As business owners and leaders of our brands, we have all been there. You know “where” is.
Where we have an idea for an offer, product, or service that we know will help people.
Where we start to create that thing or build a business that supports how we’re being called to serve…
And then it feels like the rug gets pulled out from under us.
The feelings of self-doubt, the Imposter Syndrome, the inner critic all come out to say “Hello.” You seriously start to doubt if you’re the right person to bring this business or offer to people. You question whether or not you have what it takes, or if you’re “qualified enough.”
So you pull back. You don’t do what you’re feeling called to do. You put it off. You take a course to make sure you know what you’re doing first.
I know you’ve been there. I certainly have. And in a recent conversation on the Brave New You podcast, I talked to another person who’s been there, too.
Meet Kelly
Kelly Jackson was a teacher for six years, but always loved organization, planning, and structure. That was part of what she loved about her work in the classroom, so she started a blog and a podcast called The Organized Teacher. As she built the blog and the podcast, she started to feel less called to work inside the classroom, and instead to serve teachers.
Her strengths in organization and planning could help so many teachers do their jobs better, and she hoped that one day she could make the shift from full-time teacher to full-time teacher teacher.
When her husband’s job required a move to Germany (yes, Kelly is an ex-pat just like me!), she got her chance to take her Organized Teacher business full-time. Naturally, this was when those loud inner critic voices started shouting.
Showing up when self-doubt hits
Working from Germany and sharing her classroom organization tips from her home office, Kelly started wondering, “Who am I to be teaching these teachers? Am I really qualified to help them get organized if I’m not working in the classroom?”
Even if your business model looks entirely different from Kelly’s, I know you understand that thought process. Maybe you don’t feel qualified to coach business owners because you don’t have an MBA, or maybe you doubt your ability to sell because you’ve never developed a product before.
The question of “Who am I to do this?” is so common. Luckily, in our discussion, Kelly and I also touch on how to overcome this self-doubt so you can build the business and life you’re really being called to create.
Thinking differently
One of the biggest things Kelly did to address her self-doubt and worry that she was no longer qualified to serve her audience was to “flip the script.” Instead of seeing the fact that she wasn’t working in the classroom as a detriment to her business, she learned to see it as an opportunity. Because she was no longer scrambling to just get kids through their lessons and through the day, she could clearly see the places where she could implement improvements and solutions for teachers.
This realization came after a call with the lovely ladies inside the Greatness Mastermind. That discussion gave Kelly complete confidence in the fact that her calling was to help other teachers stay in the classroom. It was not her job to be in the classroom herself.
As Kelly mentioned, this script flip helped put her mindset into a new gear. She realized that the story she’d been telling herself about why she wasn’t qualified wasn’t true. Immediately, she felt more confident in her abilities and in her business model, and it motivated her to get back to work!
Telling your story
The next tool that helped Kelly continue to show up and serve her teachers (without letting the self-doubt gremlins take over) was to get clear on her story. Inside the Greatness Mastermind, Kelly got the frameworks she needed to create an Impact statement and identify her brand values. This alone has given her a resource she can refer back to on the days that feel especially imposter-y.
If you don’t have an impact statement or brand values, I highly recommend that you do so. These exercises can help you remember what you’re doing and who you serve (especially on the days where you lose sight of it). I offer all these frameworks inside the Greatness Mastermind and as a bonus for joining, you get access to my Brave New Brand course, but there are also other resources online that you can find to help guide this creation.
Writing down the wins
Inside the Greatness Mastermind, I also remind all my members to remember the wins. So often, we loop the shortcomings and struggles in our brain and we fail to look at the great things we have accomplished.
Maybe you’ve recently hit your biggest sale month, or you connected with an ideal client. Whether you write them down as they happen or you think back over the last month or week, write down your wins and refer back to that list often. This will buoy you even when those hard times hit, or when your inner critic grabs the megaphone.
Surrounding yourself with support
Of course, throughout our conversation, Kelly and I talk about how the Greatness Mastermind has helped her overcome the self-doubt and finally see the growth in her audience that she wanted. More than ever, Kelly is hearing that her resources and content are helping teachers organize and structure their classrooms so they can better serve their students.
She was always capable of this, but it’s just been a matter of working through those limiting beliefs and actions that were preventing her from putting her unique skills out into the world. In our chat, Kelly shares even more of her takeaways from the Greatness Mastermind and explains how impactful it was to have the members in the group rally around her.
Curious about the Greatness Mastermind?
It’s hard to believe you’re enough sometimes, or that you have what it takes to bring your dreams to life. But you, do my friend. You just need someone to reflect that knowledge back to you. You also need resources and tools that help you understand just what you’re capable of and how to bring your best self to the people you serve.
If you want that kind of support, clarity, and community, I am taking new applications for the Greatness Mastermind. Applications close on August 28, 2020, but you can schedule a fit call right now to find out if the Greatness Mastermind is for you.
Connect with Kelly
- The Simply Organized Teacher: https://thesimplyorganizedteacher.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesimplyorganizedteacher
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kbuchtien/boards/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesimplyorganizedteacher/
For more insights on how to feel more rooted in yourself, your business, and your brand, make sure you’re subscribing to the Brave New You podcast!
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