ARE YOU STUCK IN GETTING READY TO GET READY?

If you spend more time in the getting-ready-to-do-it phase than in the actual launch and doing something new in your life, welcome to a club you don’t want to join. HERE’S WHAT TO DO.

Many moons ago (like 33) and year after I got into 12-step recovery in Southern California, I got my CA residential real estate license. I dreamed of making a million dollars and joined a well-respected firm. I took copious notes during the training and was excited about the possibilities.

Far more than the training, however, I enjoyed organizing and setting things up before my first real day in the office. Business cards, the perfect notebook and felt tip pen, colorful stickies of all sizes, a framed photo for my desk – and, of course, the right attire for an up-and-coming real estate agent. Basically, all the things I needed to go get ’em!

That first week, I showed up with more nifty supplies in hand, dressed for success and eager to earn. It was then that my broker boss approached me, “Laura, you are getting ready to get ready. It’s time for you to hit the streets and start knocking on doors.”

This sounded truly awful to me, so I opted to invest in a seminar for real estate agents on how to brand and market themselves. I had an undergraduate BFA in Advertising and effortlessly followed the seminar. But, honestly, for two days the pit in my stomach grew when I thought about being a real estate agent. The thought of Open Houses on weekends and being on call didn’t excite me, but….

The very next Monday morning, I called the ad agency and got a meeting with the president. I told her I’d met her at the seminar, wanted to work for her and was willing to start for free. It was a bold and effective move – 100% rooted in passion and a thrilling desire to do what they were doing! (You know how they say, “follow your gut”?)

Within a week, I had left real estate and was answering phones at the ad agency. I was soon working on special projects and then promoted to “Advertising Writer.” (I remember buying myself a leather jacket to celebrate!) I loved and excelled at helping entrepreneurial agents develop their brand and build their business.

I had a dream to make a million dollars doing something I hadn’t thought through and didn’t even want to do AND I was afraid of rejection and failure. A quadruple whammy for any new real estate agent!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN YOU’RE STUCK IN GETTING READY AND CAN’T QUITE SEEM TO LAUNCH?

First, consider the dream you’ve been getting ready to do, yet haven’t. Then move into what it is you really want to do and how you feel when you think about your actual dream. Get quiet and notice any discomfort – are you leaning in or backing away? Notice what is blocking you from launching your dream. I like to answer these 4 questions when processing this getting-ready-to-get-ready cycle:

Here’s how it went for me in 1989:

1. Is it your dream or something you should want to do? I should earn $1M to make something of myself in a respectable profession, especially since I’ve disappointed my parents and friends by getting sober and staying in Orange County.
2. What is your dream? To help people help themselves, using my experience and passion.
3. What are your thoughts about your dream? I am passionate and very good at helping people harness their gold and get into action.
4. How do you feel when you think about your dream? I feel warm-hearted, fulfilled, and useful when I help others go from good to great.

Now it’s YOUR turn! Those 4 simple questions can help you process situations like this. What doesn’t help is negative self-talk and blaming yourself. If you describe yourself as a procrastinator, please look under the hood (as in, deep dive into why you are putting something off) – or contact me. Calling yourself that doesn’t do one ounce of good or move you in the direction of doing anything.

If you want help walking through anything blocking you so you can step into your ideal life – please grab a time on my calendar. Bring something you want to be coached on and let’s see if working together is the right next step for you.

I am a professional, successful woman with a solid foundation in recovery who used to struggle with work/life balance and various addictive and self-sabotaging habits. You’ll find me now consistently choosing self-care and soaring in my ideal life.

When I notice that I am spending more time getting ready to get ready instead of actually launching something in my life – I ask the 4 questions above. If I find a limiting belief is holding me back, I work through it.

You, too, can unravel old tapes and unwrap the diseased tentacles so you can launch your dream and enjoy your ideal life. What’s your dream and what are you willing to do about it? I can help you discover your goals, dreams and desires and then go for them!

• Choose YOU. Spend time with yourself.
• Think through what you really want. Check-in with your body to see if any part is repelling your idea/dream. If all lights are green and all signs point north… move in that direction.
• You have the choice to choose or change your thoughts which is required in order to then feel and act your way from the situation (DREAM) to the result (REALITY).

I’d love to hear what you come up with or help you figure it out – simply book a time with me so you can explore what you wish were different in your life and get through the countdown to your dream: 5-4-3-2-1 LAUNCH!