What's Really Holding You Back From Creating Your Online Course
As Brené Brown suggests, the most powerful stories are the ones we tell ourselves. But beware –those stories are usually fiction. Here are the 4 fictional stories that are likely holding you back, and what to do about it so you can move forward with courage and create your online course.
But I’m not…
I shared a story on Instagram last week highlighting all of the graphics and branding I’d created for my business. In one of the stories, I said, “I’m not a graphic designer, but I’ve created a lot, a lot.” One of my friends sent me a message to check me. She wrote, “Well then you are a graphic designer.”
Busted. It’s exactly that kind of thinking–thinking that unless we are credentialed or have formal training or have been doing something for 10,000 hours–we can’t possibly have something to offer. That is the fakest of fake news.
You know more than someone, and not in a I’m better than you kind of way, but in a I know enough to help you kind of way. There’s someone out there who wants to know what you know right now. They want to know how you do what you do? There’s someone who wants to be exactly where you are. Sure, there are tons of people who can teach {insert anything}, but there’s absolutely a student out there who is struggling to learn from anyone else, and they are desperately seeking your voice, your communication style, and your perspective. To them, you are the expert they’ve been waiting for.
And don’t worry, your online course doesn’t have to have anything to do with your current job (but that’s often the easiest place to start). In fact, the most impactful courses are often the ones born of your greatest struggles, the lessons we learned going through our toughest moments make us the best teachers.
You’re New At This, You’re Supposed To Wobble
I have never, ever in my whole 42 years of living seen a baby start walking and then immediately take off in a sprint. Never. He wobbles. Falls. Cries. Gets up. Wobbles. Falls. Gets up. And then one day, he moves a little faster. And then he falls again and gets up faster. Faster and faster each time.
When you’re trying something new, give yourself permission to wobble a little, to fall and get back up. It’s okay to be afraid. In fact, it’s even better to name it. Say it out loud, “I’m scared.” Then say to yourself, “But I’m also brave. This first step will be the hardest. I am going to stumble, and when that happens, I will not quit. I will dust myself off, remind myself that I can do hard things, and one day, I’m going to run–all because I chose to walk today.”
Trying anything new is scary. Don’t mistake your fear as lack of readiness.
8 Hours At Work. 8 Hours For Sleep. Leaves 8 Hours For…
Okay, it’s not exact science, but the reality is we have time–for the things we want to have time for. I’m terrible at working out, and I’d like to say that it’s because I’m so busy with work and all the other things. But the reality is, I don’t want to work out. I don’t want to feel my lungs reminding me that I haven’t worked them as hard as I need to. I don’t want my muscles to ache from finally using them. I don’t want to mess up my hair. So what do I do? I say that I don’t have time.
We all have a lot on our plates. Full time jobs. Children. Partners. All the things. But one thing I know for sure is when we get serious about what we want, we make time for it, and it gets done. The best way to make your business a reality instead of something on your vision board, is to schedule when you are going to work on it and treat it like an appointment that took you months to book…because in some way it did.
It’s Seems Like So Much To Do…
Creating your business is a process. And yes, if you look at all that has to be done, it could surely overwhelm you. So don’t do that. Don’t look at how far you have to go. Focus on taking the most immediate next step.
At the beginning? Decide what problem you want to solve in your business. Already know that? Decide who you are going to serve. Got that? Outline your content. Have your content outlined? Decide what you’re going to offer people to show them know you have something they want. Create that thing. And so on and so on.
My mantra is start small, win big. Baby steps are still steps.
