Chiming in with party hats and noisemakers; light the candles, it’s our birthday here at 304 Coaching! 🎂🎉🥂🥳
Seven years in and here’s what I’ve learned: No journey looks anything at all like you think it will on Day 1. I started this company to serve clients and colleagues with the caliber of executive coaching I wish I’d had in my years at leadership level in global corporations. I was on a mission to banish fear from the workplace and change the language of leadership.
While I didn’t not do that, it didn’t happen AT ALL like I thought it would. It’s not all Executive Coaching, baby, the future held all kinds of other surprises I couldn’t predict like Talent Strategy Consulting, Leadership Workshops & Academies, Executive Offsites and Retreats, OAD, and Leadership Circle Profiles. I could not have crafted a better, more satisfying career without a roadmap.
All this birthday navel-gazing has got me wondering: If I had a time machine and could go back to August 2017 and give myself some words of wisdom, what would I tell myself?
- You’ve got to get comfortable with things you know nothing about.
- Surround yourself with good people.
- You must put yourself “out there” to get noticed.
- There is much to learn from other industries that can be applied to your own.
- This emotional rollercoaster…it never stops. Learn how to ride.
- If you live in fear you can’t do your best work.
- Keep. Your. Mind. Open.
If you are just starting a new chapter or journey, may these hot takes on navigating change without a crystal ball, psychic powers, or that aforementioned time machine keep you grounded while you reach for the stars. The journey is never what you think it’s going to be…and isn’t that the best news ever?
Yours in navel-gazing and cupcake grazing,
Jen
P.S. What unexpected life lessons came your way when you decided to do something completely out of your comfort zone? What would you tell your 2017 self as you set off on a new adventure? I’d love to hear your hot takes, too.