a Dance between Fear and Longing

We are well into the new year, and most people have already abandoned their New Year’s resolutions.

Apparently, the 17th of January is when many skip their good intentions to fall back into their old habits.

This day even has a name: Quitters Day.

So you might have abandoned your small or more significant intentions by now, but what about this bigger dream that is lingering in your mind and keeps popping up like a little devil in a box?

What are you going to do with those?

We are constantly comparing ourselves to others, whether it is in real life or on social media. Then we create stories around what we see, thinking that other people are more successful, have better lives, are more courageous, more competent, with the right degrees and networks, prettier, live more adventurous, have better relationships ….

You know how it goes; the grass always seems to be greener on the other side.

Isn’t it funny that even the most successful people have these conversations with themselves and feel insecure sometimes (or sometimes a lot)?

If you take a closer look at your own life as an entrepreneur, how you build up your business and got where you are now. Through hard work, perseverance and creativity (which you might not even recognize as such).

This voice in your head might be telling you it was a lucky shot and hard to be repeated.

So, you stick to what you have because being so lucky twice would be too much to ask for.

Or hardly possible.

You are only good at what you’re doing now.

And that’s how you keep running your business, pulling yourself through the daily grind in a highly challenging and rapidly changing economic environment.

But the real fun has been long gone already.

The thing is, when we are young, we do not tend to give things too much thought; we do what we’re supposed to be doing and grab opportunities when they present themselves, not realizing that often we have created the circumstances for them to appear in the first place.

Talent is for others, success is for others.

You have just been lucky, and that’s it.

You are an imposter,

and they will find out sooner or later.

That’s the mantra so many successful people repeat in their minds.

What does that do to how you see yourself?

To your performance?

And with performance, I don’t mean the work you do for others but what you wish to bring into the world.

Your work; what you do that lights you up!

What does that thinking do to your being, the person you are?

And how does that influence how others perceive you?

Loop, loop, loop, endless loop in your mind.

Shall I do it? Shall I not?

Is this what people do (in my position)?

What about my family?

What about my employees?

What about my clients?

What about my finances?

What about everything I build up?

Who will I be?

Who do I have to be?

What if I FAIL!

And there’s no way back

Loop, loop, ….

This is the sewer vortex at full throttle, messing with your mind.

This is a dance between fear and longing.

When the longing becomes too big to ignore, it’s time to make a choice.

Stay where you are, or move on to the next adventure in your life.

A button you could push that gives you all the answers would come in handy now.

A button that switches you into the life you desire, where you can dedicate your time to the one thing you adore.

I think such a button would be an insult to your creativity, your excellence, your experience, your mastery and your life!

You don’t need it.

What you need is some quiet time to inquire,

to look inside yourself,

to slow down, time

To float for a while, knowing that floating is totally fine.

And then, the answers will appear,

and they will be YOUR answers.

And they will (re)ignite your passion

And fire you up.

And you will have clarity.

Also, when things get tough.

If you want some of that …

This is precisely what I do with my clients, most of whom are successful entrepreneurs like you.

With an overflowing agenda,

With deteriorating relationships with their loved ones,

Who are under constant stress and anxiety

Together with my clients, I create a space for reflection,

Where they can slow down their thinking …

Step out of the hurricane for a moment …

To come to better a higher quality of thinking

To feel again, find out and name,

sometimes for the first time …

what is important.

So, you can start to think about what your role is in this world,

What your legacy might be,

What you can give back.

To do what you love and be known for that.

If this speaks to you, just reach out …

I am passionate about helping playful, creative, courageous entrepreneurs discover and create the next chapter in their lives,

and I’d love to hear your story!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Love,

Bart