If you have been joining me in my audio recordings and free tele-seminars, you would have noticed this sentence.

Pressures are tools that help you grow. Pressures around you signify that you are ready for the next phase of development. It did not happen to you before – you were not ready. It does not happen to others – they are not ready. It happens to you – because it is ripe and appropriate for you now.

Oct 2007, I was told that our entire department will be closed off due to a change in business strategy. All 30 in the department will need to be redeployed or out-placed. That was the third time I have the same experience in my corporate life. Sounds familiar?

I knew there was a plan for me in this.  Something tells me that chaos preceeds growth and development.

There were moments of uncertainty and concerns – I had commitments and mortgages to pay and a lifestyle to maintain. But something tells me this is the time to come out and do what I want to do instead of hitting another rat-race.

I turned my backs to the corporate world and went full time into my professional coach training and business.

I had the fears, the uncertainties and the worries. But I also knew that this is something I love and want to try and explore. I doubted my ability and lack of experience, and I went ahead and confronted my fear, my worries, my doubts.  I also hired myself a trusted personal business coach to help me navigate the unchartered waters.

I had not done business sales (although I was an evangelist and was in pre sales in a former employment), I had not done marketing, neither have I built any business on my own. So this was a brand new experience for me.

I went from doing cold calls to scheduling appointments, making presentations and negotiations to closing. I signed up for sales workshops and went through training and drills and I read books after books. I asked for advice from anyone and everyone. I followed instructions and used every piece of proven tip.

From a shy, introvert and conservative person, I evolved into someone quite good at sales. I am even amazed at what I have done given the circumstances. I out performed the target I set for myself, I out performed limitations set on me.  I did speeches, conducted workshops and seminars.  I developed programs and produced informational products.

Has it been easy?
No, not at all.
There was no blood, but certainly lots of sweat and tears.

Have I grown?
Sure have.  So much.

Today, people ask me what my secrets are. They invite me to join them in their negotiation calls.

I honestly do not know what my secrets are. Perhaps one day I will sit down, analyse it and pen these down and make a course out of it. What I do know is this: whenever pressure or obstacles are in your way – it only means that you are ready for the challenge and that you are moving in the right direction.

Today I am working from home and I am able to maintain the same life style as when I was in corporate world.

Would I be where I am today had pressures not appeared?
No way. I would have stayed in my comfort zone.

Think of it this way, if you are not in motion, there will be no obstacles. There will be no distractions – because you are not in motion. There is no growth, no life, no momentum.

The minute you have a goal and are moving towards it, that's when distractions and obstacles will appear out of no where.

So, feeling the heat and the pressure?
They are a sign that you are ready that you are in motion, growing, developing, moving onto the next phase.

Do not shun them
Embrace them.
Welcome them
Triumph over them.

You CAN, because you will not be tempted beyond what you are able to bear.

But make no mistake, it will so stretch you.  You will feel the tension.  But embrace it, face it and make use of it.

After you crossed the line of transformation, you become a newer, stronger, bigger, better you. Perturbation has just transformed you into a work of art.

So fear not.
Shun not your pressures.
Learn instead to manage them and you will live a successful, fulfilling life.

Feel free to share your story with me, I love to hear from you. And if you want to learn how to handle your daily pressure, check this out.

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