has to be hard—and that if it’s exciting and joyful, it can’t truly be “work.” Yet when you find the overlap between what makes your heart beat faster and what the world urgently needs, you tap into your Ikigai—your reason for being—which is the most fertile and potent place to operate from.

 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘁. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲.

If what you love goes against prevailing social norms, it’s likely even more important—and deserves extra attention and space.

2. “𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁! 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗺 𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀?” you say.

“𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀!” "𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄."

You doubt and discount your own ideas and keep comparing yourself unfavourably to others.

At work, holding back your questions and pretending to know -for fear of vulnerability or looking unprofessional- numbs the creative process, and delays progress and the development of real solutions in teams.

𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦.

In today’s world, anyone who thinks they have all the answers is likely stuck in yesterday’s mindset. As we leave toxic, outdated paradigms behind, we are operating in the unknown—creating new ground beneath our feet with every step we take and every new question we explore.

𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁-𝘆𝗲𝘁-𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗧𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁-𝘆𝗲𝘁-𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴.

This, obviously, doesn’t mean dismissing scientific expertise. Instead, it’s about leading with curiosity and questions that, grounded in evidence, are truly generative—

sparking conversations that are open, experimental, playful, even wild, fuelling creative thinking, engaging the unconscious mind, and thus opening the door to truly paradigm shifting insights.

𝟯. “𝗜’𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆. 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀."

You sign up for more trainings.

Attend another workshop.

Focus on another great mentor’s method to master.

Being in a continuous preparation mode gives you the illusion that you’re moving and developing. In truth you’re avoiding action and ultimately staying stagnant.

𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁: 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗟-𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬!

The coaching business you dream of having? The environmental campaign or social movement that will revolutionise the world of healthcare that you dream of starting?

𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗡𝗢𝗪, 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘀.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗣! 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗶𝘁!

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲? 𝗬𝗘𝗦!!!!!!

𝟰. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

This is a big one. Even just showing your face feels scary. You worry what people will think — and you imagine how your mum, or a distant auntie or a person from your past will perceive and perhaps deride/criticise your posts.

As a result you don’t show up at all - or keep your posts polite and palatable to avoid controversy.

𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:

Block them! Block ALL OF THEM! Block your Mum and aunty and that friend from the past from your social media!

Embrace messiness. Decide that your social media and your first reel or podcast episode WILL suck!

Celebrate showing up.

Release your audience from YOUR NEED for validation - validating yourself is YOUR job!

If you continue to get stuck here, hire a coach! Life is short! How much longer do you want to postpone and be afraid of it?

𝟱. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀.

You’re doing a lot — except the things that move you forward. You

• write to-do lists

• perfect your website

• obsess over your Insta bio/what to call yourself

• spend months on deciding on a niche etc.

This illusion of momentum feels safe - and utterly frustrating.

𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:

𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 𝗬𝗢𝗨’𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗟-𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬! 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼.

𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝟮!

𝟲. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿.

 You have yet to start thinking of yourself as a leader.

 You have a habit of looking to others for guidance.

 You’re unconsciously assuming that others are leaders—and that you’re not.

 You’re waiting for someone to give you permission to lead.

 It has not yet occurred to you that you don’t need anyone in front of you.

𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:

Notice the social conditioning that makes you defer to authority and wait for others to tell you what to do and when. How much of this is learned passivity?

Notice your essential freedom to speak up about what matters to you.

Challenge yourself to think of yourself as a leader. If you were to give a TED Talk or write a book, what would the title, topic, and message be? Live into the answer to that question daily.

If you still feel unable to step up in how you see yourself, hire a coach!

𝟳. "𝗢𝗡𝗘-𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹..." - 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

You tell yourself:

“ONE DAY I’ll take action.

 ONE DAY I’ll work as a coach.

 ONE DAY I’ll write the first chapter of my book.”

𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:

YOU’RE ALREADY READY! You can start NOW, today. Talk about it! (See point 2.)

Show up as the person you’re becoming—today. This is not about faking it but about no longer letting the voice of your inner critic take the lead.

 Learn to have your own back at all times and root for yourself when external critics—or your inner critic—try to stop or belittle you.

Embody the energy of the outcome you long to achieve. By focusing on what makes your heart beat faster and connecting it to what the world needs, you create goals that light you up.

These goals don't exist in some distant future but are the place you START FROM every single day. They’re the reason you get out of bed in the morning.

In this way, your work fuels you, becomes deeply regenerative, and helps protect you from burnout.

Ask yourself: What are the three smallest next steps I can take toward this goal? Then take them—and make sure to keep taking small (and sometimes bold) steps DAILY.

I'd love to hear your thoughts! Does the above make sense?