What I Wish I Knew Sooner

I believe that when you know who you are and what makes you tick, what your desires are, what inspires you, and what you're good at, you can create a life you're excited about, day in and day out.

I was recently featured on the platform Girls Talk London, talking about ‘What I wished I knew sooner’ Here is the full interview:

Q. If you could tell your younger self one thing about your career, what would it be?

Follow your heart and intuition from the beginning. Don't listen to the 'shoulds' or what society, your parents or friends say you 'should' be doing. Take time to get clear on what you are passionate about, especially if you have yet to learn what that is, which is often the case earlier in your career. Do things that you enjoy that give you energy. Keep a journal or notes of what you love doing. These can be big or small things, i.e., social activities, do you like doing things in nature or fitness? What hobbies do you have? What work-related activities do you enjoy vs not? If you follow your heart, you'll be amazed at what opportunities, people, and situations will present themselves.

Q. What's the biggest lesson you've learned, and how?

My biggest lesson is to believe in yourself; you can do anything you put your mind to! I've moved countries and continents and changed careers, and people have questioned my moves, and there were times when fear set in, but I had a vision and a belief that I could do it. And most importantly, a desire to do it. That's the essential part. Get clear on what your burning desire is and go after it.

Q. If you could go to the start of your career, what would you do differently?

I would have spent more time connecting with myself and getting to know ME. I was always on the go and chasing the next thing, often leading to burnout and overwhelm. Therefore, I would have given myself permission to be and get clear on my passions, have more fun and live in the present moment.

I would have started a side hustle and been an entrepreneur while at Uni. I always had ideas but somehow programmed my beliefs back then that I 'wasn't ready' and that I wanted to wait until I accumulated the right skills and figured out my 'purpose'. Looking back, I would have been intentional about having more fun and establishing a business around something I was passionate about, i.e. travel.

I'm pretty happy with the career path I set out on; I've travelled the world, had a fantastic career in tech and met incredible people that have shaped me, including the good and bad experiences. You learn from your failures more than your successes, so it's OK if you fail and fall flat. Pick yourself up again, learn and move on.

Q. What's a piece of golden advice you wish you knew sooner?

Get to know yourself. Have fun and do what you love. Time is precious, so spend time with people you really love.

So over to you now, looking back on your life so far and your experiences - what do you wish you knew sooner? I would love to hear! Drop me an email. susanna@thewhoamicoach.com