Why small thinking limits your business potential

Janine: [00:00:00] Hello, and welcome back to another episode of Unleashing Brilliance. It's wonderful to have you here. And today's episode is a bit of a personal story, but trust me, it's got some really powerful lessons for all of you, especially if you're a business owner, wondering how on earth to tackle the tough stuff head on.

So here's the question. What do you [00:01:00] do when your adult daughter, eyes wide open with excitement, asks if you'd like to compete in a Hyrox challenge with her? You say yes, of course. Well, that's what I did. I mean, how hard could it be, right? Well, let me tell you, I had absolutely zero idea what I was in for.

I didn't even know what a Hyrox challenge was in my mind. It could have been absolutely anything. Maybe it was a new smoothie trend or even a dance off or some tick tock dance, but Hey, my daughter wanted something special, wanted to do something special with me. So I let in with both feet right into the deep end.

But what happened next is something we can all relate to, whether it's in fitness or in business. This story has everything to do with how we face challenges, how we show up and what that can teach us about running a business. So let's just rewind for a second. Last year, my daughter Taya had a [00:02:00] singular focus, and it was about crushing her end of schooler HSC exams.

She was in full on study mode, sacrificing sleep, fitness, and probably a little bit of nutrition too. But this year, she flipped the script. Once those exams were done, she turned her attention to her own health and fitness, and she began training like a champ, eating well, hitting the gym, and gearing up for this massive Hirox challenge.

Now, Taya didn't just jump into this like it was some casual workout. She got Hirox specific training. She consulted with experts. She prepared like she was heading into the Olympics. She knew it was going to be tough, but instead of shying away from it, she went all in. And this got me thinking about how often do we approach our own challenges with that same level of commitment?

Most of us, maybe not so much. [00:03:00] And here's where the rubber meets the road. Because when I finally googled what Hyrox was, I nearly spat out my coffee and all, honestly, Taya expected me to do what? It was like being told to run a marathon whilst also lifting weights, and all of this was supposed to be for fun.

And my first reaction, honestly, was sheer panic. I was filled with fear, self doubt, awe, Honestly, I had no idea how I was going to do this. And I think we've all been there before. Haven't we? When, when something seems so big, so hard or too out of reach, we're tempted to crawl under the covers and avoid it altogether.

That was me, but here's the kicker. I couldn't back out. Taya was counting on me and that accountability, that commitment to someone else made all the difference. How many of us in business let fear take the wheel, the fear of failure, the fear of hard work, the fear that we're going to look silly, [00:04:00] or heaven forbid, we're going to actually fail and fail publicly.

It's like those moments where the next step feels too hard, so we put it off, we procrastinate, or worse, we quit altogether. But that's fear. It's a choice. And let me tell you, choosing to rise to the challenge can actually make the difference. So what can you take away from all of this? Well, I want to dive into three key things that I've been thinking about since doing the Hierarchs with Tea.

The first thing I've been thinking about is that. Actually, accountability is everything. When I felt like backing out, knowing Taya was counting on me is the very thing that kept me going. Accountability is such a powerful force. Whether you're preparing for a Hyrox challenge or tackling something big in your business.

The truth is we tend to let ourselves off the hook way too easily when we're the only ones involved, but when someone else is in the mix, [00:05:00] Whether that's your daughter, whether it's a mentor or a business partner, it absolutely fundamentally changes the game. You don't want to let them down. So what do you do?

You actually push through. And here's a real world business example. I've worked with clients who have said time and time again, I'm going to launch that product next week, or I'm going to reach out to that potential new client. But guess what happens when they don't have someone holding them accountable?

Yep, it gets pushed. Weeks become months. And suddenly that dream, that project never sees the light of day. So how can you build accountability into your business? Maybe it's about finding an accountability partner. And this could be a peer, a coach, or even a mastermind group. The point is, Find someone who will hold you to your word.

You know, that person who will, who will ask, how's that big project going? And they're not going to accept those vague answers. Every single one of us needs [00:06:00] that. I certainly needed it completing that Hyrox challenge. The second way is to make sure that you set clear deadlines. Don't just say, I'll get this done soon.

Set hard deadlines and stick to them and then share those deadlines with With your accountability partner so that they can actually check up on you. They can follow you up. They can make sure you're doing the very thing you said you're going to do. For me, this was the Hyrax accountability partner and my daughter, who every single week would Challenge me to go and do my one K runs to do those extra reps on the rowing machine, whatever it was, there was the accountability and the small measures every single day that would kept me going.

And here's my personal favorite. What about making it public? There's nothing quite like the pressure of telling the world your goals, announce them on social media, tell your team, or let your clients know what you're planning. That way you'll be motivated to deliver. Because other [00:07:00] people are watching.

Accountability is a game changer and without Taya keeping me on track, I probably would have bailed on the Hyrox. But because she was counting on me, I showed up, I pushed through, and we crossed that finish line together. My second learning on the back of doing this Hyrox challenge with Taya was about actually committing to the process, not the goal.

Taya didn't just set a goal to complete Hyrox, she committed to the process. She trained, she researched, she worked hard every single day. And here's where most of us get it wrong. We set the goal, but we ignore the process. In business, we all have goals. It could be hit that revenue target, launch that new product, grow our social media following, get more leads.

But how many of us truly commit to the daily grind it takes to get there? The real magic happens in the day to day effort. Take the [00:08:00] example of writing a book. You know, so many people want to become authors, but they never actually finish their manuscripts. You're going to ask why? I think it's because they're focused on the end result, the published book, instead of committing to the process of writing.

Writing every single day, keeping that bum glued to the seat. even when you don't feel like it. Editing, re editing, rewriting, re editing and showing up again and again and again. In business it's the same. If you've got big dreams but you're not willing to commit to the process of getting there, those dreams will stay just that, dreams.

So here's what I suggest. I reckon you've got to break it down. Big goals can be overwhelming, but break them down into daily tasks. For example, if your goal is to launch a new service, maybe start by creating a timeline and work backwards from your launch date. What needs to [00:09:00] happen each week to make it a reality?

Maybe it's also about celebrating small wins. You know, one of the reasons we struggle with long term goals is because we don't see the immediate payoff. Make a point to celebrate the small stuff, those wins along the way. Finished a section of your business plan? Awesome! Treat yourself. Closed a smaller deal on the big path to the big one?

Brilliant! Celebrate that. It's fun. Fascinating for me, because in our Elevate community, we work on 90 day plans. We know that everyone has got that bigger picture goal in their business, but when we set 90 day goals, 90 day plans, and we celebrate at the end of that 90 days, we're with a win and some reward, it's incredible the momentum that it can create.

And the final piece here is, I think we've got to fall in love with the process. I know this sounds a little bit sort of woo woo, but if you can find joy in the process itself, rather [00:10:00] than just the outcome, you'll be far more likely to succeed. Learn to love the grind, the early mornings, the challenges, the problem solving.

You know, I didn't prepare as well as Taya did for the Hyrox, but now I see the value in committing fully to the process. And that's why doing it, why we're actually doing it all again. I know I must be absolutely mental, but this time I'll be all in. My final learning from this whole high watch challenge with Taya was one of embracing the fear and not letting it hold me back.

Now, this might be the most important lesson of all, because fear is inevitable We all feel it when faced with something new, a new challenge, something more challenging, something risky when we're faced with change. But for me, It was the fear of, honestly, collapsing mid hyrox, embarrassing myself. that's the thing that I was more fearful of, fearful [00:11:00] also of completing the thing, of letting not only myself down, but also letting Taya down, because we were doing the hyrox as a team.

For you, it might be the fear of launching a new product and having no one buy it, or the fear of failure in front of your peers. But here's the thing, fear to me is a sign that you're pushing boundaries. If you're not a little bit scared, you're probably playing too small. In business, I think fear shows up as so many forms, fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, fear of judgment.

And it's easy to let that fear paralyze you to keep you from taking action. It keeps you stuck. It keeps you exactly where you are. So how do you deal with the fear. Well, I think first up, you've got to acknowledge it. You know, the first step to recognizing that you're scared is to actually understand that fear is normal.

Don't beat yourself up for being [00:12:00] afraid. Instead, acknowledge it and remind yourself that fear is a sign you're growing and then get on with it. Do it anyway. The best way to overcome fear is by taking action. If you wait until you're 100 percent confident, you'll never do it. So take the leap, whether it's launching that new product, starting that new project, or having that tough conversation.

And finally, focus on the outcome. When fear tries to pull you under, focus on why you're doing this in the first place. What's the ultimate reward? For me, it was crossing that finish line with my daughter by my side. It was creating a moment together. It was having one of those experiences that we can keep looking back on.

For you, it might be landing that dream client or seeing your business grow in ways you've always wanted to. Fear doesn't have to control you. In fact, it can be the very thing that propels you [00:13:00] forward if you actually learn to embrace it. And yes, we finished that Hyrox challenge. Was it pretty?

Absolutely not. But we crossed the finish line and the next time I'll be even more prepared. So whether you're facing a massive business project, an economic downturn, or your own Hyrox challenge, I want you to think about how are you showing up? Are you fully committed? Or are you letting fear pull you under?

Or are you actually rising to that challenge? Now, I know business isn't always easier, but if my story has shown you anything, it's that you've got this. Remember, it's not about getting everything right the first time. It's about learning from each challenge. It's about showing up and being better prepared the next time.

So my challenge to you today is what's your Hyrox challenge? What's the one thing you've been avoiding because it feels too hard? I want you to take it on. I want you to lean [00:14:00] in because you'll be amazed at what you're capable of when you choose to rise. If today's episode inspired you, do me a favor, hit that subscribe button, share it with a friend who you think might need to hear this, and let me know what challenge you're tackling this week.

I'd love to hear your stories. Until next week, keep unleashing your brilliance, and I look forward to touching base with you next week.