An impact journey is a transformational quest. Read more about what an impact journey is here.
From dormant desire to experienced quester, each impact journey winds its way through 5 unique phases. Understanding these stages will help you explore your difference making journey. What stage are you in now?
Dormant desire: “I would, but . . .”
Every single person in this world has a deep desire to contribute. They want to cultivate beauty, enrichment, and betterment in the world around them. We all have the potential to ignite this desire in our hearts. Yet, most never decide to germinate this seed of change within them. They keep dormant a long held ache to make a difference.
They might be too distracted to be aware of this desire. The noise of their lives speaks louder than the call to make a difference. They do what they can, but they consume their attention with the action and drama of their own life.
Many talk without taking action. They push their impact journey to the realm of one day. “Once the kids move out, I will write my book.” They want to begin, but something always comes up to get in the way. They think if only their life were different, they would be able to create the impact they desire.
Some think they can’t make a difference. They identify with their imposter syndrome, a tangle of overthinking, or self distraction. This dormant desire phase can be fraught with questions of worthiness. “Why would anyone listen to me?” and “Who am I to share?” They question their own ability and worth. Their own insecure thinking blocks them from stepping forward.
The Decision: “Ok! I’m in. What’s next?”
A few hear the call and make a decision. In this stage, they become a quester on their impact journey. How exciting! This is a stage of beautiful exploration. They experiment with different approaches.
When the enthusiasm wears off, most don’t know what to do. Their vision isn’t clear yet. Even if they can see a destination, they are unsure of what actions will get them there. Because each quest starts from the realm of the unknown, this initial stage has false starts and more trial and error.
Many times, questers overwhelm themselves. They think they can’t begin until they have the entire journey mapped out. Even if they manage to create a map of their path, the enormity of it overwhelms them. Self doubt creeps back in. They question their ability to make it though as the path becomes tangled and twisted. Each impact journey unfolds in a unexpected way. Those that have a problem with the unknown will struggle to even start.
The doubt and unknown can cause the quester to re-enter this decision stage many times. They buy the instrument that never gets played. They post their first video but never a second. They collect the first chapters of unfinished books. Discouraging themselves from continuing on, they stop. They can’t reach the next phase of their impact journey when distracted by self doubt.
Tentative First Steps: “I think I can.”
This is a phase where questers start to move in their journey. They take tentative first steps. Actions in this first stage are often chunked. They write one chapter in a week and the second after two months.
Bursts of motivation inspire short lived action. Questers work around the crest and fall of inspiration. During their journey, they must stop often to catch their breath. Imposter syndrome, frustration, and self conscious thinking rear up in this phase too. Unless they have transferable skills, questers aren’t very good at the game yet. They too easily judge themselves.
Many fall off their journey here because they see it’s reality. The gap of skills they need to develop discourages them. Negative feedback derails momentum, and silence can be even worse. They feel like they are only shouting into the void. Wins seem few and far between.
Full Strides: “I’ve got this.”
This is a phase where questers hit a stride in their journey. They start to walk the path with more clarity and confidence. While they might still need rest, they can work with consistency. A consistency that creates progress. They build skill, working their way up the learning curve. Self conscious thinking echoes in the quester’s head, but it isn’t as loud. They aren’t as bothered by our insecurities as they continue along.
Experienced Quester: “How can I give back?”
The quester is now a veteran of their own journey. They express themselves with natural confidence and flow. By avoid the pitfalls and blocks, they make progress with ease and clarity. They make a bigger impact with less effort.
Those who reach this stage might find become bored. They might lose their inspiration, the spark that they started with. To work against boredom, they turn their energy toward mentorship. They might desire to inspire and motivate other questers as a guide. A quester who reaches this stage may also start over fresh. Their impact journey transforms into something brand new.
Dead stop : “I am so freaking stuck.”
The quester slams against a wall. Progress seems impossible. They are in their own heads about their project. This is when imposter syndrome and self doubt are the most active. The static of this thinking blocks any possibility of progress.. This phase can happen at any time in the journey.
Vertigo-inducing cliffs cut off the way forward. Everything seems hard. “Why should I even bother?” “Who am I to think we can make a difference anyway?” These thoughts cloud their minds. They can’t see a way forward. The quester might rest, backtrack, or even give up completely when they hit this phase.
Impact Journey Phases
These stages of the impact journey are not sequential. You can move forward and backward depending on your level of thinking in each moment. You might throw up your hands, give up and go back to the dormant desire phase many times. Make “the decision” as many times as you need.
You will improve at any skill you continue to work on. Yet, where you are in these stages has more to do with your mental clarity than any other factor. Your level of seeing helps to move you forward or keeps you stuck.
Summer Stuckness
I was stuck. Tired. Done.
During the summer of 2023, I couldn’t find a way through a block in my impact journey. I had formed my LLC, Rich Life Realization LLC, nine months ago. Yet, the success I envisioned when I first started seemed to come by that I thought.
I did have some early success with finding clients. Emboldened, I geared up to have a full roster of clients and even a waiting list. Despite all the focus and determination, it didn’t happen right away. It wasn’t going at all. I posted daily on social media and created a weekly podcast. I reached out to all my friends on facebook and took dozens of coffee meetings. Nothing. Crickets.
I had quit my job. Investing in a 3 month business development training, I went in with sky high aspirations. My goal was a bustling business. I even created an email for the waitlist that was never needed. Because, when I finished this training, I didn’t gain a single client. Even worse, the two clients I did have finished their programs. Both chose not to renew. I had zero clients, less than I started with. So much for my vision.
Frustrated, I felt like a failure. The constant thoughts in my head haunted me. I questioned my ability, worth, and value. I questioned everyone else’s judgment. Embarrassed, I stopped posting every day. Even though I had several episodes edited and ready to go, I didn’t release them. The momentum that had carried me through the months dried up. I felt exhausted and tred of trying. Who did I think I was? No one wanted to listen to me.
I remember one moment. As I stared into the glow of a computer screen, I took stock of myself and my business . No job. No clients. No engagement. No future. I quit.
For 3 months, I did quit. I didn’t post on social media or on the podcast. Yet there was a part of me that still believed in the mission of helping others realize their rich life. Outside of my business, I had found my rich life. My life brimmed with contentment and peace. I was more connected to my wife than ever. Powerful realizations helped me to understand myself more fully. I still wanted to help others find their understanding and peace.
A quieter voice, hidden under the surface of my doubts and fears, told me to continue. It still wanted to express itself and forge on. I could hear it in those moments when all the self conscious thinking died down.
Soon, I started to think about the podcasts and posts less personally. I wasn’t as focused on my shorcomings. Instead of making it about me, I realized that it had always been about the clarity of my message. I saw the podcast as an opportunity to improve my self expression. Instead of telling myself I wasn’t good enough, I asked, “how can I be more engaging.”
Once I changed my perspective, I was able to re-ignite my impact journey. It was always there, waiting for me. I streamlined my creating ability and clarified my message. I shifted from taking things personally to learning how to become engaging.
Instantly, my videos hit millions of views and I had more clients than I knew what to do with.
Kidding. Rich Life Realization continued to build slowly. I got one client, then two, then three. Because I wasn’t in my own self conscious thinking, I could be more consistent.
Consistency has an underappreciated magic. We improve when we consistently engage with anything. The barrier to your consistency is the self doubt, imposter syndrome, and fear that show up in the different impact journey phases.
We all get stuck. What helped me most was a shift in perspective, a change in my moment to moment thoughts. My new perspective helped me let go of the personalization and the stuck in the mud thinking. I didn’t let them go not through focused willpower, helpful techniques, or conscious manipulation. Instead, it was an understanding that helped me think differently.
The clarity from which I saw my problems rose. The problems and stuckness disappeared naturally. They were only ever a product of my mind at the moment.
What if you could create with your natural freedom and clarity? What if all the mental noise and hang ups that are getting in your way could vanish? They can.
Read the future blog posts. The words in them may spark realization, but only if you see the understanding behind the words.
Also, don’t take my word for it. Give the understandings in the future posts a test drive. See what happens in your life if you give them a little bit of faith. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Are you on an impact journey? Would you like to go on one? Join a community of aspiring thought leaders who are engaging in their impact journey!
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