Dare to Act - Core Principle in the WLC

There are 5 core principles in the Women Leaders Community. The fourth is "Dare to Act".

"I know I want to do it, but I can't."

I hear this all the time in coaching sessions. There are a few main reasons for this:

1. Reassessing Priorities

Sometimes, people realize that what they want isn't as important as they initially thought. They wanted it, but it's not worth the price they need to pay. That's okay. Some feel relieved and let the thought go. In such cases, it was more "I should do it" rather than "I want to do it."

2. Self-Imposed Rules

We grow up with many rules that shape our behavior. For example, "working hard and giving everything you've got" helped many of us achieve success. However, this often means sacrificing health, fun, and relationships. It may be time to reconsider if these rules still serve us. When I left my corporate job last year, I intentionally decided to slow down. It wasn't easy because I was running at full speed my entire life. But I needed that to create space for my mental and physical health and for the people I love.

3. Age

"I'm too old to do that." This may have been an acceptable answer 100 years ago when life expectancy was shorter. Now, with many of us living up to 100 years, even at 50, you have a whole life ahead. It's too soon to give up. Also, we want a healthy and happy life, not just a long one. This comes from doing things we love and continuously trying new things. Unless you're 80+ years old, you have multiple decades to go. You are not too old.

4. Fear of Judgment

We worry about what other people will think of us all the time. "What if they think I'm stupid?" "What if they think I'm a failure?" That's why many people have imposter syndrome. Although it's hard to get rid of these thoughts, focusing on why you are doing it, not what others will think of you, can help navigate these feelings.

One of the common worries, especially among women, is, "What if they think I'm not a nice person?" I know a few people who were always kind, caring, and thoughtful—very nice people. But they shared how it bothered them and felt they couldn't do anything about it because expressing their needs would make them seem rude or bad. It's good to be nice, but not at the expense of expressing your needs. This teaches others that it's okay to treat you without respect. The truth is, we need to teach others how to treat us, and that doesn't make us bad people.

Breaking Free

Knowing or wanting is the start, but without actually doing, it never gets done. We often find ourselves hesitant to do what we want, scared of doing something we love. Navigating this is key for a happy and successful life. What's one thing that scares you that you will do this week?