This is a guest post by Louise Armstrong. Read more about Louise here.
With an eye to the future the only thing we can be sure of is change. We are living in a world of flux and often, without us even realising, this alters the way we lead our lives.
I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, but at times it feels like everything I once knew and expected, and the assumptions I had about how my life would play out, are gradually being erased.
This is a guest post by Ben Keene. You can find out more about Ben here.
My first experience of a ‘school for life’ was as a volunteer gap year student in 1999 at Glengarry — a spectacular outdoor campus set in the sumptuous Kangaroo Valley, Australia. Yes, there were a lot of kangaroos.
Since then I’ve followed and been involved with a number of innovative education projects. It is interesting how strong the sense of ‘mission’ the leaders of such projects are. I admire them hugely. So, here are my ten favourite ‘schools for life’.
A lot of people tell us that they want to do what they love, but they can’t because of a lack of money. But when we dig down into it, money is rarely the problem. The issue is usually (1) a perception of how much it takes (too much) or how much they have (not enough), or (2) a fear of not knowing their financial reality if they take a leap from something they know, to something new.
The fact is, security as we know it has all but evaporated in the past few years. Jobs for life don’t exist any more. People are being made redundant left, right and centre from ‘professional careers’. Pension pots are shrinking, and the future is more uncertain than ever.
What if it was actually more secure to do your own thing? To take control of your time, of the way you earn money, of the people you spend time with, in where you live, and how you work?
In many ways this has been the most precious year of my life. In others it has been one of the hardest. With the birth of our baby girl on Christmas Day 2013 came a world of new priorities, warped time, new responsibility and so many distractions. At the same time our business grew exponentially, and a lot of exciting opportunities came our way, which we kept saying yes to.
The result? Burnout. For the entire month of October our whole family was sick (hence the unusual lack of newsletters from me!). We experienced every parent’s nightmare of hospital visits and paramedics, were exhausted but couldn’t sleep, needed nutrition but were too tired to cook proper food. It was really hard. And I think it was a massive lesson to us. Looking back now everyone is well again and all our big deadlines have passed, it seems like the universe was literally shouting at us to slow down.
I’ll admit – and not at all proudly – that this is something of a pattern for me. I work and work until I can work no more, take a break, refill the well and get re-inspired, then go 100 miles an hour putting all my new ideas into action. But this last month has told us that even if it sort of worked before, it is not sustainable with a new baby.
And so we have decided to take December off – no classes, no deadlines, no stress. A delicious month to slow down, enjoy the Christmas festivities and recharge for 2015 (which is already shaping up to be an exciting year). Our team will be running a few short programmes, including a free winter writing workshop (details coming next week!). But generally we will mostly be having a merry time with family and friends, hopefully laughing and sleeping a lot.
I have given myself the gift of saying no this December, because it’s OK not to do everything, all the time. And I really hope you will do the same, if that’s what you need.
This time of year is a good time to step away from the day-to-day and reflect on the year gone by, and make plans about you want from the year ahead. I am going to be using our New Year’s Revolution 2015 toolkit to help me do this and I’d like to offer it to you as a gift to do the same.
This completely free toolkit will help you work out what you really want from the year ahead, and then plan how you are going to get it.
We have updated and expanded this resource based on feedback from some of the thousands of people who downloaded it last year. (If you were one of those who gave us feedback, thank you. The feedback givewaway winner was DEBBIE BERNA)
Download your free New Year’s Revolution Toolkit here and start planning to make things different next year.
I know I need to take this really seriously and put things in place to be less frantic and less overworked, to create space for more adventure, more opportunities, and more fun. I hope you will too!
Beth
“If you really believe in what you’re doing, work hard, take nothing personally and if something blocks one route, find another. Never give up.” – Laurie Notaro
We’re constantly inspired by stories of successful people who struggle for years to make it. People who endure failure after failure and knock-back after knock-back, but who keep moving forward because they believe in themselves and they know what they want to do with their life. People like Sylvester Stallone.
Image from This is a book by Demitri Martin
In this inspiring video Anthony Robbins explains how, after years as a dead broke unsuccessful actor facing put downs and rejection, Stallone finally scored the lead role in his own blockbusting movie franchise, Rocky, and went on to become a Hollywood legend. If ever you needed a reminder about why you should follow your dreams, this is it!
In Michael Pollock’s article, The Science of Perseverance: How Your Mindset Can Strengthen Your Motivation he explains that ‘according to decades of research, there are two fundamental mindsets that determine how people respond to struggle, setbacks and failure. In one mindset, you’re likely to get discouraged and give up on your goal. In the other, you tend to embrace the struggle, learn from the setbacks and keep moving forward – you persevere.’
Which mindset are you in?
Remember when you were a kid and thought you could do anything? Well you still can!
Here are our 5 top tips for building a business and creating more passion, more profit and a positive impact in the world…
1. Do what you love. Choose a product or idea that you’re interested in and passionate about. Not sure what you love or if it’s worth pursuing? Enrol on our 5-week Do What You Love e-course, which begins on October 13. It promises to open up a whole new world for you.
2. Dare to be different… Try something no one’s ever done; create a new product; or shake up an existing market by improving a service or delivery model. Think outside the box!
3. Do your research. Make the most of free online resources to help, support, inspire and motivate you.
4. Get a mentor. Team up with a successful entrepreneur or business leader. This person can help build your confidence and help you understand the risks and challenges of business while listening to your ideas, offering advice and even helping you find investors for your business.
5. Organise yourself. Running a business while studying, working another job or taking care of a family can be a challenge. Know what is required of you in your separate roles and use an online time/project management system to plan your time. Keeping your affairs in order from the start will prevent you getting in a muddle later.
Don’t be afraid to step back once in a while and take time out. Do something that you enjoy to relax and remind yourself that you’re not competing against anyone but yourself. Do whatever you can do today, and be proud of yourself and your achievements.
What did you dream about doing when you were little? What’s your business idea? What steps can you take to make it a reality?
In a recent survey of a group of our readers, we asked “What is stopping you from taking the first step toward a life of doing what you love?” And the answer (from more than 900 of you) was resounding. More than two-thirds of you (67%) answered “worries about money”.
And that wasn’t all. Nearly half of you (43%) answered ‘lack of confidence’, showing that so many of you share the same fears and obstacles.
The good news? There are ways to deal with each of them, bit-by-bit until the walls come down. This is a huge topic, which we deal with in detail in the Do What You Love e-course, which starts on October 13. For now we are going to tackle these two major obstacles and answer some of your burning questions to help you get closer to doing what you love, starting today.
On the journey towards doing what you love, one of the big obstacles is money, so let’s look at this first. Many of you are, understandably, concerned about the major impact a change of career or lifestyle would have on your family and your finances.
The reality is that most of us really do need to bring in some money from somewhere. However, sometimes we have a tendency to think in black and white: ‘In order to do what I love, I need to quit my job, but if I quit my job I’ll be broke, so I have to stick with it — but while I stick with it I don’t have the energy or headspace to think of something else to do, and I just end up getting more frustrated and less motivated, but if I quit I’ll be broke…’ etc., and on it goes.
We encourage you to take a step back and have a look at your attitude to money. Consider your money mindset and journal your answers to these questions:
There are many ways to do what you love, with some of them meaning that you earn money from doing it, and others meaning that you use the money you earn to allow you to do it.
Whether doing what you love means starting your own company, quitting everything and leaving on an adventure, finding a new way to generate income or simply finding more balance in your current situation, the best way for a smooth transition is planning. Doing what you love is a project – something you have to think about and map out. Not only will planning help you focus on what you want to do and how, it will also increase your confidence that you really can do this.
It sounds like you already have an idea for a new project, which is great. That’s a major step in itself. And if you don’t know exactly what to do, why not give yourself a ‘test project’ (like a new adventure, or a piece of equipment to help you progress with something you are good at). Finding the finance to start it can be daunting, but you can break it down into some simple, practical steps.
(These figures might be scary, but at least you have your eyes wide open)
Now think about your current situation:
(Looking at the detail helps you get REALLY clear on whether or not you really want to do your project!)
While doing this, you will also have to think about what money means to you. Changing your attitude to money can make a huge difference in realizing how much you actually need, both practically and psychologically.
There is an idea that the change will be radical, definitive and happen overnight. When this does happen, it is usually due to something out of your control (like being made redundant), or an extreme situation (like work getting absolutely unbearable). Usually this is preceded by a painful, stressful or worrying time. So why wait for that?
Take control, and plan your own escape. The more you plan your transition, the smoother it will be.
Firstly, get really clear on your current situation. What really makes you unhappy in your job? Is it about the job itself, or the people, or the commute? Are there any changes you could make right now to make more space for you and for doing things that you enjoy? Are there any ways you can use your job to get you closer to where you want to be (training, connections etc)? Can you put a transition plan together that would allow you to work on your next move while still being employed? Include clear milestones at 3, 6 and 12 months, so when you get there you don’t feel like you are ‘still stuck in your job’, but instead can see how much closer you are to where you want to be.
Then be sure to share your plans with those who will be affected by them. Get your family on board by showing them how much you have thought it through, including the impact it will have on them, and help them understand why things will be better for everyone after the shift. Smaller changes that gradually build will seem less drastic and scary to both you and your family.
And remember, doing what you love does not necessarily mean you will earn less in the long run. When you are interested and enthused it may well surprise you what other opportunities arise and just what is financially possible.
You are a family. That means you are a team. If you are going to be happy as a team then all the team members have to be happy. Communication is key. Sacrifices may have to be made but these should be short term ones with everyone understanding that they are made to serve your long term family happiness.
Involve them in your project. The chances are the people who are doubtful about your project have a rational mind. Involve them in the planning. Show them your calculations and talk to their left brain. Draw diagrams, show them your vision board. Let them see that you have a plan and are serious about it. Listen to their concerns and talk about the benefits for them. Make it fun – challenge everyone in your family to find ways to cut back to fund the bigger dream. Make it exciting. You will find that people will love your energy and it will become contagious. Help them feel like it’s their dream and their success too!
It’s really important that you invest in what you value, as well as what you need. If you’re a graphic designer, you need to invest in software. If you’re a marine biologist, you need decent diving gear. If you’re a makeup artist, you need makeup. These are the tools of your trade. And if you need to learn things in order to do the thing that brings in the money, then do it. Invest in it. Invest yourself in it. Then you’ll see the rewards.
Every time you use money to get closer to your dreams, remind yourself that you are not SPENDING it (Poooufff! Gone!). You are INVESTING it (sowing the seeds now to reap the harvest later!)
Whenever you make a choice – what to do this week end, where to go on holidays, what books to read, what volunteering groups to join – keep your end goal in mind and choose the things that will help you to do what you love. Everything you do now is an investment in your future life.
Combine things, it will allow you to save money and time. You’re an accountant and are passionate about travel? Find an accountant job in a travel agency and learn all about the industry you love while having an income. Or maybe your passion is for gardening but you don’t know how to create a website to start selling your services? Check out skill swap websites (see “Resources” below) and find a local web developer to help you in exchange for weeding their garden.
I’ll be back soon with thoughts on that other huge barrier – confidence. Sign up for our newsletter here if you want these straight into your inbox.
In the meantime, look around you, keep an open mind, get planning and keep going.
Beth
Some money resources we love:
The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist
Happy Money: The New Science of Smarter Spending
Career paths that pay you to play games
And two extra resources kindly suggested by our survey respondents:
The Renaissance Soul : Life Design for people with too many passions
The Smiling Mind app (meditation)
This is one of my favourite ever quotes, because it puts the power in your hands. It reminds us that if we have the capacity to dream of something, we have the capability to make it happen, if only we begin…
Back in 2010 I went on my first art retreat, and when I was there I distinctly remember picking up a copy of ‘Somerset Studio’, one of the beautiful magazines from American publishing house Stampington, and thinking “Just imagine getting published in a magazine like that.” Four years on and I am now a columnist for Stampington’s brilliant magazine ‘Where Women Create Business‘, and have been featured in several of their other titles in between.
If I think about how it happened, it was a combination of…
However big or small the dream, it can often be made a reality through a combination of the things above.
What steps do you find help you make your ideas happen?
PS: The column in Where Women Create Business is jointly-authored with Kelly Rae Roberts. In this third of four articles we talk about the importance of choosing to deliver products and services which serve your audience and support your purpose. It is a fab magazine – you can get a copy in all major US bookshops or via the Stampington site here.
With Beth on maternity leave our working day looks a little different lately, but we still have Mr & Mrs K meetings to chat about things coming up, and to look ahead to next year.
One of the great things about living in a city like Brighton is the proliferation of cafes, and we like to meet there to chat somewhere different from our home office. A different environment never fails to spark new ideas… Lately one of our favourite places is somewhere that won’t be around for long – the ice bar next to the temporary ice rink, which has been built in the grounds of Brighton Pavilion.
With Beth heavily pregnant there may be no ice skating for us, but it is lovely to sit on their comfy sofas next to a sparkling Christmas tree, looking out through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the people skating round and round, laughing and stumbling and laughing some more. Ahh office life is hard!
What is your favourite place for meetings?
The winner of our giveaway of the brilliant book ‘Let me people go surfing’ by Yvon Chouinard is…
Congratulations Shari! We will be in touch by email shortly. If you missed our inspiring interview with Lucia Griggi, one of the world’s only female pro surf photographers, you can find it here.