This might sound a little provocative and maybe even sexist…
But I’m going to say it anyway! 😈
Because I think it’s important to be honest with you, and tell you about the world of business as I see it, warts ‘n’ all.
You see, over the years, I’ve worked with a wide range of people, guiding them to create courses and online services, either as students, clients or joint venture partners.
And up until the last year, the majority have been men.
Now, these guys were (mostly) great to work with (in fact, some are now dear friends).
So this is not a critique or a comparison of one gender over another…
But I noticed that men generally don’t grapple as much with feelings of inadequacy – the notorious “am I good enough?” question.
In my experience, they have usually been eager to start writing a newsletter, publish a blog, create a course or author an eBook…
EVEN if they weren’t hugely qualified or experienced.
I don’t recall many of them wringing their hands or tying themselves in knots about whether they had a right to be published… or showing much fear of being laughed at, put down or ignored.
They felt they had a right to be heard.
However, in recent years, when I started focusing on helping women create online courses, I was hit with a realisation.
It became evident just how much we sometimes hold ourselves back from stepping into the limelight…
We tend to be far more cautious about publishing our thoughts, experiences and ideas.
All because of a conviction that we must be the leading expert, the top dog, or miles ahead (in terms of skills and experience) of those we are instructing.
Not only that, many women I’ve coached have a greater fear of being patronised, questioned or mocked for sharing what they know.
And they have a lot more self-doubt than men with the SAME (or lesser!) level of skill and experience.
Of course, it’s not only me who has noticed this.
The woman who once ran Facebook believes it too
Sheryl Sandberg is a former Chief Operating Officer of Meta (Facebook) and an acclaimed author.
In her book, Lean In, she openly discusses her past struggles with self-doubt:
“Every time I was called on in class, I was sure that I was about to embarrass myself. Every time I took a test, I was sure that it had gone badly. And every time I didn’t embarrass myself—or even excelled—I believed that I had fooled everyone yet again. One day soon, the jig would be up.”
Sandberg has written and spoken many times about how women are reticent to step into leadership roles.
Partly, this is because of sexist discrimination, both blatant and subtle.
But it’s also down to a psychological limitation where women impose restrictions on their ambitions because they feel they’re not good enough, or that kind of success is “not for them”.
She believes that every woman who steps up is paving the way for others to follow.
You could – and should – be one of them.
“It is time to cheer on girls and women who want to sit at the table, seek challenges, and lean in to their careers”, she says.
And that’s what I want to do in this article.
Why you ARE Good Enough
Look, I know that you may have wrestled with self-doubt. I totally get it, and I battle with that too.
Maybe you are a little fearful too.
After all, who are YOU to create a course if you’re not a top CEO, author, leading expert or celebrity?
But here’s the thing…
The person you are helping doesn’t need a mentor who is so far up the ladder that they’ve disconnected from the challenges they face.
For example…
Say you’re a florist wanting to set up Facebook ads for your local business.
Would you prefer to learn from a fellow business owner who has successfully done this on a modest budget…. or from a flashy Facebook ads agency that runs several mega-sized ad accounts with massive budgets?
When we’re trying to learn something, the most effective guidance often comes from someone who is a few steps ahead rather than miles ahead.
It’s important to remember that your unique trials and triumphs are your unique selling points. That goes for your occasional failures and missteps too.
You are the perfect guide for a person who’s just a few steps behind you, and needs someone who understands exactly what they are going through.
You’ve been there.
You know the struggles.
You’ve got the wounds to show for it.
You are probably exactly the person you wish you could’ve spoken to when you were trying to figure it ask out.
And that’s why you’re more than good enough to create a course.
Of course, I know that the practical stuff that needs to be done can also feel overwhelming.
Writing the content, dealing with tech doing the marketing…
It’s a lot to take in.
But these are all things you can learn quickly just by following what I do.
This is exactly why my Course Creation Academy exists. I am here to help you through each step of the process, ensuring that you can confidently share your experience and knowledge with those who need it.
If you want to be the first to hear when I next open the doors then make sure you are on the waitlist by registering (free) here.
But whatever you do, please don’t let those psychological barriers stop you, and don’t compare yourself to those glossy course creators who seem like such experts.
Most were just like you at one time.
And always bear in mind that for someone out there, you’re the PERFECT guide!
PS: Oh, and btw – whenever you’re ready to take the next step, I’m here for you.
Here are 3 ways we can do this together:
1. Grab your spot on my FREE online course creation masterclass – Click this link to find a time that works for you and find out how to get started on your first successful online course.
2. Not sure what your first-course topic should be? Check out my free training and resources, and I’ll show you (step by step) how to get this done TODAY! Click here now.
3. – And if you are ready to create and launch your first successful online course, then make sure you register here for my Course Creation Academy. You can register (it’s free to register) here.