Sarah had always dreamed of being a writer. As a child, she spent countless hours crafting short stories and poems. But as Sarah grew older, she let fear and self-doubt hold her back.
Sarah convinced herself she wasn’t talented enough and no one would be interested in her work.
Now, at 50 years old, Sarah was filled with regret. She looked back on her life and saw a series of missed opportunities. She had a stable but unfulfilling job, a failed marriage, and a general dissatisfaction with her life.
One day, Sarah stumbled upon an old notebook filled with her childhood writing. As she read through the pages, she felt a deep sadness, realizing her fear of failure held her back for far too long.
Sarah decided to take action. She enrolled in a writing class and started working on a novel. But it wasn’t easy. She struggled with writer’s block and self-doubt. The process was slow and frustrating.
At times, Sarah wanted to give up. She felt like it was too late for her to pursue her dreams but then remembered the regret she felt looking back on her life. So Sarah pushed forward because she didn’t want to feel that way again.
Eventually, Sarah finished her novel. She was proud of the work she had created, yet couldn’t help but wonder how different her life would have been if she had taken action sooner. She realized that regret was a powerful motivator, but it was also a heavy burden to carry.
Sarah vowed never to let fear hold her back again. She knew life was short and didn’t want to waste any more time wondering, “What if?”
She was grateful for the opportunity to pursue her passion but couldn’t shake the feeling that she had missed out on so much more.
We all have regrets, and when looking back with 20/20 hindsight, it’s easy to point out what we should have done differently.
The purpose of past experiences is to learn from them so you can make choices in the present that serve you in more pleasing ways.
I certainly have regrets and wish I’d handled many situations more maturely. Still, there were reasons (unconscious beliefs) for my poor choices and behaviors.
Over the years, I’ve upgraded those self-sabotaging paradigms and habits to become a better version of myself.
However, there is one area where I have zero regrets!
Whenever I had an opportunity to improve my mindset, skill set, or marketing systems, I took it!
Sure, I was scared to death that it wouldn’t work out, that I couldn’t afford it, or I might be getting sold into something that wasn’t good for me.
Yet, I did it anyway because my mentors taught me to be a wisdom collector and to take as many opportunities as possible. After all, money comes and goes, but you can never get your time back, so go out there and learn as much as possible.
I invested $50,000 in student loans to get degrees, even though I rarely use the skills learned from training as a psychotherapist.
I’ve invested $25,000 in a 3-month coaching program to boost my podcast and keynote speaking business.
Right after that, I invested (notice I’m NOT using the word “spent”) $15,000 into building a better website and marketing plan.
In 2003, I invested $12,000 into a branding company that wanted me to dress in starchy white shirts and orange ties. I looked like a salesman for Big Lots!
At the time, that was the most money I had ever invested into myself and my business, and it kept me awake at night wondering if I had made the right choice or had been “talked into it.”
The guy who sold me the program said, “Tim, how much money are you leaving on the table every month?”
I said, “Conservatively, probably $5k a month.”
He said, “That’s $60k a year, and our program is only $12k. Seems like a no-brainer. Or you can continue to bleed money every month.”
What a powerful statement, “Bleed money.”
That’s precisely what most practitioners in the “people-helping” business do each month.
I’ve lost track of how many $5,000 or less programs I’ve invested in over the last 28 years.
Am I glad I spent all that money?
YES!!
I would not be where I’m at today if I hadn’t.
The money always comes back no matter how much I invest.
More importantly, I’ve collected tremendous wisdom, which I’ll always have and be proud of.
You’ll have opportunities that show up in your life.
I hope you seize them because when you look back on this point in your life, you’ll be happy and relieved that you did!
🙂 Tim Shurr
Certified OBA Hypnotist
PS, If you still need to register for my What’s Working Now “Practice Accelerator” Master Class
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