desperately seeking approval

Do you think it’s a good idea? Do you like this business name? Do you think people will sign up for this workshop? Do you think this price is too high? Do you think I should wait until after the holidays to begin? What do you think of my podcast name? Do you think I should start a membership? Do you think....? Do you think...? Do you think...?

You’ll turn to your mom, hubs, and even Meredith, your cat, seeking the holy grail of "I love it! What a great idea.”

We all want other people to approve of what we're doing in our business. But we don't always get it.

Sometimes, we get opinions that sting like...

… your partner calls your business your “little company.”

… your father thinks you’ll never see it through.

… your bestie wonders why you’re wasting your time online.

… you catch a headline that says how saturated the online yoga world is.

… you tell your mom your revenue goals, and her eyebrow raise says, "Unlikely." And when you don't hear what you want, you slow right down and spend time and energy convincing everyone around you that your "little company" can work.

There's a subconscious belief that when everyone else is lined up and believing in you and your idea that's when you'll dial it up and the biz will really take off.

In other words, getting other's approval means success.

Why do we desperately seek approval? It's what women have been taught to do to survive.

Our entire worth is based on getting other people's approval. For thousands of years, we did not have the luxury of following our own ideas, doing what we wanted, and certainly not running a business. Survival meant we had to follow and fit in. Safety meant we couldn't go rogue and start our own thing.

Now it's 2023, and women are allowed to read books and open bank accounts, and own a Visa and start businesses.

You're hustling for growth but it's impossible when you're still following your childhood conditioning of seeking outside approval.

How hard you believe in yourself CANNOT depend on other people’s belief in you.

Stop waiting for all the approval to be lined up perfectly before you commit to your business.

You have to accept yourself as an entrepreneur fully, or you’ll forever be seeking acceptance from those around you. Stop convincing them. Start convincing yourself.

Don’t wait for them. They’re not part of this. Go and write emails, plan a launch, and record a podcast from a place of belief in yourself and your work. You, friend, are the CEO of your company.

You hold the secret to the Universe for your clients.

You need to tell them clearly what you do.

You need to invite people in.

Meredith and Gramps don’t need to do anything.

This whole belief thing… it’s an inside job.