QUITTING

If you’ve ever gone skydiving, you know that throwing yourself out of a plane isn’t actually difficult — it’s deciding to do it that’s really fucking terrifying. Quitting is a lot like that. When you hit a massive decision milestone in your business, chances are, you’ll need to quit something to make space for that next big thing. But if your business is in a good-enough place, deciding to quit takes nerves of steel, a fearless self inventory, and a whoooooooole lotta trust.

Nobody knows all of that better than my guest this week, Lindsay Vastola. She walked away from a successful corporate career because she knew she was meant to help women — but her ideas on how she would help them were constantly evolving. As the founder of Body Project, she expanded her offering from one-on-one coaching, to bootcamps, and eventually to a studio space with a thriving community. Business was booming, clients were happy, and it all seemed like a natural progression.

And then… she quit.

“For so long, I kept looking for everybody else to validate what I was thinking even though I knew inside that it wasn’t right. In my business, every time I look externally for big answers, that’s when I get off track. It’s a thought process where, if I get approval, then I must be making the right decision.”

She might be in the business of fitness, but Lindsay is all about emotional intelligence. That’s why she couldn’t tune out the little voice in the back of her mind that told her, right when she opened the doors to her studio, “This is not forever.” Was it a scary thought? Hell yes. But she knew she had to listen, people-pleasing instincts be damned.

In this episode, Lindsay shares:

• How people pleasing leads to decision paralysis
• Giving yourself permission to stop doing things — even if you’re good at them
• The pitfalls of both positive and negative “what ifs”
• Why listening to your self-talk should be the first step towards business reinvention

Well, the first step after you listen to this episode, of course. So tune in, and consider this podcast your formal invitation to join the Professional Quitters Association. (I’m not just the president — I’m also a member!)