Episode 144. The Audacity to Believe and Sparkle: The First Step to Becoming a Successful Content Creator

This episode outlines the mindset shifts you need to start becoming known for your unique thought leadership and building a body of work in order to become a successful content creator and grow your coaching business.

In This Episode:

My story of continuing to show up online despite experiencing judgment, unkind comments and harassment
What happened after I quit law school in 2018
Thought leaders don’t wait
The difference between good thought leaders and exceptional thought leaders
The Thought Leader Club

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Mindset shifts to become a successful content creator and grow your coaching business

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Earlier this month, on October 4, I celebrated my 5-year anniversary since quitting law school. 5 years.

On one hand, it feels like, “Oh wow, it’s only 5 years? That’s not that long ago.” But on the other hand, so much has happened in just 5 years alone.

Multiple career changes and life transitions. Starting and then quitting a PhD. Starting a business and growing it to my now full-time career. Getting married. Navigating a whole pandemic. Traveling. And the list goes on.

5 years later, today, everything has changed.

But this isn’t an episode about how great my life is right now or me talking about the challenges I went through to get here. Rather, I want to have a conversation with you about the audacity to believe and sparkle.

My story of continuing to show up online despite experiencing judgment, unkind comments and harassment

To set the stage for this conversation, I want to start with a bit of my story:

Five years ago, my decision to quit was a topic of gossip among my old law school classmates.
Five years ago, my parents were absolutely furious and very, very disappointed in my decision to quit law school. My relationship with my dad especially was at an all time low
Five years ago, I didn’t know what the hell to do with my career or life after quitting law school, so I did whatever jobs I could get. I applied to over 20 research assistant jobs and ultimately got 2 interviews and in the end, one job offer. On top of that full time role, I also tried out different gigs like teaching English at a local school and worked as an assistant to a local executive coach.

In 2018, I started creating content online but literally got a hate comment on the very first YouTube video I ever posted. And since starting my online coaching business in 2019, I silently dealt with harassment/cyberbullying from a past acquaintance.

Perhaps I will share more about this at a future time, but in a nutshell, for the first 2 years of my business, I struggled with showing up online because I was always fearful of this particular person and I feared for my own privacy and safety.

But, for those who followed me over the years, you’d have seen me show up nonetheless.

In 2022, when I shared my story on the local news (you can read the article here), there were countless not-so-nice comments in the Facebook comments, many of which made baseless assumptions about me, my parents, my background, etc.

I’m also sure that throughout the years, there were silent judgments from strangers online who came across my story.

Honestly, to this day, there are still times when I want to shrivel up in a ball when I see that my old classmates viewed my Instagram stories because I’m freaking out about what they think of the current version of me and what I’m doing.

So why do I still continue to show up online and talk about quitting law school, even though literally years have passed and there are clearly people who disagree with my point of view, question my career decision, or make completely false assumptions or judgments about me?

Why do I continue to be visible on the Internet, even though I had my own lived experience of harassment/cyberbullying for a few years? Why do I still keep doing what I do when I still, to this day, struggle with fear of judgment every now and then?

I can certainly tell you that it’s not because I’m seeking attention. Especially because I’m subjecting myself to judgment and unkind comments on the internet from people who may not necessarily relate to my point of view. NOT. FUN.

So why do I still keep showing up and sharing my story and perspectives?

My answer is simple:

I believe that all of us are searching far and wide for the belief that what we really want to do in this life, is possible.
We all have an idea of who our “future self” is. A version of us who is sparkling.
But… We also want the audacity to believe in our dreams in the first place and the courage to actually do something about it

For myself, because I’ve already taken the step forward and paved my own path, I was able to change the trajectory of my life. I think it goes without saying that I want to help others change their lives as well.

Also, others have taken the step before I did. They showed me how they paved their own path. Because of others, I was able to build my own belief and hence take action. Everything I’ve built thus far was only possible for me because others were willing to share their stories, experiences, and perspectives openly and transparently.

What happened after I quit law school in 2018

Back in 2018, when I quit law school, I was really confused, lost and unsure of myself. Unsure of my decision to quit law school. Unsure of what to do next.

And interestingly, around that same time, I came across an Instagram post on my discovery feed. In particular, it was the caption of that post that really spoke to me, and prompted me to learn more about who the heck the person who wrote this post was, what her story and journey was.

Her name is Vanessa Lau, and at the time, she recently quit her corporate job to start her own business. And over the years, she has built her business to multiple 7 figures and is currently on a sabbatical at the time of recording this episode.

I decided to scroll back on her Instagram and I want to read to you the caption of the post that came to me at the right place, at the right time.

I came across that post during a time when I really needed it. Here’s the caption:

Ask yourself: What do you want to do when you’re 30? Who do you actually want to be? Where do you want to live? What type of lifestyle do you desire?…… And is what you are doing TODAY working towards that vision?

The moment I realized my answer was NO……Was the exact moment I knew my life needed to change and that I needed to take massive action NOW to make it happen….. This meant leaving my job…. This meant moving back home….. This meant putting my huge ego aside…. This meant starting from 0 and educating myself everyday on topics I know NOTHING about…. and this also meant being completely vulnerable (like right now) and being willing to completely and absolutely fail.

Because by 30 I want to proudly say that I’m my own boss….and that I have helped & inspired a handful of people to take the leap and find the courage that ALREADY exists within themselves to LEVEL UP their life through my work and through my actions….. Most importantly, before I [die emoji], I want to know that in this lifetime I tested, I experimented, and that I lived my life following my intuition and relentlessly pursuing my passions while authentically being myself every step of the way.

This caption, for some reason, had a really profound impact on me.

It was exactly what I needed to see at that particular juncture of my life, and because, by chance, I came across this post during that time, I was able to find a bit more hope and courage when I didn’t really have much of either, let alone belief in myself.

Long story short: I found so much comfort, hope, and help simply from a stranger’s story. It was at that moment when I realized that our own story, our own lived experiences, our own perspectives on the world, they too can help others.

Because Vanessa, who was a complete stranger to me at that time, was willing to have the audacity to believe in herself and literally sparkle, I too started to believe in myself, and slowly but surely, I too started to sparkle in my own way.

This is why I believe so much in the concept of thought leadership. Because as thought leaders, we have a responsibility to show our people what is possible. Our story, our thoughts, our ideas, all of that together can help others build their own belief.

I sincerely hope that you can see that you too hold something that not only is helpful to you, but it also helps others. You too have your own unique set of thought leadership that helps people.

There are people out there who will be able to change their lives because of you showing up and sharing your story, ideas, and perspectives. Your thought leadership will play a small role in helping them hold the belief for themselves. Your thought leadership will help them see what they may not be able to see right now.

Your thought leadership will be the impetus for them to take action towards their goals and dreams. Because you had the audacity to believe and sparkle, others can now also have the audacity to believe and sparkle.

Thought leaders don’t wait

But here’s the thing, for many, even if they know that they can help others, they still choose not to show up and share their thought leadership because they are scared of what people will think or say about them. And that’s completely valid and understandable.

Because sometimes, when you look around at your immediate circles in real life, it feels like they won’t support your dreams and goals.

Maybe your colleagues at work were talking smack about an influencer they follow and think he’s “too much.” Maybe your friends were judging another mutual friend who recently started their YouTube channel and think she shouldn’t be sharing her channel so often on Instagram. Maybe your partner was criticizing an online entrepreneur that popped up on their LinkedIn feed.

Because of these voices around you, you’re questioning whether you even want what you really want.

That dream to be a speaker? Podcaster? Author? Workshop facilitator? Entrepreneur? Coach? Thought leader? Yeah, you’re questioning whether that’s even what you want.

Right now, you feel like you need more signs that where you’re currently at isn’t where you want to be. So you keep waiting. Waiting for the people around you to change their minds about people chasing their dreams and making waves in their space. Waiting for the validation that what you want to build is important and valid. Waiting for the evidence that you’re ready to change and, for lack of a better word, to shake things up.

But here’s the thing: Thought leaders don’t wait.

They don’t wait for people around them to “get it” before they start sharing their story and perspectives. Thought leaders don’t wait to start leading by example and are willing to go first. Thought leaders don’t wait to start doing things and saying things that others are afraid to do or say. Thought leaders don’t wait before they start building their body of work.

Thought leaders become thought leaders because they made the decision to stop waiting and start making their 1-3 year dreams happen, right now.

That said, I also understand why right now, even the thought of being a thought leader feels super lofty, far-fetched, and almost impossible.

First, I want to offer something: If you still have dreams of becoming known for something and building your thought leadership over the next 1-3 years, let’s get on a discovery call and unpack what’s keeping you stuck right now.

Is it because you’re looking for reassurance that you can build thought leadership? Is it because you feel like your existing set of experience and credentials aren’t enough? Or maybe you’re looking for evidence that your ideas are important, valid, and relevant for sharing?

Whatever might be coming up for you, I invite you to book a discovery call with me. I don’t want you to keep waiting. I want to help you figure it out, right now. I will help you sort out all of the thoughts that are keeping you where you are, decide on what you truly want for yourself in the next 1-3 years, and map out a clear solution to move forward from here.

My intention is to help you see your current situation and 1-3 year goals from a fresh new light and with renewed energy. And what you decide to do with these new insights and whether you want coaching to support you in the journey ahead, totally up to you.

You can schedule a discovery call by first filling out a short application form on the sales page for The Thought Leader Club, which is: www.cheryltheory.com/program. After you submit the form, you’ll get a link to book a discovery call.

Second, when it comes to thoughts such as:

I don’t believe I’m a thought leader.
I don’t believe I’m qualified to be called a thought leader.
I’m worried about others judging me for considering myself a thought leader.
I feel like I need more practical experience, training, education, credentials, or accolades in order to be considered a thought leader.

If these are thoughts that you’re familiar with or have grappled with yourself, then here’s a scenario I invite you to consider two options:

Option 1: Focusing on whether or not you’re a thought leader (and trying to convince yourself that you are).

Option 2: Focusing on building a strong body of work, becoming known for your story and opinions, communicating your ideas in a structured yet compelling way, and continuing to hone your craft and skill sets. And keep in mind, as you’re focused on building your body of work, “being a thought leader” is a natural byproduct of those efforts.

If both option 1 and 2 require an equal amount of cognitive effort as well as intentional action-taking, which option will you choose?

I’ll let you decide.

The difference between good thought leaders and exceptional thought leaders

Now, I want to redirect our focus back to the topic of sharing your story.

What I’ve found over the past few years is that your story is what makes the difference between good results versus exceptional results in your brand, business, or career.

When thought leaders rely primarily or only on their knowledge, credentials, or skill sets because they want to let their work “speak for itself”, they miss out on the bigger picture.

What happens here is that they neglect to think of other people. Instead, they’re focused on themselves and what people think of them. They’re focused on trying to prove themselves by flexing their list of achievements. Every action they do is centered around curating a certain image of themselves to impress people.

Yes, your knowledge, credentials, years of experience, skill sets, portfolio, etc, all play a monumental role in your brand and business. 100%.

But what separates good thought leaders from exceptional thought leaders is their ability to become known for their story. Let’s be honest, we don’t share our story because we want to garner more likes and followers. For most of us, we’re resistant AF to sharing our personal experiences. If anything, sharing our professional selves and accomplishments is much easier.

That’s exactly why exceptional thought leaders are willing to hone their skill of becoming known for their story.

Exceptional thought leaders share their story not for themselves, but for their people

Exceptional thought leaders lead by example and are willing to go first, for their people

Exceptional thought leaders do things that others are afraid to do, for their people

Exceptional thought leaders are willing to hone and sharpen certain skills, for their people

Exceptional thought leaders don’t omit certain parts of themselves out of fear of “not looking legit enough”, for their people

Just like good thought leaders, exceptional thought leaders also have the relevant skills, knowledge, experience, fervor for their craft, and so on.

But exceptional thought leaders go above and beyond. They master the ability to tell your story with sincerity and conviction. They master the ability to tell your story in a structured and compelling way. They master the ability to build community through their story.

When you’re anchored deep into your people, your industry, and the collective at large, all of your 1-3 year dreams are naturally going to be a byproduct.

Maybe one of your 3-year dreams is to create speaking opportunities. Or maybe your dream is to create a group coaching program that attracts best-fit clients from all over the world. Or maybe you want to have a popular podcast where you bring on super cool guests who are genuinely honored to be on your show. Or maybe you want to build community and host in-person events.

Whatever your dreams are for the long term, the common thread that underlies all of your big, audacious dreams is that you can actually start laying down the foundation for each of them, step by step, RIGHT NOW.

You can do so exactly by starting to build a body of work that lets you become known for your unique thought leadership, story, and how amazing you are at what you do. This is precisely what we will do inside The Thought Leader Club.

The Thought Leader Club

In the first month of the upcoming cohort of The Thought Leader Club, we are going to work on the following:

Make a decision on what matters to you and what you want to be known for. To do this, we will help you learn to create content from your own brain and heart.

Focus on the depth and caliber of your content, rather than whether people will lose interest if it’s too long. To do this, we will help you define what depth and caliber looks like for your unique voice, and also create an evaluation system to know whether your content meets your own standard of depth and caliber.

Make a decision on what matters to you when it comes to your content, and what qualities of content you want to be known for. To do this, we will help you define what value looks like for your unique voice, and also create an evaluation system to know whether your content meets your own standard of value.

Learn to develop your own unique voice. To do this, we will help you to develop an acute understanding of what YOUR unique voice is, and also create an evaluation system to know whether you’re speaking in your own voice or from someone else’s.

This is what we will make happen in just the first month of The Thought Leader Club. In just one month:

Every piece of content you write not only feels 100% authentic and true to your voice, but you also get comments from your audience saying they’re inspired by your story and perspective.
People might initially get ‘hooked’ on that sexy podcast episode title, but they actually stick around and listen to the full episode and other ones because they love the ‘substance’ of your work.
You feel proud of your body of work and you’re excited to repurpose your content into new formats or platforms so more people can see it. You don’t feel cringe about sharing your new podcast episode or hitting ‘post’ on Instagram.
You no longer spend hours trying to take notes on other people’s podcast episodes or copying-and-pasting their captions into a Google Doc because you’re confident in the value you’re creating.
You’re setting the standard for what ‘value’ looks like. If anything, now others are looking to you for inspiration.
People know a piece of content was written by you because your voice shines through and your people now recognize what YOUR voice is.

All that to say, in just one month, we’re going to stretch your creativity and push you out of your comfort zone. It’s packed and it’s going to feel like art school and a boot camp mashed into one.

You’re going to be challenged to get real honest about who you are, what your voice is, and what you want to be known for in the next 1-3 years. Again, a lot can happen in just one month.

Your next step is to schedule a discovery call with me for us to have a conversation about:

1) What are your dreams in the next 1-3 years

2) The coaching, skills, and actions you need to make these dreams happen

3) How The Thought Leader Club will support and guide you with all the above.

That is all for us for today. Thank you so much for listening to this episode.

Remember, because you had the audacity to believe and sparkle, others can now also have the audacity to believe and sparkle.

Until next time, let’s continue to build our body of work and become known for our thought leadership, show up for what matters to us, proudly share our story with others, and ultimately, please keep staying committed to your 1-3 year dreams and goals.

Sounds good? Awesome. Let’s get to work.