One of the things that’s been interesting about my career recently is that it’s been branching more and more away from my niche.

As one of my mentors recently said, “You’re hitting your edges again.”

I’m obsessed with growth, I love leaning into new adventures, “lurk then lead” is my M.O. with this stuff, and I rock it at Big Ol’ 5 level enoughness. So… this expansion beyond showbiz should just be NBD, right?

Yeah… about that.

Turns out it’s possible to have all the confidence in the world in one area of our lives and then — even though we’ve done all the legwork to hit that next tier, to explore that new audience, to take the momentum of success and GO BIGGER with it — shrink from the opportunities we once pined for.

One of the examples a dear friend gave me — as we discussed my authoring my first-ever book for NON-actors (that doesn’t mean actors aren’t invited to read it of course, just that it’s not what I’m known for when it comes to authoring books) — was of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

“Look at all those variations on the original. Look at all the people writing all the things. Heck, look at all the TED Talks, all the email newsletters, all the motivational leaders out there. The majority of them don’t have decades of *anything* related to their brand to back them up. They just started leaning into the area for which we now know them! And if they get a one-star review over this not being their true area of expertise, what does it matter since it’s up against many thousands of four- and five-star reviews?”

Hmm… I thought about all that and there’s a lot to hear, there.

Then I thought about how we’re coming up on 20 years — yes, TWENTY YEARS — of my writing advice for actors for a living. Of *course* I have high enoughness when it comes to fielding ANY actor question. Duh. I’ve got this on lock!

I mentioned how I didn’t want to use all that work as a crutch for shifting into a broader brand. Like, I want it for the confidence it can give me, but I really don’t want to rely on it as an outer fortifier for my own enoughness.

(This would be like you stacking up good reviews and reading them to remind yourself you’re a good actor — putting all that power in reviewers’ hands instead of gathering it up from within. This is the kind of habit that makes it so that being dropped by an agent or getting one bad review or being released from avail can decimate you. Enoughness tethered to the actions of others. Woof. Not good.)

And the convo then turned toward how there’s a difference between a crutch and cred.

A crutch is something — like 20 years of writing for actors — you lean on because you’re afraid no one will find your current offerings of value without that crutch.

Cred — also like 20 years of writing for actors — is that stuff you reference if anyone wants to see where you’ve come from but it has little to do with how or what you offer up today.

It’s a sometimes subtle shift, but if we begin to look at our work, our content, our output, all that storytelling we’ve shared with the world (no matter how large the “world” may be, as an audience for our offerings) as proof we’re capable of churning out the goods NOT as proof we’re somehow worthy of love, we’re gonna be okay.

This is what I call the Dr. Dre rule of being a content-generating machine.

Take all his masters. Keep his publishing rights. He’s walking away from the record label and you can withhold all of the product he’s put out up to that point. TAKE IT ALL.

He’ll make more.

Hell. Yes.

The content you’ve created — at any tier — is evidence that you are a capable content creator. Keep doing it. Keep pushing out toward your edge. Pre-pave for success you know you want to see take root without struggle. Make it more likely that there will be nothing but “yes, and…” rolling out for your momentum in the exciting new direction.

But don’t think, “Oh, good. They’ll love me BECAUSE I made all that.”

No.

They’ll respect you because YOU ARE THE MAKER of so much stuff.

Totally different relationship with your brand, your buyers, and your ability to create *anything* out in the world.

Lemme hear from you, lovelies. Comments are open below! Do you currently use something as a crutch that you could start using as your cred? What shifts can I help you make so you have a better relationship with your enoughness today? And… have any guesses where I’m headed with my next book? I’d love to know if you can predict it all!

PS — Our scholarship contest for Get in Gear for the Next Tier is still going strong! Learn how to enter once a day through December 31st so you start off 2019 with us for 100 days in the dojo! FREE!

On that, if GIGFTNT (the 100-day membership) enrollment is on your wishlist, be sure you enroll before December 31st to lock in our 2018 pricing! (Yes, if you win the scholarship, we’ll issue a refund or offer you a $500 coaching hour with me — your choice!) Here’s how to kick things off for our best price today! (Yes, even on payment plan!)

PPS — Make sure you join me for our next couple o’ Facebook live broadcasts! (They’re all listed over here.) If you missed out on Sunday’s upper-limit problem discussion, here’s the replay.

Enjoy!

Hope you’re ending this year filled with joy, appreciation, and anticipation for all that lies ahead of us. Cannot wait to explore what’s possible!

Much love,

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!