I take a lot of online classes. You probably do, too. Confession: I don’t always manage to do all the homework. You too?
I know from the other students in these classes that this ‘not doing everything’ causes significant angst. It’s like we’ve betrayed ourselves. We’ve signed up for something and then didn’t do all the lessons.
It’s like we’ve given our inner critic a giant feast to gobble up and it’s just confirming what he tells us all the time: You never finish anything. You can’t follow through. Meh meh meh!
Yikes.
But as a businesswoman, I see these classes differently. No matter what I sign up for, from a $97 class to a $15,000 year-long program, I always make sure that I get at least one or two life-changing things.
Because I know I won’t be able to ‘keep up’ or do all the homework, I let go of that expectation and focus on making sure that my investment pays off by learning at least one or two game-changing things. If I am awake to the impact a small shift can make, the value of that shift can be worth the price of admission or more.
The stress I release along with the expectation to do everything is enormous. This allows me to enjoy and to learn more. As a teacher, I keep this in mind for my students and help them get the value they need based on their goals.
We’re about to begin my popular Write ON coaching group .
Here’s the real power of this group: students choose one writing project to focus on in the five weeks. This is one of the biggest difficulties writers face: choosing one project to focus on to completion.
Using the weekly group calls and interacting with me in the online salon, students finally enjoy the great feeling of being dedicated to one project. It might be too big to finish during the course, but they learn how satisfying it is to work on one project.
The lessons are wonderful and life-changing. Many students tell me that the timing of the lessons is perfect for what they need. But to have support to deal with issues that come up when we work on a project in real time is exponentially powerful. This is what I do for my one-one clients, and I am thrilled to offer this kind of accountability and support for Write ON members students.
This is not the kind of class where the teacher uploads some videos and pdfs and is absent from the classroom. No. I am in the classroom alongside the students, helping them develop a lasting writing habit that works for them.
Does it make your heart beat a little faster to think you’d be getting the kind of support I give my coaching clients? It should, because this means there’s no more avoiding your writing. It means – wahoo!! – you get to be the writer you have always wanted to be.
If you’re ready to make good on your writing promises to yourself, join us in our online salon. Reserve your seat in your writing zone here.
Hope this helps you enjoy your learning experiences more.
Lisa says
Love this perspective on taking ecourses Cynthia!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Cynthia Morris says
Thanks for letting me know, Lisa! So glad this was useful for you.