It starts with Action

Everyone has a gift and a tremendous amount of potential, those who think they don't just lack direction. Once they find it then they'll soar!

Ola Sanni talked about how he found his direction and once he did he was able to focus and work hard towards achieving it. Ola also co-founded The Widening Access Network (W.A.N) to help young people discover what their direction is and what they are truly capable of.

A question I assume everyone would have thought of at least once is - what's my purpose? Why am I even here?

I don't know the exact answer but I can hint that it involves taking action :)

Check out WAN : https://www.wideningaccess.org.uk/join-the-network

Joe Gannon dropped 2 very creative tips about how to use Linkedin which you'll have to listen to the podcast to find out ;)

we also talked a lot about 🌟accountability and how to use it to help take consistent action. One simple example is just setting the scene before doing anything. I know when I wear workout clothes and listen to music... naturally, I would want to go for a jog or move.  ( the SWAG community was also created with the intention of keeping  each other accountable so if you're ambitious and seeking growth than do  join )

🔥Comfort challenges are also good ways to prove to yourself that in the end, everything is ok and not as scary as you think :) Ask for a 10% discount on your meal or say no to everything for a day or two. Challenges like these help train the muscle in doing other things that you fear.

👀👀Joe has some special stuff coming soon, his youtube and content here are very helpful for Linkedin fans so check him out!

Real story - At the beginning of 2020 I put a treadmill on my vision board. Why? Because it's something I wish I had at home but also I knew there was a 0% chance because I didn't really need it and I only buy things that are absolutely necessary.

COVID came. Wasn't allowed out for months and woke up 1 day with a surprise from my mum - a small treadmill ( although it nearly burst into flames 2 weeks later and got a refund, didn't end up replacing it )

Vision boards are not only fun but quite powerful when you look back and realize that some things actually came true so when Shola West mentioned vision boards on the podcast I was all hyped up and it was great speaking to her about it.

We also talked about apprenticeships and not going down the university pathway. Whatever route you choose you will succeed as long as you choose to and have the right mindset and take the right action.

The biggest question that always bothered me when I was 15 was why a white T-shirt with a logo costed 10 times more than one without; how did a workout video with no music and filmed with a phone get 7 million views while another with great lighting and music do worse.

It was only this year that I paid a lot more attention to the topic of personal branding and its power. It is definitely a super interesting subject and I enjoyed talking to Ash Borland 🎬 about it on the podcast.

It's no longer about the product, it's about the brand behind it.

Ash's story was really interesting and has proved that we really can't predict where we'll end up in life. It can change and that's ok! Enjoy the journey and see where it takes you

Vulnerability the key to courage.

I used to be ridiculously scared about showing my vulnerabilities, I would never tell people about what was going on in my life and just bottled everything up to the point I broke.

This was one of the topics Sorochi Eze-Uzomaka and I talked about in the latest episode. Why do we shy away from sharing the vulnerable side? Is it because of the view that vulnerability is courage in you and inadequacy in me? When we share what''s going on we may think we are showing up as being weak but when others talk about theirs we think they are strong and courageous.

No one should shy away from sharing what's on their mind. If you have something bottled up, say it. You are not weak, you're showing a sign of strength.

Connect with Sorochi and check out her business: 

Twitter and Instagram @nebulalondon

http://adventureswithamara.co.uk

Set principles for yourself

Jordan Paris and David Meltzer both set criteria to help them design a life: Make a lot of money💰; help a lot of people🌟, and have a lot of fun🏄🏼‍♂️

As an overthinker (overcoming it), I think this is a genius idea. To set yourself a few key criteria to help you decide whether you should take action on something or not as well as avoid doing things that don't really serve your short and long term goals.

On the podcast, I couldn't think of the 4th but now I think  I would add " Is it a seek discomfort challenge that will lead to growth " If yes then I'll do it ... What're your criteria?

It was great to get to speak to Jordan Paris, we talked about getting out of our shell, from being the quiet awkward kid to developing an interest in what constitutes good communication and questions.

Oh, and of course, the education system :) Jordan's podcast Growth mindset university is all about teaching you what school doesn't. I always learn something new and recommend everyone to check it out if you haven't already!

Check out Jordan Paris and his podcast : 

https://jordanparis.com/

https://jordanparis.com/category/growth-mindset-university-podcast/

Sabrina Woodworth, P.Eng, has worked in the corporate environment for over 14 years. She started her career as an entry-level process engineer in training and quickly rose to prominent leadership roles. Her career has included multiple industries and business groups, comprised of numerous positions and leadership roles, demonstrating her ability to adjust to change and furthering her well-versed foundation in corporate operations.  Her career has taken her overseas to Mongolia, to several major cities, including her Canadian corporate headquarters in Calgary, Alberta. Now, as a Project Manager and Founder of Work Lessons 101, Sabrina’s career has a proven track record of strategizing, maneuvering, and being promoted through the hurdles of the corporate world.  Sabrina has spoken to both Universities and Corporations on the foundations of building successful careers and has built a large following on her social media platforms (40,000+), which receive over 3 million views each month. You can learn more about Work Lessons 101 and their services on their website: www.WorkLessons101.com.  Follow Work Lessons 101 on their social media platforms:  • Instagram: @worklessons101 • LinkedIn: Sabrina Woodworth, www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinawoodworth/ • YouTube: WorkLessons101

Her upcoming book, Work Lessons 101 - What they Don't Teach in School comes out July 22.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CDHC1Z8/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

 I never thought I had any potential to be a " leader " ... but I really like the idea of coaching and being a coach... and from my training, I realized coaching is the same as being a leader.

I love asking questions and learning what makes good questions so when Enrico Biscaro, MBA mentioned being a leader is about talking less, listening more and when you speak you ask questions I realized... actually maybe I do want to be a leader and it's something I've been reading more about lately.

Reach out to Enrico :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebiscaro/

Action over perfection 🌟

As I learn to become more self-aware, I find one of the biggest reasons for my procrastination is wanting to do tasks to the point of perfection. I would think of a task and expect that it will be " perfect", feel overwhelmed and end up not starting at all. As I've learned to embrace failure and not having to be right all the time I've actually got a lot more things done and perfected the task over time.

It was great to talk about this topic with Ryan McGee 🏠 and Joshua G. as well as many other topics such as social anxiety, university and the story behind their podcast - the 2% podcast

 Reach out to Neha : 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/neha-bogati/

https://niinii20.wixsite.com/dbns/blog