From Here to Next, We Make Moves... How?
(Video version here. Scroll down for written version)
(Written version)
We discussed the importance of acknowledging our stories, many of which become barriers to who we want to be and what we want to achieve. We also talked about the importance of accepting, and we delved deeper into one of them: the fear of failure.
Now it is time to act. How do we go about it? The answer is as simple as it is complicated: It is all about the doing. We build as we go. We learn as we do. And you probably read this and say “yeah, sure, Analía, but how?”
It is important that we acknowledge that no matter how much we know that we need to act and do and iterate, we might still feel paralyzed, or unclear, or wanting more information before we take any action. Breaking from that is a constant work in progress for all of us.
Here are a few suggestions for you to consider:
- Dig in: you feel scared about taking the next step (sending that message, submitting your resume, attending that workshop…). What fuels that fear? What feels threatening about it? What is the worst case scenario that you are painting in your mind?
- Prepare for what needs to be addressed: Facing fears is not easy, and it does not get any easier. Knowing what the worst case scenario is can help you identify what you are telling yourself about what is possible, and what is holding you back. There will be reasons or aspects that are legitimate concerns that need to be addressed (for example, you may want to change jobs but are not able to afford it or need sponsorship to do that). It is important to address them, and we do that by identifying what needs to happen for conditions to change and what is within your control to adjust them (For example, do you need to find another job that sponsors you? Or do you need to save more money before you change jobs? Do you need to find alternative funding before you can fund your startup?). Once you know what needs to happen to reassure yourself in more concrete terms, you have the initial steps to make progress.
- Reassess your approach to it: There are practical concerns that play a big role in what we can act on. But there are other concerns that take shape based on our approach and perspective. For example, you might feel paralyzed about applying for that one job because you feel that your experience is insufficient, even though you can offer three alternative stories about how you fulfilled a similar task to that listed in the job description in a different industry. It makes sense and there are various emotional stories that might be fueling the fear to make that move. But acting despite the fear will increase your confidence and show you what you are capable of (and where there is room for growth). What can bring you reassurance as you face that discomfort? What support system, behavior, or routine can offer you a sense of calm as you challenge yourself in this direction? What works today may not work tomorrow, and that is okay. But by giving yourself permission to build a support system and mechanisms that help you make progress, you are already working towards your goals.
Any type of move in the direction of our growth will feel uncomfortable. We often want to eliminate that discomfort by remaining in the ideation phase, planning, foreseeing all possible scenarios, researching in-depth, and seeking input from others. Some of it is absolutely valuable, and needed in many cases, to make sure we make informed and intentional decisions. But there is a fine line between gathering information that empowers us and relying on this ideation stage to hold us back from taking the leap. When you find yourself there, the best we can do is acknowledge that we are scared and that things will feel uncomfortable. So we can prepare for the parts of it that we can control by learning what to set in place, reminding ourselves what brought us here and our ability to make things happen, and taking it one small action, tweak, or decision at a time with the curiosity of what opportunities open up as you go.
You cannot know how it will play out in advance. But you can know what you have in your toolkit to face what comes next, and then take the step. Do not forget to take deep breaths. Next week, I will share more on various strategies to navigate the discomfort and uncertainty of changes, and share some of my own experiences with that.
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Before I leave, I have very exciting news to share with you. I am officially launching AGV Lab, a space where you can find the support and guidance you need as you make progress towards your life and career goals through accessible and affordable coaching.
My goal when I first certified as a career coach was to make coaching accessible and affordable at critical times in our careers, many of which make this resource impossible to afford. I also wanted to do so while building community, because of how fundamental connection and mutual support are in these processes of career exploration and development. Through all these experiences, and the lessons and feedback of the past few months, I have now created AGV Lab to answer to that need.
What does this mean concretely? AGV Lab combines a library of self-paced coaching tools that I develop over time (the workbooks, podcast miniseries, worksheets, and so on), with a private group for all members and a monthly office hours call, in which members can show up with their specific career questions for us to discuss on a first-come, first-serve basis. These are different from our Community Coffee Hours because you get to ask specific questions to your needs during our discussion.
I am officially opening this space on June 1 for its founding members cohort. Before sharing this publicly, I wanted to share the news with you AND include a gift for you as part of our community of career explorers through the Brewing and Community Coffee Hours. Subscribers who join AGV Lab in the next month will get a 25% discount on the subscription rate for the next year using the code BREWING25. You can enroll here. Thank you, as always, for being part of this community, helping me build this dream of mine of providing support that empowers you and connects you with yourself and others, and trusting me as part of your support system. I am truly excited for what is ahead.
See you at our next Community Coffee Hour!
PS: If you know anyone who can benefit from this reflection, please share our newsletter with them.
