I’m in my “cash outlay” season: a rebrand, new website, publishing my book, and letting go of my big retainer client. The good news? I had planned this, and funding this from the past two years of strong earnings.
The terrifying news? What if this doesn’t work? What if the courses I want to sell don’t sell, etc etc?
But I’m making these moves with the awareness of how much I have to invest in time and energy before I’d need to change something. And thankfully my retainer client is only 20% of my income.
@Jessica — I love that you're making all these bold moves!! What an incredible refresh you've got lined up between the rebrand, website, book (!!!) and letting go of a big client. Wow! Do you happen to know what numerology year you're in? (Here's the site I refer to every year: https://creativenumerology.com/yearly-forecast/)
I so hear you on the worrying possibility of the "what ifs" — but I often try to remind myself of the counterfactual that it's just as likely that trying to stay *exactly* in place, not taking any risks, is a risk too — and there's no guarantee that would(ve) worked any better!
I'm a 7 year, which is apparently about letting go and embracing what's next... but without rushing to what's next which is a whoooooole new learning edge for me...
"In this self-centered year, you will be seeking – and finding – a direction that feels right for you. A more serious side of your nature will emerge, along with a stark awareness that the status quo is simply not good enough anymore.
Instead of rushing out to find new opportunity, be patient and wait for opportunity to come to you. Trying to force yourself ahead will result in the same old feelings of dissatisfaction you thought your forcing would eliminate. This is not a time to do – it is a time to plan."
My business is shuttered as I go back to the search for FT(ish) work. Actually I don't believe in that, so I started a second Substack (https://30isthenew40.substack.com/) to write about that.
One thing I realized: I don't actually WANT to coach anymore. It was fascinating when I tuned into the more creative things I actually want to do and realized: I had a belief running that coaching was the only (or most likely) way I could make money. Not true at all, I realized.
Last year, when I took time off the business to care for my elder parents, I realized I just didn't want to return to coaching. That break away from it was important. I'm not sure I'll have adequate "free time" in the new world I may be entering, but spending three quarters of my retirement funds in the past ~5 years before I'm 51 years old felt like my limit.
I've loosely targeted the medical device and healthcare world, since I know there are always job openings there, and very few people with the right background to get mid-level positions there.
Have you ever heard of the book "Passed Over and Pissed Off"? It's about GenXers (not unlike me, though I'm more like a generational cusper with Millennial tendencies) and how they paid their dues to move up the ranks. Then the Boomer bosses hired Millennials (more tech savvy, they argued) instead of them for up & comer jobs. I'm not sure I buy into it completely, but it does fit a lot of the stories I'm hearing.
Takeaway from all of this: it's time for us to reduce the standard work week to 30 hours, knowing that AI is going to free up time for more folks. Can we reclaim workplace sanity and spread the workload, finally? Maybe. Or I might just be delulu... we'll see. 😜 🎉 💙
@Cristy, thank you so much for sharing your updates on this thread! Yay for a new Substack!! And for your realization that you don't want to coach any longer. Sending good thoughts as you search for your next moves and work context, even if it's an interim pivot for now, leading you to the next-next horizon once new possibilities (and a little more financial stability) open up.
I haven't heard of the book "Passed Over and Pissed Off" — sounds epic!! I got angry for Gen X just reading your description above, how frustrating. And now we're all getting up-ended by AI . . . which thankfully you will be exploring for/with us!
I’m in my “cash outlay” season: a rebrand, new website, publishing my book, and letting go of my big retainer client. The good news? I had planned this, and funding this from the past two years of strong earnings.
The terrifying news? What if this doesn’t work? What if the courses I want to sell don’t sell, etc etc?
But I’m making these moves with the awareness of how much I have to invest in time and energy before I’d need to change something. And thankfully my retainer client is only 20% of my income.
@Jessica — I love that you're making all these bold moves!! What an incredible refresh you've got lined up between the rebrand, website, book (!!!) and letting go of a big client. Wow! Do you happen to know what numerology year you're in? (Here's the site I refer to every year: https://creativenumerology.com/yearly-forecast/)
I so hear you on the worrying possibility of the "what ifs" — but I often try to remind myself of the counterfactual that it's just as likely that trying to stay *exactly* in place, not taking any risks, is a risk too — and there's no guarantee that would(ve) worked any better!
I'm a 7 year, which is apparently about letting go and embracing what's next... but without rushing to what's next which is a whoooooole new learning edge for me...
"In this self-centered year, you will be seeking – and finding – a direction that feels right for you. A more serious side of your nature will emerge, along with a stark awareness that the status quo is simply not good enough anymore.
Instead of rushing out to find new opportunity, be patient and wait for opportunity to come to you. Trying to force yourself ahead will result in the same old feelings of dissatisfaction you thought your forcing would eliminate. This is not a time to do – it is a time to plan."
Ooh, how thrilling!! Seven years are epic — and so aligned with all that you’re already doing and re-thinking :))
My business is shuttered as I go back to the search for FT(ish) work. Actually I don't believe in that, so I started a second Substack (https://30isthenew40.substack.com/) to write about that.
One thing I realized: I don't actually WANT to coach anymore. It was fascinating when I tuned into the more creative things I actually want to do and realized: I had a belief running that coaching was the only (or most likely) way I could make money. Not true at all, I realized.
Last year, when I took time off the business to care for my elder parents, I realized I just didn't want to return to coaching. That break away from it was important. I'm not sure I'll have adequate "free time" in the new world I may be entering, but spending three quarters of my retirement funds in the past ~5 years before I'm 51 years old felt like my limit.
I've loosely targeted the medical device and healthcare world, since I know there are always job openings there, and very few people with the right background to get mid-level positions there.
Have you ever heard of the book "Passed Over and Pissed Off"? It's about GenXers (not unlike me, though I'm more like a generational cusper with Millennial tendencies) and how they paid their dues to move up the ranks. Then the Boomer bosses hired Millennials (more tech savvy, they argued) instead of them for up & comer jobs. I'm not sure I buy into it completely, but it does fit a lot of the stories I'm hearing.
Takeaway from all of this: it's time for us to reduce the standard work week to 30 hours, knowing that AI is going to free up time for more folks. Can we reclaim workplace sanity and spread the workload, finally? Maybe. Or I might just be delulu... we'll see. 😜 🎉 💙
@Cristy, thank you so much for sharing your updates on this thread! Yay for a new Substack!! And for your realization that you don't want to coach any longer. Sending good thoughts as you search for your next moves and work context, even if it's an interim pivot for now, leading you to the next-next horizon once new possibilities (and a little more financial stability) open up.
I haven't heard of the book "Passed Over and Pissed Off" — sounds epic!! I got angry for Gen X just reading your description above, how frustrating. And now we're all getting up-ended by AI . . . which thankfully you will be exploring for/with us!