“Being a mentor is great. But Rare Birds also offers a fantastic community too and I have had the chance to connect with a lot of different and interesting new people.”
Georgia Bamber
Author, Success Coach, Speaker and Rare Birds Mentor Georgia Bamber joined Rare Birds earlier this year and in June she ran an online deep-dive mentoring session for us on Time Management.
We wanted to introduce her to you properly, so here is a recent chat that we had about Georgia, her business, and being a mentor. What challenges and inspires her? What can she teach us about life and work?
Q: This year, more than ever, the juggle is real! What do you do in order to stay on top of work/home/family/health and still have time for yourself? A lot of entrepreneurs and business leaders are facing major burnout right now. Give us some tips!
A: I think the main thing is to spend your time and energy on the things that really matter and then be willing to let the other stuff go. Make a list, even if it is a mental one, of your priorities. Which areas of your health, business, time with family, fitness, diet, relationships are most important to you? Then make sure your priorities actually match up with how you are spending your time. When we are feeling stress and burnout it is often because the places we are focusing our time and energy are completely out of whack with where we want to be spending them. The other really helpful thing to do is to recognise that everything in your life is a choice (yes, everything). There is nothing that you have to do. That is not to say there won’t be negative consequences if you don’t do something – but that is your choice. So make sure you like the reasons that you are doing anything and if you don’t, think about making some changes.
Q: What was happening in your life in the lead-up to becoming a transformation coach? When did you realise you had a passion for helping others?
A: I think I have always had that passion to help others. I have always been the person that people turn to for help, advice and insight so coaching is a very natural fit for me. I am really good at helping people to find a new perspective. I have also always had a fascination with the question of “what is a good life” and I have spent much of my life exploring this question and trying to understand the ingredients to a truly flourishing and purposeful life. I have learned a lot of useful tools and insights along the way and love to share these with people. Nothing makes me happier than to see the light in someone’s eyes as they find the spark, purpose and enthusiasm to take life on and make it great.
Q: Describe what makes your coaching program unique.
A: I have an extremely diverse academic and professional background. I have an MBA as well as a Masters in Psychology so I am able to span that bridge between life and business coaching which is very helpful for people as life always impacts your business and your business impacts your life. I also have a background in nutrition and fitness so I am able to help to draw on a broad range of experience when trying to help people make any kind of change in their life. I think people really appreciate and benefit from my broad experience.
Q: What have you found to be the greatest challenge of being an entrepreneur?
A: The greatest challenge is to maintain the energy and enthusiasm to keep pushing forwards even the face of the inevitable challenges and adversity that crop up when you are an entrepreneur. Creating your own vision and making your business a reality is hard work and there are plenty of times when you want to throw in the towel. Getting past these times is tough. Having a good support network is key.
Q: Who or what is your greatest source of inspiration and why?
A: I have so many sources of inspiration. Of course my kids and my husband and all the great mentors I have had along the way. But I think my innate driving force comes from life itself. We are so lucky to be given this chance to experience and live in this world, and life is short. I want to make the most of my time and I also want to be an example of what is possible, so that I can help others make the most of their time, so they in turn can help others again. Imagine a world where people are free to understand and pursue their potential, interests and passions? That is what inspires me.
Q: What have you gained personally from your experience mentoring with Rare Birds?
A: I love being able to share my knowledge and experience with others to help them find their potential and possibility. It is a lovely feeling to know that you have made somebody else’s life even that little bit better. So being a mentor is great. But Rare Bird also offers a fantastic community too and I have had the chance to connect with a lot of different and interesting new people.
Q: We have been talking a lot recently about Growth vs Fixed Mindsets. Can you please share your perspective on a successful mindset and how it can be developed?
A: A success mindset is all about understanding that in order to achieve something new in your life you need to think in a new way. If you continue to have the same thoughts you have always had, you will get the same results in your life that you have always had. In order to reach new goals and make changes, you need to think, feel and act like a person who already has that goal. That is how you create it in your own life. The best way to develop this is to think about someone you know (or imagine someone) who has achieved what it is that you want. How do you think they think, feel and act differently to you? Consider what changes you might need to make in order to reach your goal. For example, you need to be more enthusiastic, engaged, disciplined? Make the necessary tweaks and you will find yourself making large strides in life. It is all in the mindset.
Q: What is the most courageous thing you have done?
A: What springs to mind is getting through some very hairy situations during ski expeditions back in my school days. I have some stories that I could tell! I went to a school that believed in creating the “whole person’ by pushing you to your limits. We were always prodded out of our comfort zone to explore our capabilities. And as much as I moaned about this at the time, it has set me up so well in life because I know what it is like to be uncomfortable but I also know that I can handle it. We all feel fear doing new things, being courageous is going ahead and trying it anyway. I like to think that I am pretty good at that.
Q: What advice would you give someone looking to start their own business?
A: Go for it! That would be my main advice. Do your homework of course, but believe in yourself and go for it.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
A: Not really. I just hope to encourage people to see possibilities. To know that they are capable of anything they put their mind to. With the right support and a willingness to take action anything can be achieved. Life is so short, don’t waste it on things that you don’t love. Go out there and find your spark.
If you’d like to find out more about being part of our mentoring program, please reach out to the team at hello@inspiringrarebirds.com
