Daring Success

Reader,

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Do you look at others and then pull out your measuring stick to gauge your worth, your success, and your happiness (everyone looks happy on Instagram!)?

Comparison is what the mind defaults to when we are weak, tired, overwhelmed, or feeling stuck.

Comparison sounds like:

"I want that success." or...

"I should be where she is."

When we "should" on ourselves, we're literally sh*tting on our own potential. Brené Brown's research says that shoulding is shame in disguise. I see it as self-sabotage wrapped in social conditioning.

Every time you catch yourself using "should," recognize it for what it is—a toxic thought pattern that keeps you from all of the things you want! It distracts you. It wastes your time.

It's easy and comfortable to blame and shame and deflect because that means you don't have to do the deep work of taking complete ownership.

The Three Levels of Comparison (Most People Never Escape Level 1):

Level 1: Compare and Despair: This is where most live—scrolling, questioning, reinforcing lack, and staying stuck. The comparison muscle gets stronger and stronger.

Level 2: Compare and Become Aware: This is where you see something in someone else that you want for yourself and use that information to learn and inspire you. This is where everything changes when you choose to act.

Level 3: Compare and DARE: This is where true success lives—where excuses no longer rule. You put comparison in the back seat and take the wheel to your future by daringly putting your foot on the gas pedal.

Here's an exercise:

Make a list of all of your goals.
Then, underneath, make a full list of all of the actions you took last week toward those goals. This is a list of evidence that reflects what you say you want most.

The only measuring stick that matters is how your daily actions stack up against your biggest dreams.

Match your effort to your ambition.

Measure your actions to your aspirations.

Look at what you do against what you want.

When you do, you'll see if your goals are unmet dreams or active pursuits.

This is a reality check.

Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally for one's reputation. ~John Maynard

Most people don’t risk being extraordinarily different, and I'm no exception.

When I honestly assessed myself, my conventional side was full; my unconventional side was a little more than a blip on the radar.

Your greatest impact never comes from comparison and playing it safe.

It comes from having the courage to dare to be different.

Courage to take a bet on yourself.

Being unconventional isn't about standing out in the crowd for the sake of attention—it’s about creating lasting change, one client, one business, one decision at a time.

Here’s an exercise I love. Answer each one of these prompts as many times as you can:

I am
I will
I can
I do

It's time to cut the cord on comparison. It will never fully go away. So put it in the back seat, take the wheel and let's go!

Audit your daily actions against your actual ambitions.

It’s time to dare. Take the leap.

If not now, when?

Safe is good for sidewalks and swimming pools. Life requires risk if we are to get anywhere. ~Simon Sinek

📓 Journal Prompts for the Week Ahead

Where is there evidence of my past success?
Where is there evidence of my future coming?
Where am I playing it safe instead of playing to win?
What would I attempt if I knew I couldn't fail?

P.S. What if this was the summer you shut down the excuses and were inspired to take your next leap?

Let's take your list of goals and create a roadmap to close the gap between what you want and what you are doing.

I'm taking on just 2 clients this summer for what I call a Success Sprint—a 4-week intensive where we don't just talk about your dreams, we build the daily actions that make them inevitable.

You'll receive tons of super support, clarity and my proven formula:

1:1 coaching with me (your thought partner and co-pilot to success)
Text and email support (for when you need real-time reality checks)
A shared Google document for our work together and between-session breakthroughs

You'll walk away with: ✏️ The Story of Your 10s (the framework that changes everything) ✏️ A 10-minute daily writing practice to intentionally create your next chapter ✏️ Must Haves and Never Agains Protocol (your non-negotiables for success) ✏️ Life Leaping: A Created Vision for extraordinary success ✏️ A Letter from Your Future Self (the motivation that never quits)

By the end of summer, you'll say it was the best decision...taking full ownership to take that leap you want.

Email back if you're ready to turn your unmet dreams into active pursuits.

Just 2 spots.

Success on your terms is an inside job, and it's ready for you to say YES.

Let's make this the summer your actions finally match your ambitions.

P.S.S. Thanks to Laura Conley who gave me the Compare and Dare phrase! I'm lucky to be surrounded by wise, smart change makers.

Ready to redefine YOUR success story? Let's continue this conversation.

📊 Leaders: Take The Growth Zone Assessment [GO HERE] to discover how innovation and action collide in your organization.

✨ For those ready for more:

Access a Powerful Coaching Case Study [HERE]
Martha Stewart Lessons - Listen to the 7 insights that changed everything → [LISTEN HERE]
Rewrite Your Next Chapter - Grab my book For Success Sake! Extraordinary Possibilities in Leadership → [GET IT HERE]