“JUST 3 participants in your workshop???
If it were me, I’d be so dejected, I don’t think I’d have had the courage to conduct it at all.”
This is what a friend said to me after one of my weekend Story Selling Alchemy workshops.
I scratched my chin and let out a thoughtful “Huh.”
It’s true.
In the past, I wouldn’t have conducted it.
I’d have felt dejected.
But now, I see things differently.
I’ve been fortunate to learn from some amazing mentors and, over time, developed the resilience to treat setbacks as stepping stones instead of signs to quit.
Let me tell you a secret.
I’ve run workshops with zero attendees.
Yes, ZERO.
I’ve delivered sessions to an empty room, speaking to an imaginary audience.
I see it as practice – a Riyaaz, like a musician perfecting their craft. Each moment, no matter how small, is helping me grow into who I am meant to be.
But this mindset wasn’t always there.
Back in early 2022, as we were stepping out of the pandemic, I was lost. I’ve never been an ambitious person, but that time was a true low point.
I struggled to find myself.
I was simply surviving.
Bored.
Hating myself.
Overwhelmed by anxiety.
And no hope for the future.
I drove my wife crazy, asking,
“What’s my purpose?”
I felt like everything in me needed fixing.
Ironically, when I stopped trying to fix myself,
I finally found myself.
Maybe that’s why failure doesn’t bother me as much now. I’m okay with it.
I dive into things I wouldn’t have considered before.
I show grit where I’d once have turned tail.
I smile through most adversity.
Perhaps it’s maturity that comes with age – the clarity of who I am and who I want to become.
The first time I read Wayne Dyer’s words, they sang straight to my soul.
“Our job in this lifetime is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”
And that’s the heart of what I want to share today.
We all carry stories that keep us stuck.
These are the stories we’ve been telling ourselves for years.
Crippling stories like:
– “I’m too busy to focus on what truly matters.”
– “I’m falling behind while everyone else is ahead.”
– “I’m unsure of what I really want or where I’m headed.”
– “I have to be everywhere and do everything to stay visible.”
These stories can keep us trapped, but there’s a way out.
Let me share how I began to reframe those stories,
and how it helped me not just in my business but in life.
1. Reframing Time:
I used to believe I didn’t have enough time for the things that mattered. But I realized it wasn’t about time. It was about priorities and focus. I started carving out just 20 minutes each night to reflect on my day and jot down “Story Notes.”
I wanted to make every day matter. That small shift made a world of difference.
2. The Comparison Trap:
We’ve all been there.
Looking at someone else’s success and thinking, “Why am I not there yet?” I used to get caught in this loop. But then, I learned to flip the script. Instead of shrinking away, I asked myself, “What can I do today that I didn’t do yesterday?” I only wanted to compete with myself.
This shift made me look within and honor my own story.
3. Knowing What You Don’t Want
When we feel lost, it’s easy to think we don’t know what we want.
But sometimes, the first step to clarity is knowing what we don’t want. Too many choices can paralyze us. By eliminating what doesn’t serve me, I created space for what does. It’s liberating to cull the options that drain you and, in doing so, make room for what actually counts.
4. Less is More
The myth that you have to post all the time to stay relevant is exhausting. More is only better when it is intentional. Trust me, it’s ok to post less but with purpose behind your words.
Share what matters. Don’t just fulfill some arbitrary quota.
It’ll bring more engagement and impact than you ever expected.
Why does all of this matter?
Because it’s not just about changing the stories you tell your audience.
It’s about the stories you tell yourself.
The stories we believe shape our reality.
When you reframe those stories, you open yourself to new possibilities.
Take a moment and reflect:
– What stories have you been telling yourself?
– Are they empowering you or keeping you stuck?
If you’re ready to reframe your story,
to inspire both yourself and your audience,
have the courage to take that first step.
I’m here to help.
Talk to me – https://swiy.co/claritycall