Are you willing to fight for what you really want?

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage"

-Anais Nin

Staying stuck isn’t much fun is it? 

It uses up energy and holds us back from amazing opportunities. So why do we sometimes find it so hard to make a decision? Well I’ll tell you what I think. I think we often know exactly what we want to do, but we hold back for the following 3 reasons:

1. You don’t have confidence in yourself

Maybe you want to start a business, but have a nagging doubt that you won’t have anything to offer that people will be willing to pay for.

But you have to be willing to believe that you are worth it, and that the services and products you create will be valuable and make a difference in people’s lives. You have to start believing in yourself, and be willing to take a risk on you.

When I signed up for my coaching training programme, I had those exact same fears. I had no idea if I would be any good as a coach. I kept thinking that the big investment was my main barrier, but in fact it was my confidence in myself.

It all boiled down to this; was I willing to continue living the way I was for another year? Or 10 years?

I knew what the answer was. So I looked at my coach, saw what incredible success she had achieved, took a leap of faith and booked with her.

2. You’re worried about what other people think

When I started my business, there was a lot of (well meaning) concern from friends and family and a few “aren’t you brave?” comments. But to me it wasn’t about bravery. I had reached the point of no return and I absolutely had to do something to change my life.

Also, my transition was far more gradual and less 'risky' than they realised. I did all these things whilst still in my 9 to 5:

• Experimented with different ideas and business models

• Built my website

• Re-structured my week to give me more time and energy to devote to building the business

• Built up some savings

• Got support from a coach who had been there and done it, and gave me the self-belief that if she could do it, so could I

3. You’re not willing to fight for what you want

Sorry guys, but this is the tough love talking:

Are you ok with letting fear rule your life? 

Are you ok with settling for less than you deserve? 

I’m here to tell you that it’s ok to want more, and it is possible for you to have more. Your life might be ‘good enough’ right now, but it doesn’t have to always be just ‘good enough’. It can be amazing and it’s ok to want that, and to want to take back control of your time and your choices.

So if you’re still holding back because things ‘aren’t that bad’ or ‘it’s not the right time’, then I put it to you that actually you don’t want this badly enough.

I work with people who are hungry to make a change and create a brand new business that gives them freedom and fulfilment. They are tired of ‘getting by’ and telling themselves that ‘one day’ things will get better. They want to make it happen right now.

If you really do feel that now is not the right time, then make peace with your situation as it is, and don’t have any regrets.

But if you feel a burning desire to stop fear holding you back and finally do something to change your life, then one of my Career Coaching Programmes could be for you.

So are you willing to take action and finally make this happen? How much do you want this? Get in touch and let’s get started!

I’m SO excited to begin this journey with you.

Juliette xx

Why you are the best boss you will ever have

Hi there,

So I recently came across this powerful blog post by Seth Godin which really hit home. In a nutshell it says:

Reject the tyranny of being picked: pick yourself

It helped me make sense of the moment when I decided to stop pursuing corporate jobs and become my own boss. It was the turning point where, as Godin says, I stopped waiting to be picked:

I remember it so vividly. I spotted an incredible job online, and got that excited, fluttering feeling in my stomach that this role could be finally be the one.

It was in a field that I found rewarding and challenging, the salary was a step up, the office was in a beautiful countryside location, they had a great flexible working ethos and even allowed people to bring their dogs to the office (heaven for me, perhaps not for everyone!)!

I knew my skill set was a great fit for the job and I put everything I had into filling out the application and preparing for the interview. When the day arrived, I was nervous but quietly confident, and felt that the interview had gone like a dream…

But the call never came. I waited, and then chased, and then waited again. About 2 weeks later a PA finally emailed me back with a brief message saying I hadn’t been successful. I was too crushed to even ask why...

That epic failure is still pretty embarrassing to admit to even now, and I was bitterly disappointed when I got the news, but I am so grateful because it changed my whole outlook.

I realised that all the things I loved about the job were the very things that I could create for myself if I was my own boss:

Fulfilling work? Check

Unlimited earning potential? Check

Working from home? Check

Choosing my own hours? Check

Having my cats sat on my desk whilst I work? Check (though this has turned out to not ALWAYS be ideal when the walk across my keyboard!)

Why was I waiting for an employer to choose me? Why was I waiting for permission to do the work that I longed to do? In that moment, I realised that you are the best boss that you will ever have. And so my journey to becoming a freedom-preneur began.

So what are you waiting to be picked for? 

Starting that business? Forget Dragons' Den and start testing out your ideas with a handful of people

Dreaming of being published? Go ahead and create that blog

Think you need another special degree or qualification? First take a look at the skills and experience you already have

You don’t need someone else’s approval to start creating your dreams.
You are already good enough, right where you are now.

I’ll speak to you soon,

Juliette xx

Why starting a business doesn't have to mean quitting your job

When I look back at the couple of years, from when my coaching business got started to where I am now, I can’t quite believe the transformation.

It started as just an idea floating around in my head and now it’s a living, breathing creation that I can’t wait to get up and work on every day.
 
The process has been one of huge growth and change, but it wasn’t an instant, overnight switch from one career to another. Instead it was a gradual process which gained momentum as my knowledge and confidence grew.

I definitely didn’t have it all figured out before I quit my job. I didn’t have a perfect website, or a full roster of clients, or thousands of pounds of savings in the bank (though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that last part, a larger savings cushion would have definitely helped!).
 
What I did do was start to experiment with my business whilst I was still in my 9-5. No pressure, just testing out ideas, networking, learning and getting a feel for how I liked to work, what I was good at, and what kinds of services people most needed.

And that’s what I would recommend for you too. The key is stop overthinking it and start getting your hands dirty. This will help you get over your fear of ‘making the giant leap’ because in fact you can just begin with small steps. Now doesn’t that feel better and SO much less scary?
 
So here are some low pressure tips for testing out your business idea whilst still in your 9 to 5:

• Create a blog or a Facebook group in order to start sharing ideas around your chosen field and build a following (who may turn into paying clients when you’re ready to officially launch). 
• Try offering your services for free in exchange for feedback and testimonials (then use that feedback to tweak your services).
• Start signing up for courses in areas where you feel a bit clueless, you’d be amazed what you can teach yourself (I thought I would have to spend hundreds of pounds on having a website designed for me. Instead I found an online course for £200 which showed me how to create my own on Squarespace and I did it in a weekend!)
• You may not know anyone else who wants to start a business, so find some networking events for startups to provide you with an instant support network and also valuable advice. 

It’s amazing what these small shifts can lead to. Just imagine where you might be a year from now, if you continue to take these small steps every day.

I believe in you 100%. Keep going and be brave; you’re in good company: