Time to step out of your comfort zone - #BreakingBarriers

Last Friday was #InternationalWomensDay and I had been invited to speak as an "agent of change" at Microsoft in Munich.

One of my highlights of that day was the fireside chat moderated by Alex Hanke. Begonia, Anje and I talked about #BreakingBarriers in our career. 

During breakfast with the other speakers in the morning, we shared a few vulnerable moments in our lives and talked with real honesty. Whilst preparing for that chat, I reflected on the last couple of weeks and months since I started my own business. I was arguing with myself whether to share this rather personal piece on social media with the world. You know what convinced me and removed that last smidgen of doubt? The title: #Breakingbarriers. Stepping outside my comfort zone of being a powerful, confident and energetic businesswoman and embracing my more vulnerable side. Alright, without further due, here we go.

My top 3 barriers I broke and (and some I am still breaking through)

#1: AGE-GENDER LABELING

First and most obvious answer is definitely being a (very) young female entrepreneur. Wow... Where is this coming from? I am really putting myself into categories here. Usually, I don't like labelling but this is honestly the first thing that came to my mind.

Do you know how I learnt how to break through that specific barrier?

Having others speak about me

I built a strong personal brand. My reputation is always a step ahead of me, and I am happy about that. Instead of having to convince others about myself, my company and the work I do, I let the social media world speak on my behalf. Why would I keep on telling my network how awesome I am?

It's not about me, it's all about how well I am serving others. Am I adding real value to their business or professional career? Can I really make a lasting impact? Do I stick in people's mind because I touched something that wasn't known to them before? Creating a personal brand that radiates credibility and trust, and leveraging my social network brought me to where I am standing now. For me it's no longer word-of-mouth but ‘world-of-mouth’. Social media buffs out these blemishes in the spread of information. The speed and reach of a message like your LinkedIn post or Facebook status update in the digital age surpasses that of the previous year.

"What you radiate is who you attract."

#2 MENTAL BARRIERS

Three words I am sure you all can relate with: Limiting belief statements. What do I mean? "I am too young to be a consultant. I am too old to change my career. I am too female to be….I am too ... to become…. " Fill in the gaps for yourself. Does that sound familiar to you? I am sure your mind can keep on rambling for hours telling you what you can't do. My mind certainly does.

Thanks to NLP (and my two awesome trainers Peter & Ligia), I have learned how to re-wire my brain.

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” George Bernard Shaw

Yes, I am young. Yes, I am a woman in tech. Yes, I might have a balls to the walls attitude. And yes, I am proud of that, accepting myself for who I am and stepping into my light.

No more hiding behind these belief statements. Come on, be honest with yourself. Those are just excuses for not going for what you actually want in life. What are you afraid of? At the very least, you can give it a try. I am challenging you: are you ready to break at least one belief statement that has been holding you back for the last couple of years?

#3: EXPRESSING MY OPINION

Becoming a thought leader means you need to position yourself. Most of us want to be seen as an expert in our industry. However, Only a few succeed. Why? Well, you need to have an opinion. A well-researched, clearly argued opinion - but equally important an open mind. Developing your own thoughts and standing requires effort and not just following what the crowd says. I am a Social Selling Expert, which means I know a lot about a very tiny niche. It also means, I know very little about a lot of other things. I am comfortable having an opinion in my field but this doesn't mean I am ignorant towards others. It wasn’t always like that. Especially in the beginning, I remember as I was gaining more exposure on social media, I would worry about what others thought of me. I was afraid of polarizing by having a clear point of view. I would read hate comments first and ignore all the uplifting messages from my followers and supporters. I am happy to report this is changing ??

Not sharing the same opinion doesn't mean you can't learn from each other. But you have to make an active step towards the other person and you can only do this when you genuinely listen to them . No judging. No interrupting. Just listening to understand instead of listening to react.  

Come on, be honest to yourself. I am being fully transparent with you here.

What are your answers to questions below. Comment below:

• What do you call a barrier but is actually just a little step outside your comfort zone?
• When is the name barrier justified?
• What do you need to break your barrier?
• How can you set yourself up for success?
• How do you build and nurture your growth mindset? 

#BalanceForBetter - my offer is still standing. I am looking for two mentees who want to be coached to become a female thought leader online and are ready to step into the spotlight. My personal mission for 2019 is to empower other women to brand themselves online as industry expert and gain visibility.

Interested in reading more of my articles?

1. Personal Branding - why men shine and women struggle
2. Social Media Marketing Trends for 2019
3. How to build your Social Selling Routine?