The Hard Calls

the

Nicole Walters Podcast

The Nicole Walters Podcast

Join me each week for a new episode packed with what you need to know to gain clarity, grow your network, and monetize your life using the proven corporate strategies I’ve mastered in 10 years as a Fortune 500 executive.

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Season 1 Episode 35

 

The Hard Calls

You’ve probably heard someone say, “Progress over Perfection” before and man, is that true! It’s easy to get stuck in not producing in your business because of perfection. BUT it’s not just about progress over perfection, it’s also about making sure that you’re focused on substance over appearance.

In this episode I want to talk to you about leading with substance in your business and life and how not to get stuck comparing yourself to those that appear closer to “perfection” than you are. The truth is they aren’t closer and I’m telling you how they’re falsely giving off that appearance in this episode.

Thanks for spending time with me today friend! Head over to instagram or twitter to share your sustainable wins with me! Talk soon.

00:00 Hey friend, you’re listening to The Nicole Walters Podcast. I’m a former six-figure corporate executive who woke up every morning feeling stuck in the life that I built for myself but using my corporate skills I took to the Internet and built a multi-seven-figure business, showing others how they can build a life they love. Now on this podcast, I share stories of being an entrepreneur, a mom to my three amazing girls and a wife to my crazy, cooky dancing Hubbin. I’ve had a couple of viral videos too. So you know there’s going to be a lot of laughs here. So whether you’ve seen me on my viral vids or on the Today Show or read about me in Forbes, this is the place where we can meet, share stories, share laughs, and share fun. I’m your best friend in your head. So sit back, listen close, and let’s get started.

00:49 Hey friend, so in this particular chat I actually want to talk about something that I know you’ve heard the other side of it many of times. Frankly I actually have been someone who’s talked to you about it before. You’ve probably heard someone say or seen it on a graphic or a post or one of those pictures where the cat is kinda clinging onto a tree and says, just hang on. Right? You’ve probably heard someone say progress over perfection. And you know what? That is very true. It is a thing. It is so easy when you’re someone like me and like you that is committed to your progress, that wants to be your best, that cares about what you’re putting out into the world, that you’ll stall. You’ll wait, you’ll quit instead of actually getting the job done. But it’s not just about progress over perfection, but it’s also making sure that you’re not focused on appearance instead of substance.

01:50 That’s right. Now let me tell you how I learned this and how it standing out to me every single day. I live in Atlanta now and if you don’t know much about Atlanta, it’s a big city, often referred to as the New York of the South, and that means that we’ve got a wide variety of people here and honestly, I love it here. I’m an Atlanta girl through and through. Believe it or not, growing up in DC was an amazing experience, but I’m Southern to the core. I love a good sweet tea. I love to say hello and there’s nothing like being invited to 10 Thanksgivings before you even leave the Home Goods because I chat up with strangers. I fit in the South, but I also want you to know that in Atlanta I’ve seen another side of the city because guess what? They’ve got their ritzy nature, their fancy cars and flashy people, fine jewels and high-end designer clothes and everyone’s trying to fit in.

02:43 It’s almost part of the Atlanta culture that you want to give the appearance that you fit. But what I’ve also found is that in that drive, that desire to appear to fit in well, people are lacking substance and I want us to take that lesson and apply it to ourselves, to our business, to everything that we do. Are we really focused on getting perfection around appearance rather than perfection around our substance? Because guess what? Even if you’re making progress on that appearance, well, you’re not really making progress at all. I like to illustrate with this example. Do you know or have you met or possibly have the coworker or friend who insists on always having the nicest, newest car? Something fancy, something flashy, something that really stands out, but you know and I know and everybody else knows that they can’t afford that car. How are they making it happen with that budget?

03:46 That car has got to be outside of their means and I just want to pause here. I just want to take a moment to say this isn’t a God girl judging moment. We’re just looking at the facts of the matter. We just want to make sure that we are holding things in the right perspective so that when we’re painting our goals and looking forward that we’re painting them in a way that actually makes sense. Now, I want to tell you the truth behind that. A lot of your favorite Instagrammers, a lot of your favorite podcasters, a lot of the people that you watch every single day, that you’re saying to themselves, gosh, they have a life that really seems to reflect abundance, wealth, success, at least on a material level. What if I told you they are renting and leasing that life rather than owning it? What if I told you that that Lexus that they’re driving, well, it has 150,000 miles on it, and if you only knew that your a brand new Honda Civic that’s paid off, that you saved for, that truly is something that you can be proud of because it only has 10,000 miles on it and will go the distance.

04:56 Well, you should be proud of that, that your progress is actually a lot closer to perfection than the person who’s just giving off the appearance of perfection. I say this to you friend to remind you, to lift you, to tell you that if you are a mom who is just making ends meet and you’re working so hard to not just live within your means, but to make sure that you’re providing for your family, that you’re delaying gratification in order to make sure that your future is rich and abundant, and that your legacy lasts a lifetime. Well, I respect you. I respect you so much because you’re focused on something that’s at the core of being a strong business owner. You’re looking at small sustainable wins. It’s a win to have a little something left after that paycheck.

05:50 Heck, I grew up where it was a win if the paycheck was just enough to cover all the bills, there was nothing left, but there was a full tank of gas. Okay? It’s a win to shift away from saying, I just want to have a giant launch, or I just want to sell out, or I just want to be able to post a receipt of a huge number on Instagram. I just wanna show a scrolling screenshot of sales coming in. Listen, it’s not a win because you just managed to get a photo up on Instagram that reflects a curated life. Especially again, if that life is just one that you’re leasing, borrowing, indebted to on credit. Remember that you own your life. It’s still gonna be there long after that car is repossessed, long after you have to return that car because the lease is up, long after the debt collectors start calling in on that invoice.

06:50 Are you building a life and dedicated to making perfect progress towards the life that you want to own, keep and leave behind, or are you fixated on curating a life that just looks good temporarily, a rental? I say all this to let you know that if that thing inside of you is nagging you, where you’re saying to yourself, I just really want more breathing room, I just really want to be able to get by comfortably. I want to create experiences for my children, but also make sure that they’ve got a proper coat on their back and that they’re getting an education they deserve. I just want to cheer you on. Mama, I just want to say I’m in it with you that that’s what it’s actually about. Listen, I love a good designer bag and there’s nothing wrong with some nice shoes, but that’s not what it’s about.

07:40 That’s not who we are at our core, we’re about something more and building our businesses and dedicating ourselves to growing every single day to being strong and standing behind each other and saying that we’re out there talking about real values, not junk values, not values that are about things and bottom lines and things with dollar signs next to it and scrolling screenshots. That’s not what we’re about. We’re about things that are going to last. Again focused on saying, Hey, my business this year brought in more money than it lost. We turned a profit. Sure, we’re not millionaires yet, but guess what? We kept the lights on. We change lives. We made an impact. Let’s get out there and start celebrating that more. A whole lot more than the latest star to hit shade room because they’ve managed to make a whole bunch of money. That’s only one part of it.

08:43 What are you doing with the gifts that you’ve been given? At the end of the day, if there’s anything I can ask of you to join me in, let’s shift away from a society that’s fixated on quantity. I mean, gosh, that’s getting so old, right? It feels like everybody is worried about how much or where it’s from or what’s the label or who’s got what logo and let’s start focusing on the visual elements of real success. I want to see someone posting on Instagram that they’ve made it, that they’ve done charity work, showing their kids in the kitchen, learning how to bottle and package those goods with them. I want to see more of that and less of the designer bags stacked up in a closet while you’re trying on shoes. Sure, it’s a pretty image. But is that really #goals and is that really sustainable? I mean, girl, how many bags can one girl have?

09:41 Right? I mean, how many times have we seen our favorite reality stars celebrated for always wearing “the fashion” and having rows and rows of designer shoes? I mean, you’ve seen it on reality shows, right? With the red bottoms turned out and and the shots in between things showing their massive closet, only to find out a couple months later that they haven’t paid their taxes. I mean, those taxes are right there on the shelves. They just chose to spend that money in a way that bolstered their appearance, but the whole process lacks substance. I say all of this to let you know that if the things stopping you from moving forward today, if the thing nagging on you is saying, gosh, it feels like everybody is on vacation, it feels like everybody is living a flashy life. It feels like everyone has more financial ease than I do. Well, I just want you to take a moment and reflect on your choices.

10:35 What have they had to sacrifice? What peace of mind do they lack because they’ve chosen to spend in ways that are not aligned with your own? Do you have food in your fridge? Do you have gas in your car? Are your kids thriving and moving forward? Are you doing the best you can with what you’ve got? Because if so, I celebrate you. You’re the real Instagram star, and even if your likes and followers don’t reflect it, your future will. I’m so glad we had this time to chat together and I want to let you know that I’m standing with you to make sure that we’re about values that matter.

11:15 I can’t wait to chat with you next week. Bye friend. Thanks so much for listening, friend. If you enjoyed this podcast, head over to NicoleWalters.com. I’d love for us to stay in touch, so make sure you drop your email address so I can send you inspiration, business details and the occasional funny story and because I’m so generous, there might even be a selfie in the mix. Thanks again. Make sure you subscribe and come back soon.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
  • How some of your favorite instagrammers are portraying perfection,
  • How to lead with substance in your business and life, and
  • Why you’re actually further ahead than you think!
Resources and links mentioned in this episode:
More about The Nicole Walters Podcast:

The Nicole Walters Podcast is for the everyday entrepreneur that wants to increase their income but doesn’t know where to start. If that’s you, you’re in the right place!

Nicole Walters is a wife, mom, income strategist, entrepreneur, and the founder of The Monetized Life™. Join Nicole each week for a new episode packed with what you need to know to gain clarity, grow your network and monetize your life using the proven corporate strategies she mastered in 10 years as a Fortune 500 executive.

Whether you’re just starting out and don’t know your next step, or you’re multi-passionate and don’t know the right next step, Nicole is here to break it down for you! Richfriend, let’s add some commas to your bank account!

Listen each week. Do. The. Work, and success WILL come!