Do Something Different: A Motto That Could Change Your Future

Welcome back to Impact through voice, everyone. If you have missed some of our last episodes, I’m so glad you are here today. I've got a story for you and a mindset shift that's going to help you to show up and be a better version of yourself. To make better decisions, to make commitments, to step outside your comfort zone and pivot when you are stuck in a place where things are not working for you anymore. To step beyond whats comfortable and familiar, and, yes, sometimes facing that daunting voice in your head that screams, "What if I fail?"

I’m talking today about Doing
Something Different or DSD.

I want to share with you a story that is important to what I'm going to teach you today.

Let me take you back to 2020 when the entire world went into a lockdown. I remember April 4th vividly. This was the day the UAE declared: Everyone stay at home.” We couldn't leave our houses, if you had to go out you needed a permit.

Now for some…nothing much changed except they could go to work and attend meetings still in the boxers or pyjama bottoms. For others, like entertainers, musicians, restaurant owners, fitness trainers, and coaches who’s living revolved around meeting in person, This was a case of DSD Do Something Different or watch your business die.

It was a scary time for many and it was a scary time for me and my family. My husband wasn’t working at the time, so my income was supporting our entire family. School fees, mortgage, life in the UAE is expensive. Although my coaching business was doing well, and I was really proud of that, we were still eating into our savings and this pandemic, threatened our entire existence as we knew it. It was the last thing we needed. Or was it? I say it was a scary time, but it was also an exciting time. You know fear and excitement are closely connected. And it was the excitement of having the opportunity to DSD that pushed me forward.

And that’s what I did. I took what little we had left in our savings and invested in a mentor who could teach me how to grow an online coaching business. Maybe you’ve listened the episode with my mentor Jon Penberthy. If not it’s episode 7. Jon taught me how to change my approach to reduce working one-to-one and work one-to-many instead, he taught me how to set up and run video ads, set up automations, YouTube ads, automated webinars to bring in new clients and teach them through group coaching programs, all from the comfort of my own home. Within a couple of months, instead of paling into insignificance, my business was earning more than at any other time and the investment had paid for itself multiple fold.

Those businesses who at that time were able to quickly pivot, were the ones that came out stronger than before.

It was adapt or become irrelevant. And here we are 4 years later, and my business is thriving in the digital space, a space I initially hesitated to enter.

I’m sharing this with you because doing something different, especially in challenging times, can lead to unexpected opportunities and significant personal and professional growth.

How I am constantly reassessing and pivoting to stay ahead of the game

But life's funny that way, throwing curveballs just when you think everything is going great and you’ve got it all figured out. These last weeks I’ve been, at another crossroads where I’ve had to DSD.

Our tried and true 12-week mentorship program that we have been successfully getting clients results with for 3 years isn’t hitting the mark anymore for new potential clients The world's changed. Attention spans are shorter, and the demand for quick fixes is louder. Live vents are back, more people want to meet back in a room. So, it's time to DSD again and develop a new program that can get our customers incredible results in a much shorter time frame. The teachings are the same, the content is what we know, the deliverables are slightly different.

And there is another reason I feel the need to DSD away from our 12 week coaching program. I want to work with a group of enthusiastic people from start to finish. I want to take some space between coaching and work on other things like, this podcast, my speaking career, spend time with family, travelling.

Let’s Talk About You

Now, let's talk about you. Have you ever hit a plateau? In your career, personal life, or relationships? It's like running on a treadmill – lots of effort, no movement. That's your cue to DSD. Change the routine, alter the course, do something that scares you a bit. It's in those moments of uncertainty and challenge that we find our greatest growth.

Even if everything is going along comfortable at the same tempo and pace…why not shake things up a bit? Surprise your spouse with something out of the ordinary and unexpected. Go do that one thing you’ve always wanted to do, because you want to do it, but perhaps you’ve held yourself back from because your partner didn't.

Buy that digital course you’ve been procrastinating over for months or even years even though you know it will help you. Then commit. Show up, put the work in. Get the results.

Do something different.

The importance of getting started

So many people I speak with are afraid to put themselves on camera or go out, speak in front of an audience, run a webinar. I’m not ready, I’m haven’t got the skills yet. When will you ever be ready? If you maintain this attitude. Never, because you will have never done it. You’re waiting for perfection, but my friend, you will be waiting forever.

There has to always be a first time. And guaranteed, your first time is not going to be your best. But that’s ok. We learn from our mistakes and that’s what propels us forward.

That's the power of DSD.

So, what's your DSD going to be? Maybe it's signing up for that course you've been eyeing, launching the product that's been in "development" for too long, or starting a side hassle to earn extra income, having that conversation with your boss that you have been putting off, maybe it's reaching out to that mentor you've been too intimidated to contact.

I’ve got some strong DSD’s on my list. Possible podcast guests that I want to invite on the show.

Launching a new program for coaches and consultants to teach them all I know about digital marketing. .

Sometimes a DSD, do something different. is uncomfortable. For sure, right? I give you some that won't be as uncomfortable, but sometimes a DSD is uncomfortable. I'm going to call that person and ask for help. I'm going to ask that person if they want to promote with me. I'm going to see if that person wants to be my accountability partner.

Fear of rejection is real. I get it. So that's scary. That's uncomfortable. But when you know what you want. You're willing to put yourself out there more.

It doesn’t even have to be big. It can be one small step. DSD does not mean dramatic changes. It could be a 1 percent shift, a 1 percent shift, such as Uh, I usually don't book time in my calendar to actually work on something.

I just find the time and do it. But on Friday at 10am, I've got two hours to work on that project Lisa set me. So everything Lisa teaches me on Tuesday, I'm going to take into Friday and just do it and get it done. I don't typically schedule that time, but I'm going to. That's a 1 percent shift. It's not going to make you super uncomfortable.

Before I leave you, I want you to think about one area where you've felt stuck. Got it? Now, commit to one action, one DSD, that can shake things up. It doesn't have to be monumental. Small shifts can lead to big changes. And remember, it's not about the outcome; it's about the courage to try something different.

Thanks for tuning in. Here's to stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing the growth that comes with it. Until next time, keep pushing, keep evolving, and most importantly, keep daring to Do Something Different.