Introducing the Project Prowess Group Coaching Program

by Victoria on September 14, 2011

It’s been quiet here because I’ve been hard at work creating something I just know you’re going to love. And I’m super proud of it.

It’s a group coaching program that’s designed to help you go from Great Idea to Something Amazing to Offer Your People.

But it’s more than that. This program will show you a better way to projectize so you’ll have more ease and enjoyment (and less self-doubt and overwhelm) in your creative process.

If you’ve been wanting to write an ebook, create a class or e-course, or even build a new web home for your biz, now’s the time.

Because this isn’t just a spray-you-with-a-fire-hose-of-information teleclass either.

This is a limited-enrollment program where you’ll get plenty of hands-on input and support from me and from the other wonderful folks in the course.

Why I created this

Mainly because I’ve heard from a lot of my readers that they have a hard time finishing projects, for a bunch of different reasons.

If you’ve ever …

  • been stuck in second-guessing mode, wondering if you’re working on (or starting) the right project…
  • wanted to make progress but just couldn’t see what your next step needed to be…
  • been in the middle of a project and lost your motivation, or worse, became convinced everyone would think your creation was silly or stupid…

…then this program will help.

Though I have over 10 years experience in “project management,” what I’ve learned since starting my biz is that it takes a hell of a lot more than a spreadsheet of tasks and due dates to complete a project.

It takes stuff like Desire, Alignment, Commitment, Safety, and Capacity.

No matter how snazzy or detailed your project plan is, without those ingredients, you’re going to have a hard time finishing your project and offering it to your people. And even if you force yourself to finish it, you’ll wind up miserable in the process.

Forcing yourself to power through a miserable project is no way to grow your business.

How it will work

Our little group will have four 90-minute calls together.

Each week I’ll share a bit of theory and a practical tool or two (along with how-tos and examples), and then the rest of the time will be spent digging into your projects.

If you’ve got too many ideas, I’ll help you figure out which will be the best project for you and your biz right now – and you’ll feel confident that you’ve made the right choice.

If you’re having trouble getting started, I’ll get in there with you so you can see what needs to happen first, second and third.

If the project isn’t going as you expected, we can work on transforming it into something energizing and nourishing.

There’s also a private Facebook group page, just for you, me and the rest of the folks in the program. That way, you’ll have all the support you need, even between our calls.

The other reason I’m doing this

Because a lot of you have told me you want to work with me but don’t feel like you can afford it.

This program will give you six hours with me (plus between-session support via the group page). Six hours of one-on-one sessions with me would cost nearly five times as much as the cost of this program.

If you’re ready to create something in a safe, supportive environment, I didn’t want lack of funds to get in the way, and it’s priced accordingly (so I don’t expect seats to last very long).

Without further ado

Without further ado, I’m thrilled to present Project Prowess: Finish the Projects Your People Need While Enjoying the Creative Process.

The price is only $199, but to celebrate this beautiful program’s arrival, there’s an early-bird price of $149 available through 9/22.

Get thee to the party, and let’s get to work on creating something to delight your people and grow your biz!

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When Pushing Through Doesn’t Work

by Victoria on August 19, 2011

I’m stuck.

And I’ve been stuck now for, like, two weeks.

I’m supposed to be finalizing the details for the new thing I’m creating for you. Really, I expected to have it announced to the Shmorian Society already, but it feels like I’m not even close.

Who knows what triggered the stuckness to begin with, but I know what’s not helping:

Lamenting how far behind schedule I am.
Thinking about this project as something that Must Be Successful.
Refusing to step away from the project even when nothing’s working.

Hello, expectations

I’ve got lots of expectations about how this project should be progressing and how I should feel while working on it.

And focusing on all the ways reality isn’t matching up with those expectations is just making me more stuck (and downright miserable).

The truth

Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. And that doesn’t mean I should scrap the project.

Nor does it mean there’s something wrong with me. (Or you, if you’re at a similar place with your project.)

Stuck happens. And stuck dissolves.

The stuckness isn’t me. Or you.

What’s really needed

Trust that there is time. Trust that things will all work out in the end, even if they don’t look the way I wanted them to. Trust that the outcome is just as likely to be better than expected (so stop assuming the worst).

To remember that nothing is wasted. And that I get to define “success” as it relates to this project.

To connect with the essence of the project. Because I don’t control the outcome, but I can do my best to create something that will help my people.

To do as much as I’m able to nourish myself. Because if I’m not getting work done, filling my well is a much better use of my time than falling into the abyss that is social media and the interwebs.

To remind myself of everything I have accomplished. And creating the Better Taster program for Project Prowess is no small feat. (There’s still time to join if you’d like help with your project.)

What’s really, REALLY needed: Safety

All of those things that I ought to be doing instead of arguing with reality are actually all about one thing: Creating Safety.

Some part of me is feeling unsafe and believes that completing this project is dangerous somehow.

It doesn’t really matter whether I’m afraid of succeeding or failing or things changing, but somehow I have to restore a sense of safety.

But there’s a catch.

When you’re stuck and need to create safety for yourself, it has to be done with no hidden agenda.

If I do it for the purpose of making more progress, it won’t work.

Project stuckness is kind of like a hermit crab that’s pinching you. Or maybe it’s pinching the project. Either way, it frakking hurts.

The crab starts pinching and won’t let go until it feels safe. And if you move or try to pull it off too soon, it will start pinching harder.

Creating safety for you and your project can’t be conditional on making progress or getting unstuck.

The scared parts of yourself are smart enough to know when you care more about getting work done than making sure they feel safe.

They can tell the difference between asking “What do you need?” while being truly open to the answer, and the same question asked when you really only want to hear how to get your project moving again.

I’ve been trying to push through, thinking that if I just push a little harder, for another hour (or four), I’ll break through and the project will start flowing again.

It hasn’t worked.

I’ve lost sleep and I’ve cried and yelled and whined and flopped on the couch to numb out in front of the TV.

I’ve meditated and talked with my Selves and my business and my project and I’m still stuck.

Because deep down I was doing those things because I was trying to get my project back on schedule.

Fuck the schedule, because I want to do this project, but not if it means winding up in anxiety mode every day.

Pushing through didn’t work, so now it’s time to let it go and see what happens.

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Survey Results and Better Tasters

by Victoria on August 10, 2011

Just over two weeks ago I asked for responses to a survey about what kind of help and support you need to get more of your projects done.

I received over 40 responses (thank you!), and lots of you were kind enough to say I could follow up with you. And you took the time to elaborate on your selections – super helpful.

I thought you might like to know what I learned.

(Be sure to read to the end, since I’ve already used the survey data to create something new.)

What I learned about you

I know most of you probably aren’t data-geeks to the degree I am, so here are the highlights:

Your biggest obstacles to getting your project completed are:

  • Having too many ideas
  • Feeling overwhelmed at how to get started
  • Staying committed so you can finish what you start

What you most want to learn about managing projects:

  • How to make consistent progress despite your busy-ness
  • How to create a plan you can follow
  • How to deal with the fear and anxiety

The two most popular learning methods were Self-Study (ebooks, audio, etc.) and Group Coaching. In fact nearly 75% of you said you wanted a group coaching option.

You preferred the fun course name of (Project Makeover: Get Unstuck and Get That Project DONE) waaay more than the serious name (How to Plan and Complete a Successful Project). I’m not even a little bit surprised by that.

What was slightly surprising was that although over 50% of you said you have trouble deciding which project to focus on, only 30% indicated you’d want to learn how to choose which project to complete.

Among the people who elaborated on what they need, a lot mentioned the emotional aspects of creating stuff – fear and lack of self-trust. Interestingly, the “Who Do You Think You Are?” monster made more than one appearance.

Though many of you tend to get stuck at different places along the “project completion continuum” (must find a better name for that!), you definitely want to get more stuff created for your people.

What I learned about the survey process itself

The way I structured my questions (and my desire to keep the survey short) led to some responses that didn’t tell me as much as they could have.

For example, a few people checked topics they wanted to learn, and obstacles that kept them stuck, but then answered that they’d be unlikely to sign up for either of the class titles I listed. It would have helped to know why.

It’s tricky to find that sweet spot of getting enough information but not overwhelming people with a million questions.

I’m really happy with the information I was able to gather, though. And I’m not sure if I’d do things significantly differently next time, because “question design” is something I could easily get sucked into. At some point, it’s better to just get the survey out there than to keep obsessing over the questions.

Where I’m going from here

I’m still finalizing the details, but since nearly 75% of you said you want a group coaching option, I’ll definitely be including that in the program I’m working on right now, which I’ll be launching in the next couple of weeks.

(Are you part of the Shmorian Society, yet? They’ll be the first to know. Just sayin’.)

In the meantime, however, I’ve created something based on the survey results.

Want to be a Better Taster?

I’ve decided that I’m not looking for Beta Testers, I’m looking for Better Tasters.

As in, you get an early taste of something I’ve created (at a hefty discount), and you help me make it better by sharing your feedback as we go along. Get it?

Based on what I learned in the survey, I created the Project Prowess Package to help you go from idea to finished creation more easily, while enjoying yourself more in the process.

The sooner you get moving on that project, the sooner it will get done. And the sooner it gets done, the sooner it can start helping your people and bringing in the monies.

Sound good? Then I hope you’ll check out the details, because there are only two spots remaining.

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Going from Beautiful Idea to Finished Creation

by Victoria on July 26, 2011

I’ve been thinking about projects. You know, those things we want to create that will help our people. And grow our businesses. Stuff like ebooks, courses, services and products.

And I’ve been pondering what gets in the way of going from idea to plan to finished creation – sanely and enjoyably.

The ideas are plentiful, but don’t always take off

I think for most of us, the ideas are there. (In fact, usually too many ideas and choosing what to focus on is the problem.)

Often, when an idea bubbles up into our consciousness, there’s a period of Great Infatuation where the idea is all you can think about. I’ve lost many a night of sleep because I can’t stop mooning over how cute some idea is.

And then – eventually – the Great Infatuation is over

Maybe we look at all our other commitments and feel like we can never do justice to our idea, so why bother starting.

Or we’re willing to start but can’t figure out how.

Or maybe we start but the Voices tell us the idea is stupid after all.

Or we lose steam because the project has since ballooned into a magnum opus and it’s just not fun anymore.

Or sometimes we get all the way to the end and just can’t bring ourselves to expose our fragile creation to people who might not appreciate it.

Regardless of why or how, it winds up being damned challenging to get our project into the hands of the people we created it for.

Thoughts…I haz them.

Between completing many a project as a database programmer (in another life) and creating and launching offerings for my people here, I’ve learned a few things about what works and what doesn’t.

But before I start spewing what I know all willy-nilly, I’d like to know about your experience with projects.

Where do you get stuck?
What do you wish you knew about how to go from idea to finished creation?

You can answer here in the comments, or you can take this super quick 6-question survey.

Your answers will help me focus on the stuff that will make it easier for you to bring your creations into the world. Creations that your people need. And I want to help you get them out there.

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The Fragility of Ideas

by Victoria on July 20, 2011

Sometimes you get an idea.

It could be for a new product or service. Or it could be for a new focus for your biz.

And at first, you’re head over heels in love (or at least in lust) with the idea. It’s all you can think about.

Then you realize, it’s probably time to get some outside feedback before you commit to moving forward.

As tends to happen with feedback, some people love it, some like it, and a few of them really aren’t into it. (Even though you were hoping that every single person would tell you it was the best idea since the DVR.)

Then, suddenly, you’re not sure what you were thinking. And you’re not sure how you feel about your idea anymore.

Maybe it’s just me, but even a little bit of negative feedback feels like having someone piss on my Wheaties.

Start by stopping

When you feel that sense of disappointment about the feedback you received, you need to stop and clear everyone else’s voices and opinions out of your head (and heart).

Because this is the moment where it would be really easy to convince yourself the idea isn’t worth pursuing, just because a couple of people who were honest with you didn’t love the idea.

Now is when you ask some questions. Questions like…

Who loved (and liked) your idea? Are they your Right People?

Have they bought from you in the past? Do they read your blog faithfully? Have they signed up for your newsletter or advance discount list?

If they’ve done one or more of those things, that’s a good sign they’re your Right People.

Who thought the idea needed work? Are they your Right People?

If they’ve never bought from you, aren’t on your list, and don’t read your blog much, take their opinions with a grain of salt.

Often, family members and co-workers (and sometimes even our friends) fall into this category. Be especially careful of listening to feedback from these groups.

What – exactly – did people say about the idea?

If you can get some emotional distance and listen objectively, often you’ll find that the negative feedback came from a misunderstanding of what you were proposing.

And that’s good information to have because it means there’s something about your idea (or how you’re communicating it) that isn’t clear enough.

“Not clear enough” does not equal “not a good idea.” You may want to ask for clarification from them. Or to offer clarification of your own.

That’s assuming, of course, you’re talking to your ideal people.

How does the idea in question fit with the over all vision you have for your business? Is the idea in line with your values and your biz’s values (and purpose)?

If your idea doesn’t fit the big-picture direction you’re trying to go, check in with yourself about why you’re so infatuated with it.

Don’t dismiss it out of hand, though, because there’s probably something in there that you want or need. So how can you give that to yourself without pursuing an idea that’s not aligned with you or your biz?

The point:

Your idea only needs to appeal to the people you want to serve in your business.

If your idea resonates with your ideal clients, and is in line with your overall vision, you’re probably going in the right direction. Even if it scares the shit out of you.

Negative feedback from your not-Right People is a good thing, even if it hurts. It means the stuff you’re doing to attract only your ideal clients is working. (Thanks to Jenny Bones for reminding me about this today.)

And always remember: Regardless of how uncomfortable it is to put our ideas to the test,you are the one who knows what’s best for you and your biz. You get to decide which bits of feedback you’ll incorporate into your idea, and which ones you’ll ignore.

Guess who we’re really talking about here?

Yes. Me. (Surprise, surprise.)

That’s part of why it’s been quiet here on the blog. I’ve been moving through the infatuation and early-feedback stages for an idea I have. It’s a pretty big change, but I think if you’re among my perfect people, it will feel more like settling into a couch that’s got just the right amount of stuffing in the cushions.

Want to stay in the know?

I’m not sure exactly when I’ll be sharing these changes publicly (probably pretty soon), but if you join the Shmorian Society (using the form below), you’ll be sure to hear about it first.

As a thank you, you’ll also receive the 6-part Shmorian Project Prescription eCourse. If you and your project have lost that loving feeling, this will help you remember what you saw in each other to begin with. Hint: I’ve also been known to send out occasional treats.

* indicates required


Note: If you don’t see a sign up form, or it looks garbled, you can click here to sign up.

I hope you’ll join me on this new phase of my business adventure!

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Dealing with Fear

by Victoria on June 22, 2011

Note: This post refers a lot to Thing-Finding, but if you’ve already found your Thing, try reading it with your business or a big project in mind.

By far, the most common questions I wound up receiving for last week’s free teleclass were about dealing with fear.

There were lots of different fears that people mentioned:

Fear of failure
Fear of overwhelm
Fear of losing a stable income
Fear of not being able to handle the new skills required of them
Fear of going after their Thing and still winding up unhappy
Fear that everything will change

I’ve experienced every single one of those at some point or another. Some of them I’ve experience today.

Let’s get real about Fear.

1. Fear will (most likely) always be there.

I say “most likely” because I refuse to rule out the possibility that one could reach a point where fear is a non-issue. Maybe that’s what “enlightenment” is.

But for now, I know I still deal with it. And pretty much everyone I know deals with it.

It’s part of doing stuff that takes you outside your comfort zone.

2. Fear is not a good indicator of whether you’ve found your Thing or not.

I used to think that when I’d found my Thing, it would be easy to create a business around it.

Ha!

I delayed starting my business for nearly two years because of that belief.

3. Every single one of the fears I listed above comes from getting ahead of yourself.

You – right now – have a certain skill-set and set of past experiences that (naturally) inform what you believe is possible for you.

If in your heart you think you want to move to Bali and start a cage-free Kopi Luwak farm, but all your adult life you’ve worked as a technical writer for a big company, of course it’s going to feel like an impossible transition.

The fear comes from trying to figure out how you’ll get what you want in one big step, without all the little steps in between.

4. There are parts of you that know the Truth.

The truth is:

The Universe is on your side and wants you to succeed. (And your commitment helps it to conspire on your behalf.)

When you want something – like to find your Thing – it’s because you’re aligning with what your soul already knows about what you want and what you can have.

See also: You wouldn’t want it if you couldn’t have it.

So if the fear doesn’t go away, but it’s stopping you from finding your Thing, what can you do?

5. You can learn how to move forward despite the fear.

It all comes down to learning.

Learn how to strengthen your connection with the parts of yourself that know the truth.

Learn how to process all the emotions that come up when you hang out at the edge of your comfort zone.

Learn how to give yourself safety so you can explore your potential Thing without scaring the shit out of yourself.

These are all skills you can learn.

By exploring safely (one manageable step at a time), you’ll build a history of positive experiences with that Thing.

You’ll also build a body of evidence that doing something a little bit scary turns out okay (and is totally worth it).

The rush of joy you feel from working on your Thing will help sustain you when you’re trembling at having to put yourself out there in a new and uncomfortable way.

And that’s what will help you make more progress despite the fear.

You don’t need to get over yourself or just do it.

That’s why I created Exploring the Shmorian Thing-Finding Methodology.

I’ll be sharing the tools that will help you know what you want, manage the fear and explore safely.

Exploring the Shmorian Thing-Finding Methodology starts on Wednesday, 6/29. And there’s still time to get in on the early registration price (but only through Friday, 6/24). I hope you’ll join us.

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Thing-Finding Myth #3: I’ll Absolutely Know When I’ve Found My Thing

by Victoria on June 16, 2011

In case you haven’t been following along, here are links to Thing-Finding Myth #1 and Thing-Finding Myth #2.

How did you know when you’d found your Thing?

That was one of the questions I got on Tuesday’s Six Essential Steps to Find Your Thing class. (You can still get the recording here.)

Such a great question, and after thinking about it some more, I realized there was more I wanted to say.

Because there are lots of layers in the answer.

How *I* knew

When I was getting ready to launch this business, I got so stuck that I was sure coaching couldn’t possibly be my Thing.

How could it be my Thing if it was so hard for me to launch?

So I let it go. For almost two years.

But then it – coaching – kept coming back.

Coach-y stuff kept showing up in my blog posts.

And once I’d gotten some distance from all the frustration, I started wanting to move forward with it again.

At that point, I’d begun to learn about safety (one of the Six Steps), and I saw how I could take teeny steps toward putting myself out there as a coach.

Soon I wound up offering free coaching sessions to a group of supportive online friends. Which allowed me to get lots of positive feedback, and helped confirm I was on the right path.

The Reality: You can’t really know for sure

If you’ve got several potential Things that are appealing to you, you probably don’t want to focus on the “wrong” one. Or maybe you always wonder if your real Thing is still out there somewhere.

There is no way to know with 100% certainty that you’ve found it.

Looking for 100% certainty starts to sound a lot like thinking there’s only one right Thing, doesn’t it?

The whole point of finding your Thing is to have work that makes you ridiculously happy and is custom-fitted to who you are.

So maybe your Thing is actually two or three different Things that you put together in a way that nourishes you and supports you financially.

Could there be something you haven’t found yet that you’d enjoy more than whatever it is you currently think is your Thing? Possibly.

But if you stay connected with yourself (another one of the Six Steps), and give yourself safety and whatever else you need, you’ll always be able to tweak your work to fit you better.

What does it mean to know?

“Knowing,” at least when it comes to Thing-Finding, is a progression.

Each step you take in experimenting (another of the Six Steps) with a potential Thing helps you learn more about it. And more about yourself.

You begin to understand the essence of the Thing and why you’re drawn to it, why you’re good at it.

Understanding its essence will help you keep the parts you like and lose the parts you don’t.

Everyone’s different

I can’t tell you for sure how you’ll know you’ve found your Thing. But I imagine you’ll start displaying at least some of the following symptoms:

  • Looking forward to working on your Thing
  • Wanting to get better at it
  • Generally enjoying it
  • Or maybe even grinning uncontrollably because you can’t believe you get paid to do it
  • Appreciating what it teaches you, even when you have a shitty day at it
  • Ending most days pleasantly exhausted rather than seriously drained
  • Needing to try harder to take time away from your Thing

It really is possible to feel that way about work.

I’m not going to lie – some days aren’t all unicorns and rainbows. But even the hardest days working on my Thing are only slightly worse than my best cubicle days.

How about you?

How do you think you’ll know when you’ve found your Thing?

What would you do differently if you believed you couldn’t know for sure?

Psst! Starting Wednesday, 6/29, I’m sharing the best tools I know to help you find your Thing in my new course, Exploring the Shmorian Thing-Finding Methodology. Make progress on your Thing without freaking yourself out.


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Thing-Finding Myth #2: I’ll Be Wasting My Education and Experience

by Victoria on June 9, 2011

I’ve actually had two Things that turned out to be not my Thing.

I know I mostly talk about my database programming career as my Thing-that-wasn’t, so if you haven’t been hanging around here for very long, you might not know about my first Thing-that-wasn’t.

Right out of college, I went and taught scuba diving in the Caribbean.

I became pretty unhappy pretty quickly, but I was afraid to walk away from it, for one of the same reasons I didn’t want to walk away from my IT career:

I put a lot of time, money and energy into becoming a scuba instructor. How could I just throw it away for something completely unrelated?

(Aside: For some reason I didn’t struggle a lot with “throwing away” my degree in International Relations/Japanese at the time.)

There’d be no way to get that money, time or energy back. Such. A. Waste.

The reality

Nothing is wasted.

I know it might not seem that way if you’ve studied to become a doctor and now you want to start a personal chef business. Or a jewelry-making business. Or a copy-writing business.

But here’s what I’ve experienced and witnessed over and over again:

Every experience you have helps you become the person you need to be in order to have your Thing.

My study of Japanese (and spending time in Japan) led me to reject seeking a corporate job out of college, and go to the Caribbean instead.

Getting sick in the Caribbean forced me to go home.

Seeing my sister studying computer science (and struggling with figuring out what was next for me) allowed me to see it as an option for myself.

My time in corporate jobs eventually made me realize how much I value freedom and flexibility. They’re non-negotiable for me.

And the analytical skills I learned while working with databases – and all my other experiences – help me every day when I’m working with clients.

Even if there really is no direct tie between your past experience and the Thing you’re drawn to, there’s always value in every experience you’ve had. Sometimes it just takes a hell of a lot of hindsight to see it.

The ROI question

Someone recently asked me how they could justify not getting a job in their field of study after spending so much money on a degree. They felt they needed to get an acceptable ROI (Return on Investment).

But if you knew – and I mean really knew – your Thing would support you financially, and that you’d wake up most days bouncing out of bed because you couldn’t wait to work on your Thing, would you even care about getting the ROI from your degree?

I think the desire for ROI is not really about the degree (or career, or business) you might walk away from. It’s about not believing your Thing will support you.

Or maybe wanting ROI comes down to wanting to see clearly that what you did was worth it, even if it didn’t make your heart sing.

Nobody wants to feel that something they invested in was for nothing.

What if the degree you got (or the business you built, or the years you spent in that other career) that you feel is not useful for pursuing your Thing was exactly what prepared you to go after your Thing?

I try to avoid getting all Hallmark-y around here, but seriously, would you rather get the ROI from past investments or actually enjoy your life?

Is it easy to give up what you’ve put a lot of time, money and energy into? Of course not.

Do I still occasionally grieve over my lost Japanese fluency? Or catch myself thinking building a database for my business is a good use of my time? Yep.

But. Is it worth it to go after your Thing despite the apparent “waste?” Abso-fucking-lutely.

How about you?

What kinds of stuff have you invested in in the past, that you feel you need to see the ROI from now?
What would achieving an acceptable ROI give you?
What does seeking ROI for something you don’t want cost you?

On Tuesday, 6/14, I’m sharing the foundational steps that will help you get unstuck and find your Thing. Check out my *no-cost* teleclass, Six Essential Steps to Find Your Thing. I’d love to see you there.


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Thing-Finding Myth #1: There’s Only One Right Thing

by Victoria on June 7, 2011

Back when I started trying to figure out what my Thing was, I had a lot of preconceived ideas about what it would look like. And some crazily specific notions about how I’d find it.

I was sure that there was only one right Thing for me. More like a Calling or a Mission from God (à la Jake and Elwood Blues).

And I thought that if I just prayed or meditated hard enough, it would arrive as an instant, deep knowing.

Though I would have denied it, I wanted my Thing to be announced to me audibly by the big, booming Voice of God.

Much easier for me to admit was the fact that I wanted the entire path laid out before me.

I wanted a guarantee.

Can you relate?

Those beliefs and desires led to a hell of a lot of stuckness.

First of all, that’s a lot of pressure. One right Thing out of an infinite set of potential Things? What are the odds of getting it right?

Secondly, it put me into passive mode.

It meant waiting for my Thing to find me. And it implied that the only legitimate action was waiting for The Answer.

It created the sense that any step forward I took without knowing what my Thing was was a Waste of Time.

The reality

Your Thing is any combination of What, Why and How that lets you be fully yourself and thrive at work.

The What is the product of your work. Mine’s coaching and teaching and creating digital products.

The Why is the reason you do it, or the big-picture outcome you want to create in the world. Mine is to empower people to start and grow businesses they love, and thereby raise the sum-total of happiness in the world.

The How includes the tactics and strategies and methods you employ as you go about the What and the Why. My How focuses on online stuff like this blog and teleclasses. It also includes the fact that I structure my work days with lots of solitude and flexibility.

Is my current business the only way I could have a Thing that fits me? No way.

I could coach on health issues instead of business issues. Or I could apply more of my tech skills to my current Why. Or I could choose (if it floated my boat) to focus my efforts offline rather than online.

It’s really about creating work that supports all of who you are – even the parts that feel like they get in your way.

How about you?

What kinds of beliefs do you have about Thing-Finding?
Are they stopping (or slowing) you from getting out there and trying stuff?

Want to learn the foundational steps that will help you get unstuck and find your Thing? Check out my *no-cost* teleclass, Six Essential Steps to Find Your Thing. It’s happening next week. I’d love to see you there.


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Thing-Finding Learnings (& an Announcement)

by Victoria on June 2, 2011

Back when I was trying to find my Thing, I thought I was taking all the right steps.

Reading tons of self-help books and career books.

Journaling.

Meditating.

Begging the Universe to just tell me what my Thing is already.

It wasn’t until I’d found my Thing that I could look back and see all the missing pieces that slowed the process down for me.

I didn’t know how to truly connect with myself.

I didn’t understand that the process of figuring out what you really want to do is actually a dance between inner connection and outer action. It’s not either-or…you must have both.

I didn’t grasp the importance of creating a safe internal space for all this work.

And the need to translate that inner safety to outer boundaries – ones that fit “real life” limits of time, money and energy – was lost on me, too.

I thought I wanted my Thing handed to me in a gift-wrapped box, but really I needed to understand my Essence Piece better before I could start trying to figure out the Work Piece that would fit best.

I also thought that my Thing was something I’d find out there, but really it was about answering the calling of my soul.

What’s interesting is that I didn’t start learning the tools that helped me find my Thing until shortly before launching my business. Sometimes I wonder how my path might have been different had these tools shown up in my life years earlier.

I’ll never know.

But I can share the stuff I wish I’d known then with you, now.

On Tuesday 6/14 I’ll be holding a no-obligation free teleclass called the Six Essential Steps to Find Your Thing.

You’ll learn the different phases that are part of the Thing-Finding process so that it’s easier to recognize what you need and where to focus as you work on your own Thing-Finding Adventure.

It will also give you a big taste of my upcoming 3-session course called Exploring the Shmorian Thing-Finding Methodology. We’ll be digging deep into the tools that will help you find your Thing. And together we’ll find the best ways for you to experiment without freaking yourself out.

If you’d like to have a perfect-for-you business but you’re not sure what it would be, Thing-Finding is the first step, so I hope you’ll join me for the free class. You can sign up in the box below to get the call-in details and the recording once it’s available (if you can’t see the form, you can sign up here):

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My wish for you is to be fully who you are, always. But especially in your work because we spend so much of our lives working.

I hope you’ll join me.



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