Yesterday I got off a call with a potential coaching client.
This has been something that has been so fulfilling for me in the past year — helping people uncover the unique stories that will launch their brands or businesses.
It’s been so successful that I even packaged it up into an online course, for those interested in the process, but not ready for a bigger financial investment like one-on-one coaching.
But the one-on-one work is so much deeper and allows us to build a stronger foundation for that person’s business.
And yesterday’s call was with someone who is taking a very similar path that I have taken, so I was particularly excited to work with her. We seemed to be very aligned and I have a great feeling about our working relationship.
But that’s not what excited me most.
When I asked her where she got my name and information from, she told me that she had reached out to her network via email asking if anyone knew a good business coach that could help her narrow her focus in her business and do more of the work she loved, while still making the kind of money she wanted to make.
For a week, she heard no response.
But then, one of the email recipients finally replied, “Ya know, I’m sorry it took me a while to get back to you but it just dawned on me. I think Rain Bennett could be someone that could help you — I saw that he’s been coaching other video creators and business owners recently.”
Now, of course I love that my reputation is growing. But what was so interesting to me was the person who referred the client to me.
He was a mutual friend of ours, but I would actually only consider him an acquaintance. We’d met before and chatted about our respective filmmaking work, and we also share a lot of friends in the tight-knit community of Triangle-based filmmakers.
But other than that, we didn’t know each other that well. Since we’d met several years ago, I’ve watched his career grow and his work get better from afar. Each year it seemed like he was working on a new, cooler project. And I was envious.
Meanwhile, all I could see about my own work was the projects that had been abandoned, or were stuck on a shelf, or that didn’t live up to their potential.
This person, and his work, indirectly triggered my imposter syndrome.
I’ve talked about this feeling before in the Right as Rain column, and even though I navigate that insecurity much better now, it still affects me at times.
So when I’d see the cool projects he was working on and how he just seemed to be in a constant flow state, zeroed in on his art and unaware of anyone else around him, I wanted what he had.
When I found out that he had actually been watching me the whole time as well, I realized I did.
This is a problem so many business owners, entrepreneurs, and creators face. We think just because we aren’t constantly being celebrated that we aren’t being seen. But the fact is, if we’re out there working, people are watching.
Even when they don’t say anything.
So if you feel the same way about the work that you do, just remember that people are watching. Stay in your lane, stay focused on getting better, honor and respect those peers and colleagues, and when the time is right, the right people will reach out.
(featured image by Angela Hollowell)
Rain Bennett is a two-time Emmy-nominated filmmaker, writer, and competitive storyteller with over a decade of experience producing documentary films that focus on health and wellness. His mission is simple: to make the world happier and healthier by sharing stories of change.
You can read the rest of “Right as Rain” here, and check back every Wednesday on Chapelboro for a new column!
