What if it DOES work out?
Susie Moore offers a fresh take on following your dreams.
What if you have a plan for a side gig in addition to your day job, and you love your side gig?
But what if you’re worried that the gig will never allow you to support yourself?
But what if it worked out?
This joyful notion, that something you love and are good at, can lead to a more satisfying life is the idea behind life coach Susie Moore’s book, What if it DOES Work Out?
The title of Ms. Moore’s book is the exact opposite of a threat: instead of preparing you for the worst, Susie prepares you for the best.
After a career in sales, Susie started looking at what she really loved to do. She was quite successful in her job, but her work wasn’t fulfilling. That’s when she realized that was she loved helping people by providing coaching and encouragement. And she is good at it! A soul of boundless enthusiasm, Susie is focused on getting people to consider the benefits of making life choices and changes that might seem impossible.
Right up front, Susie deals with the fears that arise when you’re getting ready to make a huge shift in your work life, as well as the inevitable self-doubts. As Susie says in the book, fear can’t be diminished.
“Of course you’re going to be scared! The trick,” says Susie, “is not to say that ‘I will be fearless.’ Fear is natural. But think of fear as sitting next to you in the passenger’s seat while you drive. And you can say to fear, ‘there, there, it’s going to be OK.’”
Another fear that people have about selling their product or service is that it’s somehow sleazy.
“Everyone worries about a conniving salesperson with gelled hair who only wants one thing, and that is to take their money,” says Susie. “But if you have a service or a product that’s useful, then you have a moral obligation to tell people about it. You’re working to make their lives better, not just yours. Think of it this way: If you have something to offer and you don’t do it, then that’s uncool of you. Remember: you’re adding value to the world, not just taking up space.”
Susie also reminds us that fear is good: “People who don’t feel fear in their lives are probably complacent.” And complacency is the death knell of the side hustle.
Another great way not to be sleazy is to give. For example, if you have a good conversation with someone about your product or service, you could give them a book! Since Susie’s a big reader, that’s what she does. It can be an e-book, for example, and doesn’t have to cost very much. Just send along a book that is meaningful to you or that you think the recipient will enjoy. NOTE: Dover is the perfect source for books on anything and everything! You are guaranteed to find the right title, small or large, that will make someone’s day, make you stand out, and only set you back a few dollars.
We also all fear refection. How do you deal with that horrible feeling as you take your idea out into the world?
“Sometimes we take things so personally,” says Susie, “when someone doesn’t take us up on our offer. You take it as a slight against yourself, and it’s really not meant that way. People are busy, they have obligations, they’re thinking about so many things all at once. The word ‘no’ only means ‘not now,’ you know.”
Susie is also a big advocate of small weddings. Small as in you, your intended, and the wedding officiant. “I know people who are still paying off their weddings years later!” says Susie. “Weddings are a kind of temporary insanity. And aren’t you a shining start in your life every day? If you understand that, then you are less apt to fall prey to that kind of splurge.”
The book is warm and generous throughout, offering a range of advice on all kinds of things like to how to save time on routine tasks. What if it DOES Work Out? is the kind of book that will have you underlining and highlighting all the way through. But rather than do that, just buy the book and keep it handy!
