Contemplating any pivot in life can be daunting. You can find yourself going down rabbit holes of what-ifs and creating scenarios that may or may not come to fruition.
When I was contemplating starting Vitality Law Australia, I was going around in circles in my head – conjuring up scenarios and filling myself with endless self-doubt. I had no self-belief and wasn’t able to allow myself to recognise the opportunities that were in front of me. Sound familiar?
One Saturday afternoon in late 2020, while my 5 month old slept and the jacarandas bloomed in Brisbane, I found myself sitting on my friend’s balcony in tears and very unsure of what step to take next in my career. Do I stick with what I know but which isn’t going to work for me anymore, or do I take a leap of faith and make a change?
My friend had been in a similar situation to what I was in, and she had gone on to develop three very successful businesses. We workshopped some of the key metrics of small business, including the minimum amount of money that I would have to make to feed my family and the basic set-up costs for the business. We were comfortable (my friend more than me!) that I could achieve those metrics. Sure, I wouldn’t start out on the same salary that I was used to, but I’d be able to put food on the table, work the hours I wanted to work and still spend time with my family. And that’s when my friend looked at me and asked, ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ It was my light bulb moment. What IS the worst that can happen? The business doesn’t work out and I get a job – either as a lawyer in a firm or doing something else to pay the bills.
Immediately following that discussion, I decided to go for it. I drove home with a head full of thoughts. I started dreaming up a business name (although it took a while to find one that wasn’t already taken!). Only a few weeks later, I launched my firm, Vitality Law Australia. From day one, I gave myself a time frame on how long I had to make it work and I told myself that if I hadn’t met my (realistic) goals by that time, I’d find a job and return to life as an employee. And, well, you guessed it – I hit the goals and remain in business today!
When making what feels like a significant decision in life, it is important to step back, remove the detail and really ask yourself what is the worst that can happen if your plan does not work out. If the answer to the question does not involve putting yourself into financial distress or breaking any rules, it is likely that the worst that can happen will not actually have a detrimental or material impact on your life as a whole. It might be a bump in the road but it’s unlikely to be something that you cannot recover from.
Looking for more tips about how to have the confidence to pivot, or guidance on what it really takes to succeed in business? Purchase a signed copy of my co-authored book, Courage and Confidence, here: https://vitalitylawaustralia.com/resources/
_________________
Sarah Stoddart is an award winning commercial lawyer based in Brisbane, Australia. She is also a co-author of “Courage and Confidence”, a book about what it really takes to succeed in business. Shortly after the book was published, it reached #1 on Amazon as a bestselling business book! It was also gifted to the Academy Award nominees and winners in their famous “swag bag”.
If you’d like to know more about how to have the courage and confidence to pivot, as well as other practical tips, tools and advice to help you achieve your business goals, you can purchase a copy of the book by contacting Sarah directly at sarah@vitalitylawaustralia.com or by visiting https://vitalitylawaustralia.com/resources/