Podcast Summary: "Slay The Gatekeeper"
Episode: Q & A: ADHD Hacks, Non-Negotiables, and My Hot Career Takes
Release Date: November 26, 2024
Host: Courtney Johnson
Introduction
In this engaging Q&A episode of Slay The Gatekeeper, host Courtney Johnson delves into a variety of topics submitted by her audience, ranging from overcoming mental blocks and managing ADHD to navigating career changes and enhancing personal branding. Filmed from a cozy hotel in New York City amidst cold and rainy weather, Courtney sets a relatable and intimate tone for the discussion.
Overcoming Cringe Mountain: Conquering the Fear of Being Seen
Timestamp: [01:11]
Courtney addresses the common struggle of hesitating to publish content despite having a solid strategy. She attributes this barrier to deep-seated mental, emotional, and trauma-related blocks often rooted in childhood experiences where being seen was deemed unsafe.
"Your body and your brain are telling you posting, putting yourself out there, being seen is unsafe." ([01:11])
To overcome these barriers, Courtney recommends somatic experiencing and various healing modalities such as hypnosis, EFT tapping, EMDR therapy, journaling, meditation, and especially breathwork. She highlights a specific method called deep imagining by TBM, which combines hypnosis and meditation to help individuals overcome their fear of visibility.
Dealing with Abusive Exes on Professional Networks
Timestamp: [03:42]
A listener asks about the challenges of being active on LinkedIn when an abusive ex is part of one's network. Courtney strongly advises taking control by blocking the ex to prevent them from influencing one's professional trajectory.
"By not putting yourself out there, you are letting them control your life." ([03:42])
She shares her personal experience of overcoming sexual harassment by a boss and emphasizes the importance of not allowing past abuse to dictate future opportunities.
Understanding Brand Deals vs. User-Generated Content (UGC)
Timestamp: [04:13]
Courtney clarifies the difference between brand deals and UGC. While UGC involves creating content that brands use on their own platforms, brand deals typically involve posting sponsored content directly on the creator's own social media pages.
"When I say brand deals, it's more I am working with the brand and posting the content on my page." ([04:15])
She explains that UGC can be a lucrative avenue even for creators with minimal followers, while brand deals often require the creator to leverage their personal brand for mutual promotion.
Productivity Hacks for ADHD: Establishing Non-Negotiables
Timestamp: [05:00]
As an individual with ADHD, Courtney shares her strategy of implementing daily non-negotiables—small, manageable tasks that must be completed every day regardless of circumstances. These tasks are intentionally minimal to build positive habits without overwhelming oneself.
"The point is to have extremely easy to do... you should be able to finish the bare minimum of your entire list in five minutes." ([06:00])
Examples include meditating for one minute instead of thirty or doing a few pushups instead of an hour-long gym session. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of coworking sessions where accountability to others ensures productivity.
Choosing Between Career Paths: Nurse Injector vs. Senior Group Home
Timestamp: [07:00]
When faced with the dilemma of choosing between becoming a nurse injector or working in a senior group home, Courtney injects humor before advising based on financial incentives.
"You probably will get paid more as a nurse injector." ([07:00])
She suggests evaluating both personal interests and potential earnings to make an informed decision.
Boosting Motivation Through Environment
Timestamp: [08:00]
Courtney discusses how motivation is heavily influenced by one's environment. Surrounding oneself with individuals who are slightly ahead in their respective fields can create a motivating atmosphere through positive peer influence.
"Surround yourself with people who are like two, three, four steps ahead of you." ([09:00])
She cautions against seeking motivators that are too far ahead, which might be intimidating, and advocates for gradual immersion into environments that foster growth.
Efficient Job Searching and Building a Personal Brand
Timestamp: [10:00]
Addressing the frustration of job hunting, Courtney suggests leveraging AI tools to automate the search process and emphasizes the importance of building a robust personal brand. By adding numerous recruiters on LinkedIn and consistently posting content, professionals can attract opportunities rather than chasing them.
"Personal brand is one of the best cheat codes because you don't have to apply for jobs and you don't have to cold outreach and go find clients. They come to you." ([11:00])
Transitioning Careers While Managing Exhaustion
Timestamp: [10:47]
For listeners feeling drained by their current jobs but seeking a career change, Courtney recommends securing a "bridge job." These are part-time roles that offer financial support and flexibility, allowing individuals to gradually transition without the pressure of immediate financial strain.
"Your career is not linear and a lot of times a bridge job can just kind of help you breathe a little bit and refocus." ([10:47])
Managing Client Workload Through Pricing and Delegation
Timestamp: [12:00]
When overwhelmed by too many clients, Courtney advises raising service prices. She shares a story highlighting that doubling prices can help maintain income while reducing workload, thereby ensuring quality service.
"Increase your prices." ([12:00])
Additionally, she discusses overcoming the fear of delegating by starting small with tasks like hiring through TaskRabbit or using platforms like Upwork. Building confidence in delegation is essential for business growth.
Organizing Creative Ideas: Impulse vs. Structure
Timestamp: [14:13]
Courtney challenges the notion that organized systems are necessary for content creation, advocating instead for impulsive action. She observes that the best content creators act on ideas instantly, rather than getting bogged down by excessive planning.
"The best content creators I know are impulsive with their ideas." ([14:44])
For those who prefer structure, she recommends Justin Welsh's Content OS system but warns against over-organizing before consistently posting content.
Starting Freelancing Without Experience
Timestamp: [16:03]
For listeners eager to freelance but lacking experience, Courtney emphasizes the importance of first acquiring a marketable skill. She points to Dan Ko’s resources as valuable tools for beginners looking to transition into freelancing.
"You have to go find a skill before you freelance." ([16:04])
Consistency Strategies on Social Media
Timestamp: [17:16]
To maintain consistency on social media, Courtney offers two primary strategies:
-
Repurposing Content: Utilizing tools like Opus Clip to transform long-form content (e.g., podcasts, webinars) into multiple short, social-media-friendly posts.
"Opus Clip is going to give you 30 to 50 pieces of content." ([17:00])
-
Embracing Imperfection: Allowing oneself to post imperfect content to overcome the paralysis of perfectionism, thereby improving through regular practice.
"Surrender to the fact they're kind of going to suck." ([17:16])
She also suggests using visual trackers, like a sheet of 100 circles, to mark each post and maintain motivation.
Overcoming Writing Anxiety and Procrastination
Timestamp: [18:29]
Courtney addresses anxiety associated with writing, particularly for academic purposes like law school papers. She recommends breaking the task into smaller, adjacent activities (e.g., researching or formatting) to alleviate the pressure of starting from scratch. Additionally, she mentions using platforms like Flown for neurologically proven coworking sessions and employing humor through music to lighten the mood.
"The whole world, like nothing matters." ([19:22])
Securing Remote Work While Moving Abroad
Timestamp: [19:22]
When discussing the pursuit of remote jobs to facilitate moving to the EU, Courtney provides unconventional advice: relocating without informing one’s employer. She suggests maintaining a consistent virtual presence while physically residing in Europe, although she acknowledges the potential legal and professional risks involved.
"Just get the same consistent virtual background, not tell anybody you're moving and then move to wherever the fuck you want to move to in Europe, but don't tell anyone." ([19:22])
AI-Proof Jobs and Staying Competitive
Timestamp: [20:24]
Responding to a query about AI-proof jobs, Courtney asserts that no jobs are completely immune to AI advancements. Instead, she advises individuals to embrace AI tools to enhance their competitiveness in the job market.
"You're not going to lose your job to AI. You're going to lose your job to the person who knows how to use AI." ([20:26])
Increasing Income Without Job Changes
Timestamp: [20:40]
To boost income without switching jobs, Courtney recommends developing a side hustle aligned with one's existing skills. This approach leverages current expertise to attract additional freelance opportunities and integrates seamlessly with one's primary career.
"Add a side hustle that has something to do with the current skill you're doing at your job." ([20:43])
Overcoming Self-Doubt and Comparisons
Timestamp: [21:00]
Addressing the issue of constant comparisons leading to self-doubt, Courtney suggests subconscious reprogramming to heal from ingrained behaviors likely stemming from parental comparisons during childhood.
"You need to do subconscious reprogramming work to unfuck that part of yourself." ([21:00])
Coping with Job Layoffs: A Silver Lining
Timestamp: [21:32]
In the face of repeated job layoffs, Courtney offers a perspective shift by encouraging listeners to view layoffs as opportunities for growth and new beginnings. She shares her belief that many who experience layoffs later recognize them as pivotal turning points.
"Every single person I have ever talked to that has been laid off has all said consistently that it's the best thing that has ever happened to them." ([21:37])
Final Tips: Taking Imperfect Action and Delegating Creative Work
Timestamp: [22:00]
In her closing answers, Courtney emphasizes the importance of taking imperfect actions to spark progress and the challenges of delegating creative tasks. She advises prioritizing the delegation of non-creative tasks first, allowing creators to focus on their strengths.
"Give yourself permission to take imperfect or even bad action."
"Delegate everything else and delegate creative work last." ([22:00])
Conclusion
Courtney Johnson's candid and practical advice in this episode of Slay The Gatekeeper provides valuable insights into overcoming personal and professional obstacles. From managing ADHD and building a personal brand to navigating career changes and embracing imperfection in content creation, listeners are equipped with actionable strategies to enhance their self-growth and professional journeys.
For more exclusive content and resources, Courtney invites listeners to join her Patreon community.
Notable Quotes:
- "Your body and your brain are telling you posting, putting yourself out there, being seen is unsafe." ([01:11])
- "By not putting yourself out there, you are letting them control your life." ([03:42])
- "The best content creators I know are impulsive with their ideas." ([14:44])
- "You're not going to lose your job to AI. You're going to lose your job to the person who knows how to use AI." ([20:26])
- "Every single person I have ever talked to that has been laid off has all said consistently that it's the best thing that has ever happened to them." ([21:37])
Resources Mentioned:
- Deep Imagining by TBM (2B Magnetic)
- Justin Welsh's Content OS System
- Dan Ko’s YouTube Channel
- Opus Clip Tool
- Flown (flown.com)
- Time Etc.
- Productivity Planner by Danny Donovan
Stay tuned for more episodes of Slay The Gatekeeper where Courtney Johnson continues to provide insightful and un-gatekept strategies for personal and professional growth.