Welcome Aboard

He sat with me at a large table. Coffee was on the way – it was an evening session so we needed an extra boost of energy. His notepad and folder full of documents, drawings and charts lay heavy on the table top. He was prepared and ready for the meeting.

Good. So was I.

– I have a lot of new ideas – he said – even though the work was very busy I tried my best to make some time every evening to progress this. I really want to make it happen. The sooner I make this project happen, the better. This is my future, you know? I don’t want to stay stuck where I am right now. I can’t. I have to make this work.

– That’s why we are here, right?

– Exactly! So I spoke to a few people who helped me come up with even more ways in which I could get this business idea off the ground. I have it all written here…

And so it began. We went through all the notes considering the pros and cons of every option. As we continued, fully focused on the docs, tables and sheets, my inner voice kept saying “Something is missing here”… So I kept asking…
It took a couple more sessions and eventually the plan was ready. My client had a much better understanding of how to shape his professional future. But the picture still wasn’t clear for me. I had a strong conviction that my client wasn’t fully equipped. At the time I knew all that was needed was on paper in his plans.  But was it everything? He assured me he had all he needed.
What was missing then?
Is it just me? The plan looks good. We considered every aspect, we took into account research, opinions and trends. What have we not allowed for? It stayed with me for a while, but the work was done and it was up to the client now to go and take action.

A couple months later… the phone rang:
– I need more help
– What happened?
– I need to support myself better
– In what way?
– My own confidence in what I’m doing…

Bingo! This was the missing piece. A great realization! No plan can ever come together, no dream will ever come true, without a level of self-belief. You will never have all the answers. You can never know what’s waiting for you around the corner. But what you can have for sure is the trust in your own skills, evidence of previous success and a support system of others who are ready to help. Without those our goals will never be achieved or if they are it’s a much longer and less enjoyable process.

So how does it work? Check every level of energy in your body. Mentally we usually get very involved. If the idea sounds interesting enough, we start thinking, planning, designing steps and mentally we can see the flow. It all comes together. We know what to DO. Physically we invest our time and energy into the process. We know we have to. We take time every day (or almost every day) to progress the new idea or a project. As long as we see progress, we’ll put the work in. Even our spiritual energy could be supporting us along the way, if the idea enables a sense of fulfillment, is aligned with our values and is meaningful. What about our emotions?

I have noticed that we often forget to enable the right emotions to support us. In theory and in some ideal world, all we’d feel when facing something new and uncertain, would be excitement, hope and positivity. However we are all designed differently and therefore our reality looks different. Change can often trigger fear, highlight lack of confidence and lead to a flow of limiting beliefs and negative thoughts. They get in the way. It takes honesty and self-awareness to admit that this area requires attention but isn’t it necessary if it can make or break our plan? It’s vital. Waking up one day realising “I didn’t believe in this anyway” is not an option.

So welcome aboard! Step into the new. Jump in and get involved… But only 100%! Check with yourself and assess your level of readiness. If you need help, find a coach. But be sure to recognise what emotionally supportive strategies are in place, before you sail away in search of new adventures. You’ll need you, to succeed. Are you fully in for this? Are you on your own side?