Feeling stuck and like nothing ever changes no matter how hard you try? In this episode, I dive into a powerful mindset shift that might just be the key to moving forward. It’s not about fixing what’s wrong… there’s something else you can do that will make all the difference. Tune in to find out how to break free from old patterns and start seeing real progress in your life.
This episode is for all of you out there who want something more. For those of you who have been trying really hard, trying to figure out what that "thing" is, but it’s been years since you first started feeling like something needed to change. Something had to be different. And yet, here we are—still, nothing has changed. You’re still not moving towards your goals. It doesn’t seem to matter what you try; you keep failing. You keep falling on your face. You try something, then you leave it, drop it, forget about it. Things seem fine again, and then you remember it once more.
This is for you if you feel like you’re stuck—stuck in wishing and hoping. Even when you try your best, things still aren’t moving forward. This episode is for you because, honestly, I don’t think there’s anything I can say that will magically get you to move towards your goals right now. However, there is a chance that I can introduce you to a completely new universe—a universe where you’re getting things done, and it feels like second nature. It doesn’t even feel like you’re trying hard.
I will explain what I mean. If you feel stuck, this episode is for you.
My name is Ina Coveney. I am a marketing strategist, business coach, and podcaster, and this is the Superhumans Podcast. In this podcast, I interview the top success stories to humanize their success and show you that you don’t need superhuman abilities to become a superhuman. I do it in a way that makes it feel like you’re sitting right there, asking them all the questions you want. These episodes air on Tuesdays.
You’ve stumbled upon a Thursday episode. By the way, I feel like I’m shooting myself in the foot by saying this because maybe one day I’ll change it to Fridays. But right now, it’s Thursdays. The second episode I launch each week is where I get to sit down and help you get to the next level, whether it’s in your business or your life.
Today, I kept thinking about that person who wants to do more but feels really stuck in the "how." They’re stuck in trying to change their circumstances. I remember being that person. I remember being in a corporate job. It wasn’t that I disliked my job—I was good at it, and it was okay—but I had this inkling that there was something more, something else waiting for me on the other side of the wall. But I didn’t know what that was.
It’s like if you had been born in a room with no windows. All you know are the four walls of that room and whatever is inside those four walls. You keep telling yourself, "I know there’s something else outside this room, and I want to know what it is. I want to get there." But no matter how hard you try, nothing inside that room helps you figure out how to get out. All the comforts you have in the room are designed to keep you in there—to keep you comfortable in your discomfort.
You have your little kitchen, your little bed, your little table. Maybe you even have a bit of sunshine coming through the ceiling. But nothing inside helps you figure out what’s on the other side. All you have is your imagination. That was me in my twenties. I knew there was something more, but I had no examples, no one to show me what the outside looked like. All I had was this corporate life. My parents lived it, I studied really hard to get to it, and I worked really hard to stay in it and get promoted. But I knew there was an "outside" to this room.
It wasn’t until a completely random event happened that I got to drill a hole in one of those walls and peek outside. What I saw completely changed my universe. My little box universe was never the same after that moment.
For me, that event was discovering someone who had a podcast. She talked about having her own business. She didn’t work for anyone else. She was using the internet and the power of audiences to sell products she created from her own mind and make money that way. When I discovered that was within the realm of possibility for me, I knew I had to get out of the room. But I still didn’t know how. I had no idea. I bought a couple of her courses, but it still took me an entire year even to try creating something from them. Online marketing was such a foreign concept to me.
That’s just my example—getting to peek at what’s happening outside. I’m curious to know: What is yours? When you say you’re trapped and want to be on the outside, how do you know there’s an outside? Do you have any examples you can follow? Is there anyone showing you that this is possible?
I try my best to show my audience that it’s possible. I tell them, "You can make money selling coaching programs. You can make money selling courses." These are things that come from your head. I was a project manager in corporate, and I spent a lot of time documenting things for others. It’s exactly the same process to create a course—it’s all just documentation.
So, what is keeping you from seeing what’s on the other side? What’s stopping you from carving out a door in your room and walking through it?
I know some people who are very aware of what’s outside, but they don’t want to go through the door. They’re comfortable in their discomfort because they believe that the only way out of the room is to fix whatever is wrong right now. They have an excuse, a perfect excuse in their mind for why they’re not taking the next step. It could be, "I don’t have time," or "I don’t have money," or "My kids take up all of my time," or "My full-time job consumes me." They’re comfortable in their discomfort.
But how many people out there have a full-time job and still carve out an hour to do something else? Maybe they play Candy Crush—is that even a thing anymore?—or they spend time on some silly game or browse social media for hours. Time exists. It’s right there, ready for you to take it. So, what’s the reason you’re choosing not to use that time for something else?
That’s where mindset comes in. Some people dedicate their lives to helping you figure out why you’re not using your time and effort on the things you really want to do. Why aren’t you setting better boundaries at work? I know so many people in this boat. They refuse to set boundaries because they think it will make them look like they’re not a team player. They start sacrificing their health and dreams to serve someone else. But you do have the ability to be more human at work—to take better care of yourself. Drink more water, go for a walk—you have full control over those things. But most of us live in a world where we feel trapped by constraints.
I want to introduce you to the concept of fixing things versus creating a new reality. If I asked you to fix your current situation, that would sound really hard. You’re not going to quit your job tomorrow just because you heard this podcast. Fixing your current situation might sound like waking up earlier, setting better boundaries, or quitting your job—all of which feel super uncomfortable.
But what if you didn’t have to fix anything? What if it wasn’t about trying to fix your current reality, which implies there’s something wrong with it? What if, instead, we decided to create a new reality? To say goodbye to the old one and carve a path that takes you to your ultimate happiness.
Instead of focusing on fixing things, why not start from your dream itself? Ask yourself, "By this time next year, what would I want my life to look like?" Maybe you want to quit your job. Or, if you already have a business, maybe you want to make six figures by next year. Be specific. Is it profit? Take-home pay? Revenue?
Let’s say you want to be making $10,000 a month by this time next year. Where would that money come from? Is it one-on-one support? Consulting? Course creation? Dream with it. Don’t tell me realistic things you don’t even want to do. If you don’t want to do consulting, then don’t. Where would $10,000 a month come from if you were doing exactly what you wanted?
If you want to make money speaking on stage, for example, start now. Conferences fill up fast. Find deadlines, put them on your calendar, and start applying. Just apply. Once you get accepted, then you can worry about the details.
This is all about planning for the next year. Start from the dream, work backward, and ask, "What should I be doing right now?" It’s not about fixing your current situation; it’s about creating a brand-new reality with new goals, new tasks, and more exciting things to do.
You might be comfortable in your discomfort right now, but I want to inject the ability to dream into you. Imagine a new reality one year from now. What does it look like? How much money are you making? What are you doing with that money? Are you going on vacations? Did you redecorate your office? Get a new car? What would happen if you did all the right things to create that new reality?
You have an entire year to make it happen—there’s no rush. It’s just your dreams and the steps to get there. And you’re the one who can make it happen.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Please, if you’re listening to this, send me a DM on Instagram. Tell me what your dream is for next year and what your next step will be. I want to hear it. My goal with these episodes is to move the needle for you
Remember, don’t try to fix your current situation. Imagine a new reality one year from now, and start taking steps to get there. I believe in you. You’ve got this. I can’t wait to see your DMs.
Thank you so much for listening. Make sure to like, follow, and subscribe so you don’t miss another episode of the Superhumans Podcast.
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