We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amanda Mckinney. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amanda below.
Amanda, so glad you were able to set aside some time for us today. We’ve always admired not just your journey and success, but also the seemingly high levels of self-discipline that you seem to have mastered and so maybe we can start by chatting about how you developed it or where it comes from?
My self-discipline comes from a strong understanding of WHY I want to accomplish a specific goal. This seems simple but it’s actually an easy thing to miss. We’re taught to set goals and then go after them but if we don’t pause long enough to understand why that specific goal matters to us, it’s more likely that you’ll stop when things get tough…which they will.
Self-discipline doesn’t mean that you always cross everything off your to-do list but rather, it’s that you take ownership of the actions you’ve taken or not taken in relation to a goal you’re trying to achieve. Perfection is impossible but progress is possible and self-discipline helps you make consistent progress.
While it’s easy to think that self-discipline is something that some people naturally have others don’t, that’s not true. Self-discipline is a learned trait and everyone can tap into this and has when something really mattered to them. If you think back to a time when you had to do something difficult in order to support yourself or someone you love, that’s tapping into self-discipline even when things got hard for you.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m Amanda McKinney and my passion is supporting women who are ready to finally make a bold move in their life. Maybe it’s to write the book, start the business, start the podcast, or grow their business, these are pivot points in life and we often need support on that path. It’s my mission to support others who are navigating change so that they can stay focused and continue to make progress and feel proud of the life they’re building.
While there are many coaches to choose from, the difference of working with me is that you’ll have a kind, yet firm accountability coach by your side each step of the way to ensure you continue to make progress. One of my gifts in this life is to encourage others and it’s such an honor for me to do this for my clients so I can cheer for them the loudest when they share their wins but equally so, I’m there 100% on the tough days when it feels like nothing is working.
When you work with me, you’re never alone. No more doubt. No more analysis-paralysis. You receive 100% support.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The 3 most impactful skills/qualities/lessons that I’ve had in my entrepreneurial journey are:
(1) Done is better than perfect. It’s too easy to get caught in the cycle of trying to perfect something before releasing it into the world. But the reality is that nothing will ever be perfect so get it done, release it, and then adjust as needed.
(2) Find your people/support. If you’re building a business to achieve time and financial freedom, chances are you’re getting started alone. But that doesn’t mean you have to do entrepreneurship alone. Find your people. Connect with other entrepreneurs and form a peer group, join a live program or find a coach. Just don’t try and do it all alone, it will take you so much longer and cause much more stress for you if you do.
(3) Obsess over learning about your target audience. People often rush to create products and services based on what’s “in” at the moment but that never works in the long run. But if you can obsess over always learning more (and never making assumptions!) about your target audience, you’ll make smarter business decisions.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Whenever we’re working towards a specific goal there will be moments where it feels impossible and overwhelming. In those moments what’s helped me is to have a plan to follow. My simple plan is this:
(1) Acknowledge that I’m feeling overwhelmed and pause whatever it is that I’m trying to do.
(2) Ask myself what the outcome is that I’m trying to get to (ex: refresh my website, gain 3 new clients)
(3) Remind myself of why that goal is important
(4) Break down my to-do list to ensure it’s small steps and that the actions on the list are actually helping me achieve the progress I’m after. If something isn’t necessary or helping progress, removing that from the list is important.
(5) Taking it one step at a time.
*Bonus: If I’m very overwhelmed and can’t think clearly, I will reach out to a friend, coach or my spouse to talk things through with so that I’m not navigating it alone.
However, with all this being said it’s important to know what helps you when you’re overwhelmed. Plans help me feel safe and secure so going back to a step-by-step plan is helpful. If that’s not a helpful tool for you, identify what helps you specifically. It’s really important to remember that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for this but you can use inspiration from others to find what works for you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amandamckinney.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theamandamckinney
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theamanda-mckinney/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAmandaMcKinney
- Other: Podcast: The Unapologetic Entrepreneur (https://amandamckinney.com/podcast/)
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
