One year ago, I got an email from a woman who was hoping to hire me for life and business coaching.

The gist of her email?

This:

Susan,

I want to leave my corporate job. I’m so unhappy. But I’m nervous about money.

If I go “solo” and try to be self-employed, I don’t know if I can replace my income.

I’m paralyzed. Is this something you could help me with?

My heart started to pump a little faster in my chest as I read her words.

I could feel her desire, her yearning, and her fear, right through the screen.

I wanted to help.

Because, for one thing, I remember exactly what it felt like to be in that position.

Shackled to a job I hated — with “golden handcuffs” keeping me in place — desperately wanting to be free, but so scared to take the first step.

And secondly, because helping women transition into new careers and businesses happens to be… basically my FAVORITE thing in the entire world.

Booyah. I’m in.

I wrote back to her to say, YES. Let’s talk.

One year later…

This woman is making MORE money as a self-employed executive coach than she did working full-time in her old corporate gig.

That is amazing, all by itself.

But here is the REALLY amazing part:

This woman managed to build her coaching practice to this level WITHOUT launching a website, WITHOUT using social media to market herself, WITHOUT starting an e-newsletter, WITHOUT spending tons of money hiring a publicist, buying Facebook ads or doing any squicky, weird marketing gimmicks.

HOW?

Because she did the ONE THING that most aspiring coaches, consultants and business owners are too terrified to do.

She wrote up proposals.

She picked up the phone. (GASP! THE PHONE!)

She called around and set up meetings with decision-makers at companies in her city.

She pitched herself, face-to-face, and wowed potential clients with her ideas and offerings.

In other words:

She put herself OUT THERE and took real, serious action to lock down the lucrative coaching contracts she wanted.

She was willing to make herself vulnerable to rejection, vulnerable to criticism, vulnerable to hearing the word NO.

She was willing. She was scared. She took action anyway.

THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE, PEOPLE.

I am so insanely proud of this woman because most people — myself included, on occasion! — are NOT willing to go there. NOT willing to really put ourselves out there because the fear of what “might happen” is so damn overwhelming.

We can all take a few cues from this bold woman.

Whatever your dream may be — opening up an online shop, taking a trip to Tahiti, quitting your restrictive job, finding the love of your life, permanently losing those last twenty pounds —the stone-cold truth is that hiding and being passive is not going to get you there.

Taking “faux action” — like signing up for courses that you don’t actually complete, or buying a juicer and then never even unpacking the box — is not going to get you there, either.

Courageous action, in spite of your fears?

THAT is what will get you there.

Today: I want you to do ONE THING that feels uncomfortable and courageous, for you. It might be incredibly small. But do something. Anything. Do something so that you can proudly lean back, afterwards, high five your reflection in the mirror and say:

THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE, PEOPLE.

COURAGE is the best feeling in the world… and when it comes to transforming your life? Like, for real this time?

It’s the only thing that gets the job done.

 

 

 

 

 

PS. Courageous peeps: wanted. If you have a BIG goal — like switching into a new career, moving to a new city, or radically changing your relationship with food and exercise, talk to me. I have room for TWO new coaching clients for August 2015 – 2016 and I am accepting applications now.

My program is called The Ultimate and it’s you + me, for one entire year, working intensively on a weekly basis.

In addition to private coaching, you also get a lakeside retreat with me and a complimentary ticket to every single one of my seminars, programs and events.

I will not let you hide. I will not let you fail. It’s called The Ultimate for a reason. This is the place to apply. It’s GO time.