This year will mark 7 years of writing Wise Wednesdays and taking a career leap from medicine into coaching. It’s been 7 years of constant learning (like CPD on steroids) and a lot of experimenting – with me as the guinea pig!
One of the things my clients tell me they appreciate about our work is that I coach based on real-life experience. I’m not coaching from theory or selling you some ideal lifestyle for that matter. I try to offer a safe space to experiment and discover who you are, what you want and your unique way of creating it.
Here are 7 experiments I’ve run on myself recently that might inspire you:
Experiment #1: Reducing decision making load
If it works for Steve Jobs, Barack Obama and Buddhist monastics why not stick to a single, simple look? I’ve recently stopped dying my hair, chopped off most of my hair and taken to black turtlenecks and jeans…Result: As a solo responsible for all my household and business decisions, this has lightened the load. Recommendation: High (unless your appearance is an expression of your creative gift to the world).
Experiment #2: Exercising according to the seasons
Ever felt guilty for dropping your exercise routine? Well, I dropped my HIIT this Winter and feel pretty good. The body tries to conserve energy in cold and it’s been exceptionally cold. No need to create extra stress through intense exercise. Result: not much weight change, some muscle tone loss, higher mood and energy! Recommendation: medium-high (listen to what your own body needs).
Experiment #3: Capping my business revenue
Grow, grow, grow. 10X your business, etc. The mantras of conventional entrepreneurship were starting to tire me out especially as the reality of business is that revenue goes up and down. Having achieved revenue that matched then exceeded what I would be earning as a doctor through coaching, I’ve realised that I don’t need to keep pushing for revenue growth. I’m playing with revenue goals based on my needs and capacities rather than the endless growth and profit. Result: less tired, more flow and wonderful clients (probably because of the deeper sense of connection and presence in the relationship). Recommendation: Medium – it’s best to understand the rules (of business) before you break them!
Experiment #4: Embracing sunk costs (aka radical letting go)
Ever stayed too long in a relationship or job that didn’t work for you because you had invested so much? That’s the sunk cost fallacy aka the fear of letting go. The past year, I’ve embraced business sunk costs and let go of (expensive) business coaching programmes if they didn’t align with my values however much money I ‘lost’ by letting go. Result: more confidence, creativity and new business opportunities. Recommendation: High - I also recommend the Surrender Experiment book by Michael Singer.
Experiment #5: Creating a Sanctuary (rather than a peak performance programme)
The world feels like an increasingly uncertain place for many reasons. While many coaches are still offering performance style coaching which is very useful, I followed a hunch to create something that was more of an oasis combining relaxation and power cultivation. In ancient times, leaders in the East would go into seclusion to remote locations to regroup and gain perspective on difficult situations. But what if the Sanctuary was part of daily life? I wasn’t sure whether the idea would work as it was neither a spiritual retreat nor a corporate programme but something in between. Result: It sold out in a month by invitation only, bringing together an incredible group of women. Recommendation: High - trust your creative hunches.
Experiment #6: Designing the ultimate staycation
The Mediterranean calls to me each summer…But I haven’t got on a plane for 3 years for various reasons and I wondered if I could recreate the Mediterranean experience in London (laugh). The odds were low but a series of discoveries and coincidences like my local community lido surrounded by pine trees combined with exceptionally hot weather helped. Result: a greater sense of connection to my local community and a nice tan. Recommendation: High (staycations help the environment and cultivate a sense of belonging).
Experiment #7 (research stage): Not working for money…
Is there an aspect of your work that others value and that you love doing so much that you would do it for free? That’s your zone of genius. I love offering transformational coaching so much that I would do it for free. But the market system requires that we work for money. Are there other ways of working and sustaining yourself? Apparently. I’m committed to exploring this and implementing what I discover in my business. Result: Excitement at the possibilities. Recommendation: TBD!
“Don’t work for pay. And make sure that you have all the resources you need to do your work.” – Marshall Rosenberg
Please, feel free to comment, ask questions or share cool experiments that you’ve run.
Otherwise, I hope that sharing these helps to give yourself permission to reflect on, celebrate and share your own experiments.
Remember that if you try something and it doesn’t work, it’s not a mistake. It’s a revelation – the scientific revelation of your next step.
Have a great week,
Amina
