“I’ve been doing a lot of deep thinking. I’ve realized that I don’t want to run the program anymore. You’re welcome to continue leading it by yourself if you want to, but I will need to step away.”
Hearing these words, a lump formed in Susan’s throat, like cold congealed oatmeal.
She and her business partner, Brooke, had built a program together called The Weight School. It was an online course for women who want to lose weight—and it was extremely successful.
Together, they’d helped hundreds of women shed thousands of pounds. They had legions of happy clients. And they’d made a lot of money.
But now, Brooke was ready for a change and wanted to take her career in a different direction.
While The Weight School wasn’t Susan’s only source of income, it was a significant one. If it disappeared, she and her family would be in a tight spot financially.
Susan was torn. On the one hand, she
wanted her partner to pursue her dreams and thrive, even if that meant exiting the project they’d started together. On the other hand, she worried about what this meant for her own future.
“I’m not sure I can run this program without her. I’m not as well-known as she is. What if I can’t get enough clients to enroll? What if it’s too much work to do on my own? What am I going to do next?”
Susan decided to take a walk to settle the spinning, spiraling feeling in her head.
She walked and walked and walked around her suburban neighborhood, bundled up in the brisk winter air. Inhaling deeply, she felt the invigorating frost tickling her nose. She pumped her legs faster, noticing how good it felt to move. Then, she heard a message. Clear as a bell. Like a phone
call from God.
“You’re not here to help women make their bodies smaller,” the voice said, “You’re here to help women make their lives bigger.”
As this message settled into her bones, Susan felt a salty stinging in her eyes as she began to cry. These words felt like the truest thing she’d heard in a long time.
She realized, “My business partner is craving a change. But if I’m being honest with myself, I am too. I’ve wanted that for a while, but I ignored it.”
Susan asked herself, “If I were to shut down the Weight School tomorrow and never offer this program again, what would I do instead?”
A vision began
to materialize.
A new program.
But this time, instead of focusing on losing weight, it would be focused on gaining.
Gaining more energy. Gaining strength. Gaining new skills, like mindful eating. Gaining stronger boundaries to
protect your time and energy. Gaining more fun and pleasure. Expanding your life rather than shrinking.
“I really couldn’t care less if my client loses 20 pounds or puts on 20 pounds. The weight is not the point," Susan reflected, "The point is how she feels. Is she exhausted or energized? Is she enjoying her life or miserable? If she is living her best life, and prioritizing self-care, the weight will sort itself
out.”
Susan spent a few months developing her new program and launched it into the world.
That program, Bare, went on to generate six figures, then seven figures, then led to a bestselling book and a documentary film and touched thousands of women’s lives.
Eventually,
Susan created a version for girls called Bold. She certified Bold facilitators in her methodology. Facilitators went into high schools to lead workshops for girls on body image, self-esteem, and confidence.
All of this happened because The Weight School unexpectedly came to an end.
In the space where The Weight School used to be,
Susan found her next chapter. One that was even more lucrative and meaningful than what she’d been doing before.
