Looking to Leaders in Your Field

In this step, we want to think about the power of influence and inspiration. In doing so, we need to consider the two primary things that might happen when you look at other experts in the wellness industry to see what they’re doing, saying, creating, or experiencing in terms of success. These are: feeling inadequate because of the comparison trap or feeling empowered by seeing the possibilities. Let’s explore these further.

Feeling Inadequate

The first, and most common outcome, is that we look to leaders in the field for inspiration and motivation and, instead of feeling these two emotions, we end up feeling fear, self-doubt, or we feel overwhelmed. It happens because we start to see everything that is required of us to build a successful career as an expert and because we begin to compare our current position to that of the source of inspiration. We start to feel that everything this expert has learnt, created or been credited for, is far off and out of reach. This is commonly referred to as the ‘comparison trap’.

The comparison trap sees us falling into the habit of measuring our career success against others who, in many cases, have been doing what you’d like to be doing, for a lot longer. Also, it stands to reason, that if a particular expert has been in the game for a number of years, or any length of time greater than you have, then they’re going to be further ahead. Perspective is key here.

Feeling Empowered

In contrast, and what might be considered a much more fruitful approach, we can choose to look to industry leaders in our field and see possibilities.

There is a brilliant quote attributed to an actress named Helen Hayes (1900-1993) that says: “The expert in anything was once a beginner”, and so the case might be for you right now. This is a powerful reminder that wherever you are right now in the journey is perfect, and that you will undoubtedly have a lot to learn. The biggest mistake that you can make at this point, is to look at the authorities we’ve identified in the wellness industry and consider them to have any more right to success than you. The only difference is that they have taken action.

So, we come back to the importance of observational learning by looking to industry leaders in your chosen field/s to discover:

• What is possible if you take action and commit to honing your craft
• What it could look like to build a successful expert business
• Ideas about how to deliver your expertise now and in the future
• Ideas for who to work with (ideal clients) and what to focus on (specialisms or niches)
• Strategies for building an expert business utilising specific tools like social media
• The best approach for acquiring clients
• How to position yourself most effectively in the marketplace so that you stand out
• The type of content or information being shared that resonates with certain audiences

Taking some time to consolidate a list of experts that inspire you might start with a research project, asking questions of those around you, searching online, and using social media platforms. A great place to start is either LinkedIn (using keywords that relate to a particular chosen field) or industry directories for your chosen field.

What do you think?

Think about any industry leaders in the field of expertise in which you might be interested, exploring further and how you might be able to learn from their success. Go ahead and share in the Comments section.