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Hi Reader,

Welcome to my weekly newsletter, designed to help you Rise on Purpose.

Last week, I shared the launch of my new course, The Summer Reset. More information on that is at the bottom of this email. And you can catch up on all previous articles, here.

And because a few good words can change the direction of your whole day, I wrote a FREE PDF guide: 7 Things to Tell Yourself Every Day. If you'd like to receive it, hit reply and I'll send it straight to your inbox.

Scrap The 5-Year Plan

I hold my hands up, I'm a planner. I love a good plan, ideally colour-coded and tabbed for good measure. And for years, that's how I lived my life and things went largely as I expected.

But then I left my legal career and became an entrepreneur and things really didn't go like I thought they would.

Growing a business is nothing like the linear path of higher education and the professional career I'd known before.

I had no idea how to run a business, how to pitch to a buyer or even what to post on LinkedIn.

But then I realised that nobody rebuilds their life because they finally have it all figured out. They rebuild because they keep moving before they do. Even when it's frustrating, especially when it's uncomfortable.

If you're waiting to feel certain before you take the next step, here's the truth nobody tells you: certainty isn't coming first.

Maybe it's a career change you keep waiting to feel ready for. Maybe it's a business idea sitting in a drawer because the whole roadmap isn't clear. Maybe it's a rebuild, of confidence, of a routine, of a version of yourself, that you think needs a five-year plan before it can begin.

It doesn't.

Rebuilding starts with getting up one more time than you fell. Not with knowing where you'll land (and being ok with that).

This week’s tool: The Smallest Next Step

Most of us stall because we're trying to see the whole path before we take the first step. It's understandable, but clarity rarely works that way. It shows up after you move, not before.

So this week, whatever you've been waiting to feel ready for, ask:

"What's the smallest next step I could take today, without needing the rest figured out?"

Not a fancy 5-year version. Just the next one.

Sometimes it looks like:
→ sending one message instead of mentally rehearsing the whole conversation
→ telling one trusted person your idea instead of perfecting it into oblivion
→ reading one book on how to do the thing you want to do next

Why this works

Waiting for the full plan keeps you safe from being wrong, which is nice in the short term, but it keeps you exactly where you are. Not so helpful. The smallest next step doesn't ask you to trust the whole future. It only asks you to trust today.

Momentum builds this way, gradually, one step before the next one is clear. It's a journey of a thousand tiny steps that keep you moving forward.

Whatever you're rebuilding this week, take the next step. That's enough.

Keep rising,
Lauren

P.S. What's the smallest next step you've been putting off because you don't have the whole plan? Hit reply, I read every response.

The Summer Reset: Starts 5 August

Speaking of taking the next step without needing the whole plan, this is exactly what my new course, The Summer Reset, is built for.

Four live weeks with me this August to face how the year's actually been, put down what isn't yours to carry, get clear on what's next, and walk into September with a plan instead of a fog.

These are the dates:

5 August, 12 August, 19 August and 26 August - all sessions at 3pm BST.

The early bird saving of $75 ends midnight on 31 July, and spaces are limited.

Before you go:
→ I share daily thoughts on resilience and mindset on LinkedIn & Instagram​
→ If you’d like to explore panels, events or partnerships, work with me​

Have questions? Hit reply to this email. I read every response.

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