Imagine this:
You are standing at the edge of a cliff. Deep inside there is a rising desire to jump. You know in your heart that if you can get to the other side of the canyon, there are amazing gifts and rewards waiting for you. Gifts that will make your heart sing. You just know it.
However, you are scared to take that leap. For one thing, you’ve never jumped so far before. For another thing, you don’t actually know for a fact that you’ll make it to the other side.
So, do you take that leap to get to what you know you want in your heart?
We ALL have our metaphorical cliff leaps that arise every now and again. These are the opportunities in your life that hold so much potential, so much promise, yet scare you so much because there is something you might risk if you were to take that leap. For example:
- leaving a job with benefits in order to start your own business or to begin an educational program
- creating an internet dating profile and opening yourself up to new love even though putting yourself out there might lead to a broken heart
- speaking your truth with your friends and colleagues even though you have been hiding behind “being nice” for most of your life
- moving away from family and friends to a new town, state, or country in order to follow a dream
- asking for help on a project even though you are scared you will be perceived as weak by asking for support
How come the fear of the risk so often overpowers going after our deepest desires?
Because we think, we believe we need to have total confidence and skill in order to take those risks. How many times have you given up on pursuing an opportunity (in other words - not taken a risk) because you believe that first you need to cultivate confidence in order to do it?
Here is a little known secret that I can tell you is absolutely revolutionary:
You need to take the risk in order to cultivate the confidence.
You need to jump the cliff FIRST before feeling confident that you can do it.
It’s the ACT of taking the risk, of jumping, that actually builds the confidence and propels you to get to your goal.
You simply can’t have it the other way around. If you already had the confidence, and you already knew exactly how things would turn out, then it wouldn’t be a “risk”.
Let me explain more what I’m talking about: When I first started my business, I knew that I needed to network in order to build my practice. But I had never really networked before, and I didn’t know the first thing about it. I did know this, though: I was terrified to do it. I was scared of going to networking meetings and telling people about my coaching practice because I didn’t want them to reject me, or judge me. I was scared of making myself vulnerable by letting people know about what I did and that I was looking for business. It was a RISK for me to put myself out there without knowing how my networking might turn out.
Well, I can tell you that now, 5 years later, I am a great networker - I love to do it. I walk into a room and I am excited about the new people I’m going to meet. I can also tell you that a good part of my income comes from my networking abilities and the ways that I just take absolute joy in connecting with new people, hearing their stories, and attracting them into my practice.
But I didn’t WAIT until I was confident in my networking abilities before going out to networking events. If that were the case, I would have waited forever! I developed and cultivated my networking skills by taking the risk and SHOWING UP. Showing up at the networking events, showing up for myself, showing up for the people that I could help through my coaching.
Was there the possibility of failing? Absolutely. Did I know what the heck I was doing when I started, or how things would turn out? Absolutely not. But I did know that if I didn’t take the leap, I would get nowhere. So, I took the leap. And took the leap again. And again. And again. Until I was very comfortable networking. I kept on leaping and risking and risking and leaping until networking became something that I was really good at.
So, now, I want to ask you a really important question:
What is the thing in your life right now that you JUST KNOW DEEP DOWN IN YOUR HEART that you are ready to do?
It might be networking, or speaking your truth, or learning to ski, or launching a new project, or learning to trust your loved ones.
What is the thing that you want so much? Have you neglected going after it because you are scared of what you might risk?
If you haven’t yet done it because you are waiting for the confidence to do it, the experience, the know-how, then it is my coach’s request to you to take the leap, knowing that it may not turn out the way you planned. It is my coach’s request that you take the leap, take the risk, pursue your heart’s desire….and find your confidence on the other end.
Your Soulful Coaching Call to Action!
If you’re not sure how to take the next step with the obstacles that are keeping you from reaching your potential (including finding or succeeding at the work that you love, creating amazing relationships, or unlocking your creativity) - no worries! Join me for a COMPLIMENTARY 1-on-1 Intuition Activation Session over the phone. You’ll tap into your heart to envision your deepest desires in your life and work, as well as clearly name and see the obstacles and diversions that have been standing in your way! To register, email me at Joanna@soulfulcoach.com with Intuitive Leadership Activation in the headline.
Tags: desires, faith, heart's desire, obstacles, risk
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