And they have been breathtaking.

We’ve gone deep with them, they’ve created personal transformation and huge accomplishments with what they’re doing with their mission in the world. And it has been really awe-inspiring to behold.

I asked them to share their biggest lesson from working together, as we open enrollment for the 2nd round of Fearless Mastery … and here’s what they shared:

1. Joy can be found in the midst of fear: “I discovered fear was preventing me from finding joy in my life right now. I was afraid to enjoy today’s life.  Discovering joy in my life today brings me sustainable energy to achieve these bigger goals.” — Erik Schneider, creator of Cubicle Monks.
2. Surround yourself with people committed to the work: “Who you surround yourself with matters because it defines what’s normal for you.  When you’re around people who are committed to doing the work and embracing uncertainty, it feels a lot safer to do things that scare you.” — Aili Kuutan, creator of PureLightPodcast.com
3. See possibility & be willing to be supported: “Become clear on the possibility of the next phase of your life, cultivate a willingness to be supported and then make a series of bold asks with conviction and a tender heart.” — Suraj Shah, coach, Live With Loss
4. Broaden your comfort zone beyond what you believe is possible: “The edges of my comfort zone have broadened.  My ideas of possibility, for myself and for the world, have expanded in a way that I don’t believe would have been possible on my own.  I have come to understand, on a much deeper level, that it is possible to step into new ways of being and create profound shifts in how I experience life.” — Amanda Goddard
5. Transformation takes consistent work: “Long-lasting transformation comes with the deep and consistent work that we do in Fearless Mastery.  The retreat was the pivotal point where the concepts and practices finally sunk in.  I now know what it means to answer the question, ‘How do you want to show up for your work.’  I use my practices daily and continue to receive the great gifts of these positive changes.” — Leslie Lynch, the Caregiver Coach
6. Create by moving out of limiting behaviors: “I had no idea what to really expect of this program. I only knew that deep inside me, there was a voice telling me to do it and join. The mastermind showed me that there is a way out of limiting behaviors to build what we always dreamed of! This program and the incredible people helped me create the foundation to conquer bigger, more meaningful challenges in my life going forward!” — Christoph Weisbrod, founder of Roots Connect outdoor nature adventures
7. Recognize patterns in our responses, & let go: “The biggest lesson I learned in Fearless Mastery was to increase my ability to recognize my patterns of response to situations, look for their root cause, and let go of those that no longer serve me, in order to develop deeper relationships with others and experience life to the fullest. Along the way, I was able to accomplish a major life change that I had been unable to complete in the 3 years prior to joining the program, and establish significant relationships with others in a group where I am acknowledged, understood, and challenged. The biggest gift I have received through the Fearless Mastery program is that I found myself.” — Ann Byard, optometry business owner
8. Our walls are imaginary: “We build our own imaginary walls. Co-inspiration is super powerful. And my new favorite piece of perennial wisdom: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” — Ville Salmensuu, creator of a project to buy an island in central Helsinki, for a center for mindfulness and wellbeing
9. “I didn’t really know what I was getting into when I joined Fearless Mastery. I just knew that COVID had dramatically disrupted my business and my life, and I needed support for whatever came next. I found a dynamic group of peers who were all committed to doing great things – whatever that meant for them. And Leo led us through a process of clarifying our ambitions, and creating a container where we could begin to realize them. Along the way I learned how to identify and defuse patterns that had held me back for years.
10. Speak your voice clearly in service of your mission: “In the Fearless Masters program, my personal mission became crystal-clear: to join the fight against climate change with my full voice and all my experience with accelerating innovation for corporate R & D teams. I learned that I didn’t have to earn or tiptoe my way into this space — I could use my voice to claim this space and hold it, speaking clearly, honestly and directly to my audience.  The tangible result: the Accelerate Net Zero podcast to build a library of stories and examples of how we can accelerate solutions to climate change: — Katherine Radeka, creator of Accelerate Net Zero
11. Embody freedom: “I joined Fearless Mastery to plant the seeds that will grow a forest of change. I learned how to create powerful shifts in the world and prioritize the essential work of caring for my whole being. I dove deeper into the stories that hold me back and began to unhook them one by one. I embodied, for a moment, what it feels like to be completely free.” — Brittany Kamai, PhD, Astrophysicist
12. Feel alive by getting in touch with your gifts: “I have become more aware of my inner gifts and feel so alive with great joy whenever, wherever and with whomever I share these gifts. Call me a Warrior. Call me Fearless. Call me queenD.” — Diane Tuscher-Ancede, creator of joy and an upcoming musical
13. Pause & check into your heart: “My 2 big lessons during these 6 months were that I can always start something, even if its for 5 mins and then I have to stop again, that’s fine. I have let go of the fear of losing my flow to be able to do something for a sustained period of hours. Previously I would procrastinate on so many things because I would either think I don’t have enough time to do something or I can’t stop something because I will lose my flow. The other is that, even if I feel I know what is the right/logical thing to do or respond, I still wait and stop, try to go into my heart and give myself time to see if there are new possibilities open for me, if there is a belief system that I can question if, there is an old pattern of behaviour that I can recognize and let go of.” — Davor Tomic, film creator
14. We can surprise ourselves when we let go of our protection mechanisms: I’ve been training people in letting go of the things we do to protect ourselves (procrastination, complaining, hiding, etc.) and I’m constantly shocked by how much is possible once we start to let go of that. The leaders in this mastermind never stopped amazing me.

My life is full, which is a wonderful thing — I have lots of people in my life who care about me, want to spend time with me, want to work with me. Amazing!

And yet, it’s become clear to me that in order to show up fully for everyone I’m serving … I need to also have space to replenish. To fill up my tank.

So I set out to create that space.

Here’s how it looks for me at the moment:

• I’m taking Decembers and Junes off, mostly: I had to talk with all of my clients and shift my programs so that I could do this, but it’s happening! It also means I did a bunch of writing ahead of time. I am still doing some work, including creating a new course and setting intentions for 2021, but I’m not doing client calls, webinars or meetings. This month is the first time I’ve ever taken off a full month!
• I cleared Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays: I used to have meetings on Fridays and Saturdays, but now I keep those days clear. I still do some work, but it’s much more spacious and I can take the days completely off if I feel like it.
• I’m leaving the other days more spacious as well: I only do about 3 calls a day (down from 5-6 calls a day at my peak) and I don’t block off every hour anymore, so that I can have a greater sense of spaciousness.

What do I do in those spaces?

Anything I feel like!

Here are some of my more common ways to use the space:

• Rest
• Head out to nature & spend some time in solitude
• Listen to a podcast
• Read with my kids
• Hang with my wife
• Call my mom, grandma or siblings to catch up
• Read a book
• Reflect on bigger picture stuff
• Take care of chores
• Write a book about my grandmother
• Or do whatever work I feel like

I’ve found that this kind of space is incredibly nurturing, replenishing, life-giving. And so few of us take it for ourselves.

I know that not everyone has this kind of freedom, and I am grateful that I can do it. But I challenge you to see where you’re cutting this possibility off for yourself, and see if you could create it. It might take a few months to create, but if you stand for this possibility for yourself, you might surprise yourself.