The Smart Twenties Podcast

If you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed, lost or behind then this episode is for you - especially if you find yourself pushing off tasks that are relatively easy to do or that struggles in your personal life are taking energy away from your business. Tune in to learn 5 practical steps to become someone who can handle a lot (without overwhelm or burnout). Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode439. In This Episode You’ll Learn: 5 steps to truly become someone who can handle a lot How to upgrade your self-image around what you’re capable of handling Why perfectionists are secretly addicted to feeling incapable and behind Why creating evidence you’re capable isn’t enough and what to do instead A recent situation I coached myself through so I could handle a lot   Featured In The Episode: Watch my free training: How To Plan Properly As A Perfectionist With Power Planning Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Ta

In this episode I’m sharing a behind the scenes look at the most recent launch of my program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD).  This episode will help normalise the ups and downs of launching and help you navigate building your business as a perfectionist entrepreneur, regardless of what kind of business you have. I also share all of the numbers (like our sign up numbers, revenue and whether we hit our goal) and real time behind the scenes insights so you can really get a sense of what the launch was like. Plus I share the new way I’m doing debriefs and how to use it to help you find sufficiency in your own business (even if you don’t do launches). Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode438. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Our goal and strategy for the launch of Perfectionists Getting Shit Done My thoughts going into the launch and whether I thought we’d achieve our goal The surprising realisations I had during the launch that are relevant to all perfectioni

It’s incredibly common for perfectionist entrepreneurs to struggle with showing up consistently - especially when it involves putting yourself and your ideas out into the world. To help, I’m sharing a snippet of a PGSD coaching call where I coached PGSDer Rachel on how to easily create consistent content. Every week inside Perfectionists Getting Shit Done there is a group coaching call where you can and watch other PGSDers get in depth coaching on the same planning, productivity and persistence problems that have been making you get in your own way in your business. And you’ll have the opportunity to get coached too! The weekly group coaching calls give you the opportunity to get the support you need to get out of your own way so you don’t stay stuck or fall off the wagon. In this PGSD coaching all Rachel shared “my biggest struggle with Instagram and social media is there’s often zero feedback and it’s harder to get in a growth mindset and practise when you put something out there and hear crickets. I also h

If you’re a perfectionist and you haven’t been hitting their goals, you probably feel like you haven’t made any progress at all. And this likely has you dreading questions from family and friends over the holidays about how your business is going. That’s why in today’s episode I’m sharing some signs of success that commonly go overlooked so you can notice the progress you’re making and stop dreading family gatherings. This isn’t to say that there aren’t things about your business that need to change. But if you don’t notice the ways that you’re succeeding you will actually be less successful due to the time you’ll waste making improvements to things that didn’t need improving. Tune in today to discover some of the signs you’re succeeding besides hitting your goals. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode436. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why failing to achieve your goals doesn’t mean that you aren’t succeeding One of my most important business lessons (it took me two y

In my group coaching program, Perfectionists Getting Shit Done, we do weekly live coaching calls each and every month to help our PGSDers release their perfectionism handbrakes – by getting coached themselves and watching others get coached too. And today I’m sharing a snippet of one of these coaching calls with you! Kristen (@kristencainstyle on Instagram) submitted a request to get coached because she was feeling overwhelmed with all of the options she had for her business. She was able to figure out what to focus on next to build her business, her pricing, how to package her services and more. Thank you Kristen for giving me permission to share this call on the podcast, I appreciate you! Note: This episode was originally posted in July 2021. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode435. In This Episode You’ll Learn: How setting a goal will help you feel less overwhelmed How to figure out what to focus on next when there are so many options Why you shouldn’t charge a

Erin, Naomi and Estelle signed up for PGSD in January 2022. They knew that they needed to get out of their own way in their businesses. And they knew that planning properly as a perfectionist was the first step… Erin is a copywriter who was spending an embarrassing amount (those are her words!) on courses, coaches and marketing advice only to self-sabotage when it came time to pitch herself.  Naomi is a website designer and developer who was creating vague goals and plans (and endless to-do lists) to take her business full-time. Estelle is a fashion designer whose perfectionism handbrake was stopping her from following her launch plan and telling people about her designs. They all made the Three Month Commitment to Power Planning, set their Growth Goals and started planning properly. And what happened next was a little different for each of them… So I invited them on the podcast to talk about what to expect in your first 6 weeks of Power Planning. This episode is going to normalise what often happens when you

In this episode I’m sharing why I’ve always struggled to post consistently on instagram. What I want to share with you in this episode is some of the really specific and practical things I uncovered recently in my own self-coaching about why this is something I’ve struggled with since 2014. We perfectionists like to think if we just have more time or the perfect content calendar or a bigger audience then it’ll be easy to be consistent. But that’s simply not the case and what I share in this episode really illustrates what *really* causes us to get in our own way with social media. I’m also going to share the real reason why it’s so easy for me to be consistent with this podcast and the perfectionism that I’m continuing to work on even though it’s very successful. This episode is also going to give you a permission slip to trust yourself to build your business in the way you *actually* want. And an illustration of why showing up consistently doesn’t mean being perfect. If you’ve been struggling to post consist

If you want to consistently follow through with your plans without having to use willpower or motivation - or end up burning out - you need to learn how to upgrade your self-image. Your self-image is the story you tell yourself about yourself and it’s one of the most powerful forces in human psychology. Upgrading your self-image is what will prevent you from sabotaging your productivity and stopping yourself from achieving your goals. This is why it’s one of the tools that me and my clients use as part of my proven process to be a productive perfectionist. In this episode I’m uncovering the hidden connection between self-image and self-sabotage. I’m also sharing lots of practical, real life examples so you can understand where your self-image is causing you to get in your own way and how to start changing it. I’m also sharing more about why self-image is something that my clients work on in quarter 3 of my 12 month program, Perfectionists Getting Shit Done. And what 2024 will be like if you sign up for the Ja

On our most recent call inside my program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done, I was coaching my clients on how to transition from working in spurts of motivation to consistent, aligned productivity. And I wanted to bring this topic to the podcast so you have a full understanding of the productivity process you need to follow to be able to feel like you’re ‘on a roll’ all week long (and without your life falling apart or needing to have your work eat into evenings and weekends). Tune in to learn the real reason you’re finding it so hard to be productive when there isn’t a deadline to motivate you and discover the proven productivity process you can replace it with that will have you being more productive than ever, more consistently than ever. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode431. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why you find it so hard to be productive without deadlines to motivate you The productivity process you’re unknowingly following and why it doesn’t work Wh

I’ve worked with 1,000+ perfectionist entrepreneurs and something we all have in common is that we procrastinate. We’d rather not do something at all than do it imperfectly. And this is a big problem when it comes to business! More often than not, there’s no external deadline to force us into action so we can end up procrastinating on important projects for months if not years. In this episode I’m sharing advice to help you stop putting off that project you’ve been wanting to start - whether it’s starting a podcast or a Youtube channel or launching a new product or service. Tune in to learn how to finally get yourself moving yourself forward, even if you don’t feel perfectly inspired or motivated to do it. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode430. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why I’ve still been able to succeed even though I’ve put a lot of things off The reason it’s not your fault you’ve been procrastinating + what to do about it How to think about planning coura

There’s one thing that every perfectionist entrepreneur must learn if they want to succeed in business: how to create a growth mindset. This is the secret to being able to get out of your own way and take consistent action to your goals without burning out. And in this episode I’m doing a deep dive into what the growth mindset is, common misconceptions about the growth mindset as well as the practical steps to create a growth mindset. This is the episode on perfectionism and the growth mindset that I wish existed when I was struggling to build my business to six figures and wondering why I felt so scared to put myself out there. If you are finding that overthinking, procrastination, burnout and fear of judgement are making it hard to build your business - this episode is for you. Tune in today. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode429. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why I thought I had a growth mindset when I didn’t Why creating a growth mindset is the secret to becom

In this episode I’m taking you behind the scenes of what a content creation day looks like for me.  First I share an update from my drive into the office, chatting through what I have planned in terms of content creation and how I’m thinking about approaching it so I can get it done without overthinking. And in my update from the drive home, I reveal something unexpected that happened when I started working and the practical things I did to get even more done than I’d originally planned. This episode was recorded towards the end of October and I hope it inspires you to have a productive day of creating content, like it did for me! Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode428. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The key to creating high quality content without overthinking How I created more content in less time than I’d planned How I setup content creation in my Power Planning Something I’d been procrastinating on and how I finally got it done   Featured In The Episode:

In this episode I’m sharing a behind the scenes look at the most recent launch of my program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD). This is the second part in a two part series that will help normalise the ups and downs of launching (regardless of what kind of business you have) and show you how to get out of your own way when you’re selling. In this episode I talk about what painful simplicity is, why it matters and how to create it. I also talk about what our painfully simple launch looked like in practice and what I was able to learn about the business - and myself - because we kept everything painfully simple. I also share something uncomfortable that I learned about myself and how to spot whether you have the same mindset issue that I did. If you feel behind, this is something you’re going to be able to relate to. Plus I share all of the numbers (like our sign up numbers, revenue and whether we hit our goal) and behind the scenes insights so you can get out of your own way. Because releasing your p

In this episode I’m sharing a behind the scenes look at the most recent PGSD launch. This is the first part in a two part series that will help normalise the ups and downs of launching (regardless of what kind of business you have) and show you how to get out of your own way when you’re selling. In this episode I talk about some incredibly important concepts to help you get out of your own way including clean commitment and why optimism can actually derail your goals (even though it’s usually a good thing). Tune in to listen to the update that I recorded before the launch started. I talk through the launch plan and strategy, the self-coaching I’m doing, our goal and more! In This Episode You’ll Learn: What our goal is for the PGSD launch and why The mindset work I’m personally doing to stay committed to the goal What I’m doing differently compared with our last launches How I decided what our launch strategy would be Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode426 Fea

As a perfectionist it’s hard to imagine a world where you’re successful without having put a huge amount of pressure on yourself too. We attribute our drive and accomplishments to the way we urge ourselves to do more and do better. Which begs the question - how do you stop putting pressure on yourself without giving up on your goals? And that’s what I’m answering in this episode. I’m also sharing a personal recording that I never planned to release on this podcast. It was recorded in October 2021 when I was feeling suffocated by the pressure and expectations I was putting on myself. I hope that by me sharing it it reminds you that we all go through ups and downs. And that you’re not failing, you’re feeling. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode425. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why I thought lowering my goals would help me feel less pressure What I struggle with in my business Why it’s worth questioning your conclusion that you should change your goal   Featured

If you’re anything like me, you love personal development and being productive. The downside of this - when it’s coupled with perfectionism - is that if you don’t feel like you’re growing and you notice yourself getting in your own way then it’s easy to feel behind. If you’ve been stuck in a rut or feeling like you should know better than to be struggling then today’s episode is for you. I’m sharing practical advice to help you get back on track as well as a few important ideas to help you stop beating yourself up for not being further along. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode424. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The concept that helps me get out of an emotional rut quickly What to do when you feel completely inadequate Why it’s common for perfectionists to beat themselves up and practical things to help   Featured In The Episode: Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Take the perfectionism quiz: samlaurabrown.

I thought I’d record a ‘day in the life’ episode to share a behind the scenes about what a work day looks like for me. This episode has two parts - I recorded the first while I was driving into work and chatted through the meetings I have scheduled, what I hope to get done, what the structure of my day looks like etc. And then I recorded the second part while I was driving home from work so I could share what actually happened (including a big mistake I made and how I recovered from it). This episode was recorded a couple of weeks before our most recent launch of PGSD. It’s a chatty episode for sure and one that’s going to remind you that we’re all just figuring this out as you go. And I don’t know about you, but most of the time I don’t need more information - I just need a reminder that I’m on the right path and if I keep showing up things will work out. So if you need some of that in your life, definitely tune into this episode ASAP. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/epis

This episode is time sensitive - listen now! I explain what you need to spend 90% of your time on if you want to grow your business (Hint: it's something you've probably been putting off). P.S. PGSD closes on 17 September 2023 at 11:59pm New York Time. The PGSD Process will get you out of your own way in your business and have you making more money more easily.  When you join PGSD you’ll receive… On demand access to the PGSD Process (all 10 modules) Live group coaching calls every week, all year round Access to the PGSD Private Podcast (for call replays and more) Support via the PGSD Forum so all of your questions are answered A community of other perfectionist business owners to help you and cheer you on And The Get Out Of Your Own Way Challenge so you can have additional support to reset and take control of the end of your year SPECIAL BONUS: Aligned Marketing Plan Bundle ($999 Value) If you need help with your marketing strategy or you've been thinking about hiring a business coach, this NE

It’s easy to think about the cost of making the “wrong” decision. We often forget to look at the cost of indecision… the cost of standing still and the cost of not moving forward. In this episode, I’m sharing how to escape indecision fatigue and why we stay in confusion (even though it’s so frustrating). And I give you a practical exercise you can use to create massive amounts of mental clarity today.  It’s time to start creating the life you deserve. Also, I invite you into Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka. PGSD) before the doors close on 17 September 2023 at 11:59pm New York time. Sign up here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd. In case you didn’t know, PGSD is my group coaching program for perfectionists who are building businesses. The PGSD Process will get you out of your own way in your business and have you making more money more easily. You can use the helpful frameworks for decision-making I share in this episode to make a decision if you’ll be joining us inside of PGSD for this cohort. Tune in now! Find t

I’m very excited to announce a special bonus to PGSD! If you’re looking for help on your marketing strategy - maybe you want more clarity around things like your niche, your offer, traffic, pricing…. Or if you simply just want to feel more confident in your marketing plan and be able to move forward with it effectively - then this is going to be SUPER helpful! Renae (my marketing manager) and I have decided to include a special bonus inside PGSD that will help you to get complete clarity on your business plan and the marketing side of things. Renae’s been on my team for 10 months and since 2016 she’s been doing digital marketing for start-ups and established businesses. Renae has helped build 3 million dollar marketing plans & funnels for 3 very different businesses. Renae is a leader and expert in Marketing and has catered to what aligns best for me and what I believe in. Renae see’s my zone of genius and packages that up. So I’d love to have Renae do that for you as well! This is why we’ve decided to pu