One Simple Idea That Will Inspire The Courage You Need To Follow Your Dreams
/My heart was pounding. My hands were sweaty. The queue for baggage drop was just ahead.
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Mum obviously thinks I’m crazy. Maybe, she’s right? What if I can’t afford it? What if this whole thing turns out to be a scam? Maybe, I’m deluded? I’ve never met these people. And who, in their right mind, would fly 3000 miles to do this?
I duck under the rope that directs the queue to the desk taking my bags with me. Shit, I can’t do it.
My first time flying to New York to start my first life coach-training weekend was daunting, to say the least. I’d signed up to do a rigorous program that my own coach had done. It was 12 months in length, arguably the best coach-training program in the world yet 3000 miles from where I lived in the UK, which meant I had to fly to the US, once per month, for the duration of the program. It was incredulously expensive and probably not good for my health given the amount of jet lag I contended with each time.
Why would I do this?
That’s actually the type of question my coach would ask.
Many organisations call this their 'big why' or 'vision' (Simon Sinek has an amazing TED talk on this linked to here all about motivating employees and customers). As a coach, I was taught to call this your 'what for'. This is the one simple idea that will inspire the courage you need to take action on the path to your dreams.
'What for' would you start that business, career venture or write that book?
'What for' would you travel that distance or spend all that money in the pursuit of this endeavour?
What most excites you about it?
What sits on the other side of all your fear around it?
What will become available to you during and upon completion of it?
What could be possible?
I want your answers to be big, bold and purposeful. I want them to seem bigger than life itself and resonate with the deepest core of you.
This should trigger a positive emotional response in your limbic brain. This is a part of your brain where decisions are made and is ultimately, responsible for human behaviour.
Consider: What would be the pain or potential outcome associated with NOT taking this course of action?
I know I’m afraid because I’m about to step into the big unknown but Rach, you also know that’s where possibility lives. Isn’t that what you’re here for?
‘To go beyond typical barriers, challenge who we are or could be and have a rich, full and adventurous life, full of possibilities. Staying here means none of that. Staying here means going back to my job and getting stuck in the same place of lethargy and un-fulfilment I was so pained to be stuck in before.'
All I have to do is drop my bag.
I stood up from the chair I’d found in a nearby café. Funnily enough, the queue had cleared and I walked straight to the front of the desk.
“1 bag to New York, please”
Skipping through passport control (yes, I do stuff like that), I felt a great sense of play and elation.
Possibilities were endless
