20 seconds of courage

That's all it takes to change your life.

This week inside The Portfolio Career Build Method we kicked off Shoot Your Shot Wednesday where each week, the whole cohort reaches out to at least one person who scares the shit out of them (muahaha). I’ve designed it so that each week the ask gets progressively more uncomfortable for people, with increasing levels of risk and exposure but a bigger potential reward.

This week was our first shot and as we all got ready to press send, I blasted Eye Of The Tiger to get everyone pumped up. There were nerves! There was excitement! One legend shot off 21 emails in an hour! Others felt the fear and did it anyway! I’m pretty sure at least one person’s soul exited their body and may or may not have returned.

The energy in the (virtual) room reminded me of the SYSW challenge I ran earlier this year. Each week from April to June in my subscriber chat, I shared my weekly shot and encouraged others to do the same.

And let me tell you…shots were TAKEN. People reached out to publishers, podcasters, editors, journalists, founders, dream clients, Substack crushes, warm leads and cold wannabe leads. Someone emailed Toyota with a sick idea for a campaign. Another person reached out to the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium in Italy (wish I thought of that). Someone called the owner of an abandoned post office in her town and offered to purchase it, because it’s Wednesday and why the hell not?!

And many of these shots went in…

I’m so proud of every single one of these people and every single person in my cohort. They’ve clocked it that achieving your lifelong dreams doesn’t come from being “strategic” or “coy” or “measured” (no one ever put those 3 words on their gravestone, I can assure you). They hinge on a fleeting moment, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it blip of time.

All it takes is 20 seconds of courage.

Just 20 seconds to turn the worst day into your best one. To get a response. To land a shot. To have a new experience. To access a different world.

Just 20 seconds to land a new client, transform your bank balance, spark a new friendship, visit the home of Parmagiano in Italy or ask the owner of an abandoned post office if you can turn it into your dream.

In a mere moment you can open a door, which leads to another, and then another, until a gravitational force field starts pulling the right people, projects, opportunities and ideas into orbit.

Once you’ve done this enough times you’ll start seeing the world in a fresh light, through a new lens, as the gushing fountain of opportunity that it is. You’ll see yourself in a new way too. As resilient, capable, credible, brave.

That’s all it takes.

Just 20 seconds of courage to change your life.

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A little rant about why it’s SO IMPORTANT to find your community of people who expand and push you:

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🫶🏼 When you’re ready, here are two ways I can help:

• The Portfolio Career Build Method: a 6 week accelerator for smart, ambitious humans who want to build multiple income streams and gain full ownership over their time and life. Doors to Cohort 3 are now open! Enrolments close July 6 (or whenever the cohort is full) and we kick off July 20. Secure your spot here.

• How to future-proof your career in the world of AI: a free 14 day email series teaching you how to diversify your income and risk, and build a portfolio of skills, opportunities and income streams. Sign up here.

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