043: You're Doing Better Than You Think You Are!

Why do we so frequently think that we're not doing well enough? Why is it that we worry incessantly instead of celebrating the milestones that we are consistently hitting?

Why do we focus on the negatives instead of the positives?

And importantly, what is the impact of that when we're trying to build a new coaching business?

Welcome to Action Taker Tribe. I'm Jo Ingram and today's episode is all about the fact that you are doing better than you think you are. It's time to allow the good high vibe thoughts that push you forward with enthusiasm and excitement to rise up and allow those negative thoughts to drift away. If you need to take action for your business this fall, you're in the right place. Let's dive in.

Are you feeling just a little a bit flat that perhaps you haven't done enough for your business so far this year? If so, I hear you. I've also had those thoughts drift by, and I know nearly everybody does. For some reason, our subconscious always focuses on the negatives as default, instead of the positives. And I totally get that, because as a type A, striving kind of person, that's how I've always defaulted myself. I've always pushed myself in that kind of striving, efforting way and held myself up to impossibly high standards, which of course has always led me to feel not quite good enough. It's only understanding more recently that what that leads to is not success, but actually stress, burnout and ultimately lower self-worth, that has led me to instead start asking better questions.

You might be familiar with Tony Robbins’ piece about asking better questions and the way that our subconscious actually gets to work immediately on whatever question we're asking. So, if you're asking yourself, ‘why can't I do this? Why aren't I good enough to build my business?’, your brain will simply give you answers, telling you all the reasons why you're not good enough and all the reasons why you failed, thereby magnifying the negative thinking.

However, if you ask yourself better questions, questions that ask how instead of the whys, well, it suddenly shifts your approach altogether.

How questions like, ‘how can I do more to serve my audience? How can I do more to help my clients transform? How can I help? How can I serve? How can I create my first program? How can I start earning money?’ Not simply, ‘why haven't I?’

Ask yourself what is going well. What have I done that I'm proud of? What progress have I made? I invite you to really think about it. Don't dismiss the questions and think, well, not very much - instead, really look for it.

So much of our success is in the stories that we tell ourselves. Instead of telling stories that help you fall into a sense of hopelessness or inertia for your business, which of course compounds the act of not achieving, tell yourself a story that things are going well.

Tell yourself that what you're doing is making a difference, both to other people and for your business, and then you’ll feel inspired to do even more. This came up for me so clearly this week when I thought more about this podcast. When it comes to podcasts, you don't really get much feedback, unlike when you post on social media, where you can get an amount of engagement. When you put out a podcast, not much happens apart from seeing the numbers of people that are listening. There is no button on your podcast app that allows you to instantly send a message to the podcast creator for example.

If you're a regular listener or a new listener to this episode and you're enjoying what you're hearing, please do click the subscribe and review button, because that is how I get feedback - or simply send a DM and let me know that you're enjoying this.

I must admit that over the last few months, not getting very much feedback has led me to question, is it worthwhile doing this podcast? Is it making a difference? This was until a few days ago, when I was asked a question in a Facebook group, which spurred me to look into whether my podcast was doing well or not. To my absolute surprise, I found that my weekly downloads put me in the top 20% of podcasters. It completely shifted my point of view about whether what I was doing was worthwhile; whether my podcast was achieving its goals and helping new coaches and entrepreneurs to build their businesses.

In the realisation that it was going better than I thought it was, new energy came in.

The idea for this podcast episode dropped in instantly and now I've got lots of ideas about more things I want to bring, more value I want to add, more ways I can help. The number of downloads hasn't changed - it's the same as it was yesterday as it is today, but my attitude has shifted dramatically.

That's simply because that I'm telling myself a different story. Instead of telling myself the story that my podcast hasn't grown very much recently and seems to have a very stagnant number of listeners, I’m now telling the story that my podcast is in the top 20% - it is worthwhile, it is valuable, and if I just stay consistent and give great value, it will grow more.

It's this perception change once you recognise your successes, that creates new momentum, confidence, and inspiration to do more. It spurs you on to raise your game to a whole new level because you know that what you're doing is making forward progress.

It isn't about comparing yourself to others. It isn't about falling short when other people are going further, better, higher, in your opinion. Instead, it's about creating steady progress and growth for your personal business.

If you're familiar with Maslow's hierarchy of needs, you'll know that personal growth and progress is the ultimate way to create the happiness that we all desire. If you can recognise your own personal progress and growth, the mindset shift will carry you forward to achieve the goals for your business; make the impact and the money that you desire and enable you to stay lit up every single day.

So, what are you doing in your business that is starting to make a difference, no matter how small? Have you had your first client this year? Sold something? Perhaps you've identified your avatar or put yourself out there on social media and been brave?

Whatever it is, celebrate small and all successes. Let’s champion each other to do better and more from this place of excitement and appreciation.

My question to you today is simply what have you done to be proud of? Know that you are doing better than you think you are.

Getting into an enthusiastic and high vibe situation is absolutely the fundamental, most important thing that you do for your business.

Second to that is having the foundations in place. For me, the foundations are very, very clear - it's three simple pillars. The first is what is your purpose and your mission? What is it that you actually do for people? Secondly, who are the people that you help and serve? Have you really identified your perfect avatar, so you can both sell to them and create the transformation that they need? Thirdly, how is it you create that transformation? Do you have a killer offer you are proud to shout about?

My waitlist is now open for the New Coach Business Accelerator, the program where you will find the answers to these three fundamentals, so your business can have its doors open and you can start making money with confidence. If that's something you need, jump into the show notes, and click on the link so you can join the waitlist now and I'll send you more details.

As always, wishing you an inspired action week. Take care. Bye now.