Originally written to newsletter community here, for October 2024.
Picture this:
You compiled months of hyperfocused, deep dived content, research and anecdotes into a stellar six week coaching program.
You then created an hour long, free masterclass to gauge whether people would find interest and resonance from learning about said program.
You post that bad boy on Eventbrite to promote the event to people outside your typical network.
It works. The event sells out. You add more dates.
You're feeling: top tier, confident, slightly terrified yet aligned + committed!
You have an excellent call with your coach the day prior to the sold out masterclass and feel, READY.
It's lit.
You've never felt more in line with your purpose and vision. Is this real?
The Day Of:
You do your voice memo ritual for visioning, you treat yourself to a full breakfast, you double check most of the things needed before the event, your energy is high and vibrant.
T - 5 minutes and no one is in the Zoom waiting room. Odd, yet not shocking.
T - 0 Minutes and still no one.
One minute of beffudlement goes by and you check your email.
20 emails, stuck in spam from Eventbrite, asking for the Zoom link.
The Zoom link ... didn't send... ? 👀
PANIC ENSUES
So, you scramble!
Pop to Eventbrite to see wtf happened ... oh, somehow, the most important integration [Eventbrite to Zoom] disconnected since it was last checked. Okay...
Well, gotta scramble then to download all the registrants, to bulk email them all with the link, then realize for some reason there's now a Zoom passcode [?huh this never happens?] and you re email everyone, only to have Gmail cut off your emailing access, more frustrated registrants are emailing, and now there are people in your cherished waiting room, 20 minutes have gone by, you must start.
Within 60 seconds of your final word on this masterclass, your laptop decides to atypically update it's operating system and it goes black for the next 2 hours.
What. the. F*&^. Just. Happened.
Thankfully, you recorded it and sent it with an acknowledgment and apology to every registrant [hours later, post laptop upgrade obvio].
The Pivot
12/100 people attended.
100% of these women were understanding, flexible and forgiving.
90% of these women answered all 7 of my Zoom polls.
90% of these women stayed engaged until the final moment.
100% of these women felt heard, seen and understood.
In 2023, thanks to my fiancee [wild] Dušan, I reconfigured my barometer of success.
Instead of, xx people came, xx people paid, xx people did this or that to [make me feel worthy] → it transitioned to have I positively impacted someone today? Yes. I win.
I don't think there's been a moment since my 'barometer' change that it has been so evident for me.
In my thirty four years, when I made a mistake [even if it wasn't necessarily my fault], I would internally berate and self flagellate myself until it seemed sufficient enough that I could move on to something else.
Sometimes, that took a few days or even a week of self pitying abyssal melancholy.
This time, I was confused.
I literally just did not berate myself.
My inner radio frequency was...silent.
I even went for a long walk, hoping it would show it's pesky claws and we could get this over with.
But, all that remained was:
.that's so random and funny, wtf even happened?
.wow, you had 12 fully engaged women even with every tech issue under the sun!
.what's going on with the cosmos I wonder? [it was a fully moon]
.i feel i did a pretty great job considering my time was cut in half!
.why am i not crying, but laughing??? am i manic?
.maybe, everything is working out as it's supposed to??
The pivot, is the capacity to catch yourself within the usual hamster wheel of righteous inner storytelling and navigate to a self serving reframe. Allowing space and grace for a new opportunity to arise.
Consider:
What does success look like for you?
Why does it look that way?
Can it be adjusted to better suit you, today?
What's your personal barometer of success?
What would have to be true, for you to feel successful today?
If 'successful' were a breadcrumb, what is your full loaf that is 'success'?
If you want to stay accountable to your pivoting skillset, become a Pivoteer!
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