This topic is top of mind for me for a couple of reasons.
The first reason is that I recently renewed my membership in the business mastermind I’m in for another year. This mastermind is a significant investment—when I joined last year, it was more than all of the career investments I had made to date combined!
And… it’s been 100% worth it. Hence, the renewal. When stuff works, I double down.
The second reason is that I’ve been speaking with many women recently about career progression and my group program. 95% of women I speak with want to join when they learn the details and the results it’s produced for so many other women, but there are two reasons they don’t: Time and Money.
Today, I’m going to tackle these two topics, since they are the two most common excuses preventing us from doing all kinds of things. They are almost always the two that stop us from investing in ourselves. So, let’s dive in.
Money
As women, we shy away from the money conversation, and this hurts us. I recently spoke with Financial Feminist Tori Dunlap (bestselling author and top podcast host) about this topic. I’m more convinced than ever that we need to have more conversations around money. If you want to check out the Forbes article I wrote on our chat, you can find it here.
I believe the relationship women have with money also impacts our willingness to invest in our careers.
A big reason for this is our conditioning as women. From the time we are little, we are taught to nurture and put others first. This isn’t bad, but the result is that we often put ourselves LAST. And that is not good. If you’ve been considering investing in yourself and have been holding back, I have a question for you:
I’m guessing you would. Hmmm…
The reason I see is that you’re just not used to investing in yourself!
Now, I want to point out that entrepreneurs invest in themselves all the time, even women entrepreneurs. But if you’re working in a corporate job, chances are you’ve never invested in your own development! You’ve relied on your company to send you on leadership training or provide you with mentorship.
That’s a mistake…
Your manager may or may not be providing the development you need to get to that next level. To take it a step further, your manager or company’s goals may not even be aligned with yours! If your manager isn’t convinced you belong in senior leadership, are they actively searching for ways to help get you there? Unlikely, friend.
The fact is that investing in the right thing will not just help you reach your goals, it will also make you more money – something that many entrepreneurs inherently understand, and the ones who don’t are stuck playing small… but many of the women in middle management I speak with have not seen the light.
Bottom line: if you want something in your career, do not rely on your company to make it happen for you. Sure, ask them to pay for it (why the heck not?), but don’t let their answer hold you back from getting in the driver’s seat of your career.
Trust a girl who spent 8.5 years at the same company trying to get to the next level and never making it happen.
Time
The second most common reason is time – “it’s not a good time” or “things are really busy.” And hey, I get it! I run a busy, growing business. I have 3 kids (all in various activities), 2 dogs (one is a puppy) and I like to train for and run ultramarathons in my ‘spare time’. It’s…. busy.
But I’m going to be straight with you – if you want something, you’ll make time for it. Ouch.
I experienced this myself not too long ago and want to share it with you:
If you had asked me in early September if I had any extra time for anything I would have said a big ‘hell no’. But life happened…
First, we got that puppy.
Next, my 4-year-old started kindergarten and soccer.
Then, my 11-year-old started playing hockey three times a week.
Finally, my 14-year-old needed to be at the children’s hospital for a series of multi-hour appointments every week for a month.
Now, which one of these was I supposed to say no to? All of them? The middle guy, since sitting in a cold rink really isn’t my jam?
Of course not. I made the time. I re-jigged things. I read business books at the rink and answered emails in the waiting room. I made it work because all of these things are highly important to me.
So let me ask you, how important is your career to you? How much do you care about getting to the next level? Because, friend, I learned a little secret over the years:
There is never a ‘good’ time. If you’re waiting for it, you’ll be waiting forever.
Going back to our careers, I can say that after observing leaders and entrepreneurs over the last two decades, the thing that sets the successful ones apart is not IQ or talent; it’s having a bias for action.
Bottom line: you have to decide whether you really want something and stop using timing as an excuse. If you want it, do it. If not, don’t. Spare time is unlikely to magically appear in your schedule.
Also something to consider: programs like mine often end up giving you MORE time in the end, because you learn how to better manage your time and schedule, and create the boundaries you need. Food for thought.
Time to decide what’s important to you
The truth about life is that no one is coming to save you – it’s up to you and you alone to create the future you want. And the beautiful thing about life is exactly the same thing… we’re empowered to create the life of our dreams.
So, take some time to get intentional about what you’re doing with your time and money. What are your goals? What are your dealbreakers? What are your top priorities? These can all help guide your decisions.
And for those of you who are feeling inspired to invest even a bit of your time to level up, my new, free masterclass is one of the best hours you can invest. In exchange for 60 minutes of your time, I’m sharing the blueprint to VP, helping you figure out where to focus, and giving you actionable takeaways you can implement immediately to see a result.
Oh, and I created a brand-new free guide for strategic thinking that I’m giving anyone who shows up live.
Not a bad ROI for $0.
I’m going to stay on the call for as long as it takes to answer ALL of your questions, and if you love what I teach, you’ll also learn how to work with me on a more intimate level so we can help you crush your goals.
I’m doing this masterclass at 4 separate times so you can find one that works for you to come live. If you’re looking to be a VP in the next three years or you’re a new VP who’s struggling, show up. If you’re not, no need. But don’t tell me you don’t have time…
I won’t believe you 😉
Until next time friends… ✌️💜
Katy
PS. If you’re fired up about investing in yourself and don’t want to wait for the masterclass to learn more about how I can help you get there, book a free strategy call with my team here.
PPS. I’ve created a brand new free masterclass: Your Blueprint to VP – 3 Success Factors and I am SO EXCITED to share it with you! There will be four (4) live masterclasses in January and then it’s gone, so be sure to find a time that works for you and sign up!
