A year ago I decided to quit a wonderful job to set up the School for Mastery. I had already developed the idea in 2014, so it took me 3 years to dare to make this bold choice. And so I instantly became an entrepreneur, which had never been part of my development goals before. But it made sense. I had built a lot of experience in talent development and I had seen the impact I have had in all those years and how people valued the way I helped them in their development. People also valued me for my refreshing view on personal development. They told me I gave them the feeling that they matter and that I help them grow what makes them unique. And with their uniqueness they can have an impact. It was so rewarding to hear this and I realized that this is what I want to do and what I have to do. I want to make this available for as much people as possible. And the best way in which I can do that is by setting up a business myself that is built on my view on personal development: mastery development.
The name School for Mastery made logical sense because it simply shows that it is about learning mastery and about bringing people together and contributing to each others development. So from day one I started to tell people that I am building a school. And people responded positively and really liked the idea. And I noticed that being independent felt so energetic, I could spend all my time available on the things that truly matter. The first assignments came quickly which gave me the confirmation that I am doing something that is valued. But once those assignments were finished there were only a few new assignments. And they were not sufficient to be a solid basis with which I can support my family and build the school at the same time.
For the first time I started to feel the other part of entrepreneurship: the uncertainty. In the mean time I also received more often the feedback that it is not really clear what I am offering or that people miss one important element in the School for Mastery: me. But why me? It is not about me, but about the people I want to serve. So you can imagine that I started to feel frustrated. Uncertainty and frustration may not seem to be really comfortable. And believe me, they aren’t. But I noticed that they make me feel alive. They make me realize that I am learning every day and that I haven’t been learning so much in the last few years as I am learning now. This is what mastery is all about: learning every day so I can have the unique impact I can have, now and in the future. It is not about reaching an end state of mastery. It is a way of life!
So if I want more people to benefit from this way of learning I need to let people know that the School for Mastery exists. I therefore need to learn all about marketing and do that on a daily basis. And I want to find the right way so that it connects with the School for Mastery and therefore me. I approached several people to help me deal with the questions I had. My main challenge was that I wanted to market something that is part of me. It felt like marketing a chocolate bar while being the bar myself.
One feedback I received was very valuable. My coach told me that my message is that companies can have the biggest impact if they let people be their unique selves in their work. So why wasn’t I doing that myself then? Why wasn’t I accepting that I am the School for Mastery myself? If people want to know what the School for Mastery is all about, they need to know what I am all about. This was exactly what I needed. I was afraid that people may perceive me as being arrogant and that it is all about me, but that has never been the case, so why would it be like that now? But people do need to see me in order to value what I am offering.
So to make it clear to myself and everyone else: I am the School for Mastery! I live mastery myself already my whole life and I connect with people that also live mastery and who contribute to the School for Mastery. And if you may wonder why I am so open in this blog about my learnings: this is what mastery is all about. Learning every day, being open and vulnerable, helping others and dealing with uncertainty and challenges while having an impact that is bigger than yourself. Being successful is only valuable if you accept and deal with the challenges and difficulties on a daily basis.
So if you feel that mastery can help you too then you know where to find me and I’d love to help you develop your mastery too.
What matters to you so much that it is worth to focus and learn every day?
