“Stay in Your Lane. Be authentic, open and transparent…Most people can spot a phony. If you try to be something or someone you’re not, you’ll fail to gain the trust of your audience.” Carmine Gallo

When I made the decision to leave my comfortable, safe, behind a desk, and yet deeply unfulfilling, 9 – 5 job in Corporate to set up my own business, I was taking a leap of faith.  I didn’t know how it was all going to work out, I just knew that I had to try.  I knew that I would always wonder what might have been if I didn’t acknowledge my instincts and follow my heart.   Having overcome some personal trauma the previous year I was also wide-eyed to this thing called Life.  Life is unpredictable.  Life is unexpected. Life is uncontainable.   Yet having “overcome”, I became equally aware of my own potential, my capability, and my resourcefulness to face into challenges; to get through tough times and take greater risks.

So, with this new found confidence in my handbag, I stepped out of my known world.  Actually it was more a case of striding out.  I was prepared for my Start-Up adventure, I’d read the books and had conducted my market research, I hired an Accountant and a Business Coach, I attended the seminars, my learning was well underway and I felt unstoppable.

Then, within a few weeks of leaving the 9- 5, things began to feel ‘slightly’ overwhelming.  Logic was offering me guidance on where my attention needed to focus, and yet my need for instant results was distorting all reason. 

Having spoken to so many Independent coaches since, I know that this is a common experience, this feeling of overwhelm and owning a list of priorities as long as your arm.  There can only really be one priority and when I ask coaches which one is their actual priority, I get an angst ridden “They’re all priorities!!” in response.

What then often follows from this lack of certainty is inertia, a kind of mental paralysis during which whole chunks of time is lost to non-activity, to surfing social media or responding to non-urgent email trivia. Before you know it, your spouse is home from work or the kids back from school and it’s down tools and time for tea! You then spend the evening feeling guilty and berating yourself for an unproductive, wasted day.

I know this isn’t just me…I’ve listened to you.

Fast forward to now and I very rarely have those days anymore. But, whenever I do have those days I think to myself “Sanae, Stay in Your Lane”.

I totally agree with Gallo’s sentiment when he says Stay in your lane. If you have ever worked with me or you have seen any of my other vlogs or read my e-book you will know that I am very passionate about helping you source your passion and purpose and operate from that space.  It really is a game changer.

But staying in your lane also means something else for me; it also means “go at your own speed”. 

Oftentimes you may feel overwhelmed and under pressure when you see what your peers are doing, they seem to be accelerating on ahead and you feel left in the hard shoulder with your hazards on.  You may feel at times blinded by the bright lights of the “Let me show you how I made a Zillion quid in my first week” postings and that can really halt you in your tracks; or sometimes you feel slowed down by the naysayers around you, you just want to unlock the clasp and release the “abnormal load” and be on your way.

Oh, I’m having fun and I could go on with the driving metaphors but I think you get the picture. 

When you have the odd unproductive day, when you haven’t achieved any of your To Do list because an unexpected meet up at the local coffee house drove up your priority list and when you are just feeling uninspired and uncreative then let it go.  Give yourself permission to stop, to take a break, to meet a friend, to go for an invigorating walk, or to just sit and be quiet for a while.

It’s not wasted time when you consciously permit yourself.  It’s not unproductive when you have allowed it.  It’s called headspace, it’s called freedom and control, it’s called recharging your battery; it’s called regaining your focus.

 It’s called enjoying your journey.  It’s called Staying in your lane.