ARTICLE: HOW HELPING OTHERS IS RELATED TO HELPING YOURSELF

Do you want to help create a better world, but do you experience fears and self-doubt?

From my own experience, I know it is not easy to go for our dream businesses. I remember when I was burned out in 2014. I had no job and I had less than USD $2,000 in my bank account. While I was sick, I decided to start my dream: helping thousands of people fulfil their full potential and achieve their dream businesses.

Today, I feel grateful for my challenges in 2014 as they taught me to keep showing up for myself and to stay committed to my dreams. I also learned another very important lesson: by helping others achieve their dream businesses, I was helping myself with my dreams and goals.

You might wonder: ‘How is helping others related to helping myself?’ I’d love to give you my perspective on this very important question.

Firstly, when we teach, we learn twice. To really listen to my clients and truly care for them, I felt compassion, joy, and fulfilment. And when I would give my clients advice on their projects, I often realized I could use my own advice also for my own projects. In addition to that, most of my clients were brilliant business people with big hearts. And I learned a lot by observing how they were overcoming their challenges and achieving their dreams. Very often I would apply their strategies to my own coaching business with success. Next, I would share these successful strategies with my other clients. This process of receiving and sharing wisdom has been and still is, one of the most essential success factors in my coaching practice.

Secondly, what we feel, we attract. Helping others achieve their dream businesses creates a huge sense of excitement, pride, and fulfilment. Although I also felt fear of getting sicker and running out of money, I focused on the positive feelings: excitement and fulfilment. And by approaching potential clients while feeling excited and fulfilled, I inspired them to participate in my coaching programs.

I was caring for them and encouraged them to dream and achieve their goals. And because they FELT my positivity and excitement for their potential and dreams, they got excited about their dreams and created the results they wanted. In addition to that, I shared my dream with successful entrepreneurs and asked for their help with my coaching skills, marketing, and investments. And because they FELT my excitement and passion for my dream, they wanted to be part of this vision and helped me for free. And thanks to the help of these amazing entrepreneurs, I have had the privilege of helping more than 1,000 people improve their lives.

If you are working on your dream business and you are facing challenges, I understand your pain. I really do.

And please, please don’t let it stop you. You need these challenges to grow. We cannot fly without gravity.

I imagine a world in which the vast majority of people are in alignment with their talents and dreams. Not only will this bring us more joy and fulfilment, but I believe this will also help us overcome the challenges our world is facing today.

You are unique. You have a gift. And the world deserves your dreams and talents. I encourage you to dream and share your gift with others. Whether it is setting up a coaching business, working in a non-profit organization, travelling the world, starting a family, or something else. Whatever your dream is, give yourself permission to act on it.

And share your vision for your dream business with like-minded people and stay positive. As you can read In my featured article From Dream to Reality: 10 Business Tips for Achieving Your Business Dreams, I believe it is very powerful to be part of an inspiring community as this helps us gain support and inspiration from like-minded people. I have provided workshops in many different communities all over the world. And it never ceases to amaze me how powerful community is for myself, my friends, and my clients.

Next to engaging with an inspiring community, it is also important to keep moving forward toward our dreams. Every day, take a step. It doesn’t matter if it is a small step or a big step.

And then one day, you’ll see that it works out. And you’ll realize that the challenges you are facing today, are stepping stones toward your dreams. Make it happen. It’s possible!

If I can do it, anybody can.