In this episode, our guest is Suzanne Castle. She is an internationally known speaker, best-selling author, and creative coach who helps people show up brilliantly and joyfully. Today, Suzanne shares her experiences on being stuck and how to keep yourself or your business going in times of crisis. She creates customized strategies for her clients that help them repeat, so that stuck is never the furthest they go.
Sparkles and Glitters
[2:36]
Focusing on joy, imagination, and creativity is how Suzanne gets away with helping people sparkle. She says that those “sparkles” and “glitters” that people get are hard to remove. And that every time you see them, there’s a good memory attached there. There is a reminder that what you’re going through at this moment isn’t all that there is in front of you.
Defining Moments
[4:16]
We don’t know how to show up tomorrow, and we don’t know what to do. Suzanne sees some things that people assume that that one moment is defining everything about them. But she wants to imply that our memories are super short. If you think about any superstar who had a terrible or negative PR, they are easily forgotten or quickly gone beyond that.
Working with Suzanne
[5:04]
Part of the work that Suzanne does helping people recapture a stunning vision that allows them to pursue life and business with successful intentions. If their choices didn’t work, then they are jest left behind. Suzanne will try other creative solutions instead of what you were doing that got you into this moment. That is usually centered on priority-making because, in those moments, they’re in crisis, and everything seems urgent. But for her, everything can’t be urgent all the time. If you have no priorities, you can’t go after your goals. And if you’re not going after your goals, you are not doing anything to make your vision happen.
Staying True to your Values
[8:27]
People and companies are fighting. But it’s all thought in the mind and values. Your values should never change. Your vision, mission, or how you are facing clients might change. But the values that hold you and the organization internally should never change.
Dreams in our Hearts
[9:24]
If you have a dream in your heart, you can achieve anything. Just allow the world to dim our sparkle and rip apart our hearts, so we forget that we do have what we need. And replace that self-defeating story we’re telling so that we can do those great things in the world.
Going to the Root of our Fear
[12:12]
Suzanne finds that most doubts are simply exaggerations that are based on fear. And if we can start there and go from the root of that fear, we can figure out a way to overcome that fear. But until we rise and figure out what those are, we won’t boost our confidence, and we can’t focus on the big picture. Until you begin to dissolve that little nugget, nothing else is going to matter. So start with what’s true and ask yourself if it is logical. Then know if you have information telling you answers to both of those questions.
How Suzanne Stays Motivated
[13:18]
To keep her motivation going, there are two things that Suzanne does. The first one is pattern interruption when you are in a chaotic space as a person or business. All of the information that comes in gets looked at through the lens of fear. Therefore, you will make decisions out of fear when you need to interrupt the pattern so that you can see a way out. These two things have also worked with her clients.
[14:17]
When you’re in that moment and don’t like you can do anything, get physical. Do something recreational like dancing or playing sports. Doing something physical lets you push all of the emotion and adrenaline down into the lower parts of your body. You’re allowing your brain to catch up instead of just being in the reaction phase.
Don’t Multitask
[16:25]
If you are constantly keeping an ongoing to-do list, then things will go problematic. Even though you’re capturing the information, your brain then continues to do a ticker tape on the bottom of your sanity. You will always think about the next thing that that you will never be able to catch up. Our brains are amazing, but they never get a moment to help us be creative and see the possibilities around us. They’re constantly working on the things on your to-do list. So we try to multitask, which makes us more unproductive. We have to understand urgency, priority and design a schedule that allows us to work in those moments. Not everything in front of us is the next thing to do.
Keeping your Team in Check
[18:19]
Listen to your people more than you are because they will tell you where things aren’t connecting correctly, where things are itching a little bit, and where they’re beginning to see things drift a little bit. If you just shut it, they will tell you. Let your team make sure that all of you know why we’re here. It is an interesting way to find out if people understand the common goal is that you’re going for and why they have to be in the room at that moment.
The Problem with Newly-Promoted Leaders
[22:13]
People are ascending the ladder and going to the next level. Now, in most companies, you’re promoted to the next level of an aptitude, meaning you don’t know what you’re doing after you get encouraged. You know what you’re doing before, but now, you got promoted into this next level, and you’re figuring out how to be a leader. And so people get default into that reactive state, and they don’t truly understand what a team is.
How to be a Leader
[22:51]
You’re not a leader if nobody’s following you. The important thing, especially when you’re looking at your org chart, is that when someone is promoted, that’s the time to ask different questions and get a background check on that individual. You can’t just show up at a desk one day and know all the things a leader does.
The Sparkle Factor
[27:17]
The Sparkle Factor for Suzanne is unleashing that “can’t stop my greatness” that’s deep down inside of every company and every person that works at every company.
[28:03]
Suzanne starts every day by asking herself questions. The first one is what she will get done and what she could do at the present day. She then figures out if she has time for other things. That would bring her a sense of meaning and purpose. The second question is the two most important things that she can do to create the most impact. But without those two pieces, nothing else that she is doing is mattering in the world.
Don’t be Stuck
[31:33]
Stuck is not a destination, and yet, we live our life like it is. Stuck is never the furthest you can go. Figure out what you can do at this moment to not be attached. Find someone who will come alongside you and help you design a way out of whatever you’re going through.
Learn more about Suzanne Castle:
Website: https://suzannecastle.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannecastle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzannesparkle/