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.
7 thoughts on “How to Find Your Voice”
You are so right about this, Lisa! I’m an advice seeker. I love others expert opinions. I love to hear about the fire behind their passions. I love to know how others are building their businesses and finding financial freedom. BUT…it can be overwhelming to try to do as they do and a lot of the time it is not necessarily what I need to do!
And I think that this is because my “happiness formula” is unique to me! And only I truly know the ingredients, in the right measure, for ME:)
My voice is telling me to find good people to lead and mentor in the pool, focus on teaching adult beginners and mostly to sit in a cafe some place and dive into my imagination and write, write, write!
Love it! Can’t wait to see what you create Stephanie.
ah man…you are so right. I am so guilty of this. Over the course of the last 9 years, I have taken so many courses, with so many different teachers. In the midst of it all, I lost my voice! I could not hear my inner voice with all of the outside clutter. It wasn’t until a dear and beautiful girlfriend of mine, looked at me this summer and said to me, Di when will it be enough? When will you take the time to integrate what feels right for you? How can you hear your own voice amidst the mountain of info you’ve accumulated. Got to love it when friends have the courage to speak the truth that stops you in your tracks! Her challenge to me was to not take any more courses for the next year. it felt like my heart stop beating in that moment. though deep within me I so knew she was right . I have not totally stop taken courses because a part of me is an avid and curious learner. my learnings this time is far more targeted rather than random. I am also learning to listen more closely and deeply to the whispers of my heart! thank you Lisa once again for writing a newsletter that deeply resonates.
Thank you Daine <3
Totally agree, Lisa. It’s easy to stumble across an interesting article, subscribe, and before you know it you can’t hear your own voice through the cacophony of thought leaders you thought you aspired to learn from. I’m guilty of this as well.
Brava Lisa!!! Love this!
Guilty as charged! Great article Lisa. I really like the idea of an information diet. Although I’m glad I’m not on it yet, or I may not have come across your fab article!