Are you lucky or do you make your own luck?
The other day I bumped into a former colleague. In the brief moments we chatted she commented that I was so LUCKY to have left the education system but managed to maintain my lifestyle. After all, so many businesses fail and it’s only the LUCKY ones who survive. “I really thought you would have been back in school by now teaching. I do hope you realise how LUCKY you are”.
I agreed and smiled, because I do feel incredibly lucky – but inside I felt a bit grumpy at these comments too. Here is why…
Luck implies right place, right time and that I made no conscious actions to change the direction of my life. Luck suggests building Another Way Round to what it is today, supporting families, students and schools and providing an income that equally contributes to our family life, is based on a long line of happy coincidences where everything just fell into place and it’s all been rainbows and unicorns. The reality is LUCK has had absolutely NOTHING to do with it. However, everything falling into place, well that IS intentional!
Ever heard of ASK BELIEVE RECEIVE and The power of the universe? I strongly believe that I actively manifested it… all of it!
- In 2015 it wasn’t luck that I fell out of love with being a SENCO and then couldn’t get the job I wanted, despite applying for 5! I didn’t even get interviews. We had just moved house and I needed an income to keep our house. I took action to set up the business. Bare in mind I did have qualifications but only in education. Nothing related to business or marketing!
- In 2017 when local authorities (everywhere!) stopped purchasing dyslexia assessments and only used EPs and at the same time schools had such limited budgets they couldn’t afford to buy me in – my luck could have run out! I needed income so I set up one off paid workshops for parents and teachers and started increasing my private work.
- I definitely didn’t feel lucky in 2018 when I submitted my update report and didn’t pass first time. My certificate to assess university students (30% of my income at this point!) lapsed for 6 months. I had to send students to another assessor during this time. I also had to pay for and work closely with a mentor and resubmit a report twice before I was successful and hit criteria.
- I guess everyone’s luck ran out in 2020 as the world stopped! I couldn’t assess for most of the year and at the time 90% of my income came from assessments. I battled my demons with tech and created online courses for parents and teaching programmes for children. Not at all what I would have chosen to do, but we had a mortgage to pay!
- Now in 2022 the dust is settling again and I am back to being in control again (for a few months anyway!) Establishing a team that can support the running of the business, freeing me up to support and help more people fulfil their potential, knocking down that dyslexic barrier and showing them that anything is possible!
I have not written and shared this because I want kudos or a pat in the back, far from it. Anyone can do what I have done and more actually. I’ve actually written it because I was challenged by my amazing coach Veronica to share something that I fiercely believe in, but makes me feel a bit uncomfortable!
I want you to question, are you living the life you would choose, if not, ask yourself WHY NOT?