How to Find Your Voice

I had followed her for years. She and many other “gurus”, who I thought were so much wiser than me. They were so much further down the path, so much bigger, bolder, and more capable than I saw myself at the time.

For years I aspired to work privately with this one woman. I thought it would change my life and put my business exactly where I wanted it to be.

Every week I read her newsletter, watched her videos, stalked her Facebook page, and tried to diagnose exactly what she was doing so I could model it in my business.

And, it wasn’t just her. I also obsessively followed and subscribed to at least ten other people, if not more. Okay, truth be told it was more. I don’t know how many, but it was a LOT.

I really wanted to work with one of these gurus. I thought that if I just invested the price of a house (no joke) that I could glean so much; there would be so many opportunities for me, and my business would thrive.

One day I finally decided it was time. I was ready to invest in a high end coaching program. It was MY TIME.

And then it was not.

I found out she wasn’t as perfect as I thought. She and her team didn’t have it together the way I expected.

There were things that did not resonate with my values and how I do business; messages read but not replied to, emails that went unanswered for far too long, etc.

My intuition said don’t do it. I backed out.

When I told her I wasn’t going to move forward and why she said, “Yes Lisa, I agree. You’re not ready for exponential growth just yet.”

A week later I was still licking my wounds, trying to decide if I had made the right decision. Deep down I knew I had but her words stung and I felt such doubt and confusion about the decision I had made. On one hand, I knew I did the right thing. On the other, I was disappointed.

I realized something had to change. I needed to go on a diet. I was consuming way too much information and it had caused me to lose my sense of self and even some of my confidence along the way. Comparison is evil.

So, I went on an information diet.

I unsubscribed to everything. Every newsletter and every Facebook page.

I stopped consuming information from too many people. Cold turkey, I was done with what everyone else said to do.

And, week-by-week, bit-by-bit, I found my voice.

My clarity and confidence in the direction of my business and what I really wanted to do returned. The fire in me that had always allowed me to do it my way also returned, once I shut out all of the distractions.

What about you? Are you listening to too many voices? Are you feeling confused or like there is just SO MUCH you have to learn and do before you can ever be successful?

It doesn’t have to be that way. Find your voice. Pick one coach.

Turn off the rest of the noise so you can hear your own voice. It is speaking to you softly right now and the moment you shut out the distractions you will be able to hear it clearly again.

My advice is this: Only listen to music that you love and limit your guru consumption. <–Click to Tweet

Don’t mistake the intention behind this message.  I am not saying that you should never work with a coach or a guru ever again. What I am saying is, be smart about the information and advice you consume. Pick one person to coach, mentor, and guide you along the path to get where you want to go. Stop jumping from one person and or program to the next in a frenetic way and letting everyone else’s voice shut out your own.

What is your voice telling you about yourself and your business? I’d love it if you shared in the comments below.