What Are You Willing to Do? Finding Your Dream Adjacent Path

What are you willing to do?

Not just when it’s easy.
Not just when it’s paying off.
But when the pressure starts building and the path gets blurry.

That was the question my coach asked me recently, and it cracked something open. Not because I didn’t know the answer, but because I hadn’t actually paused long enough to ask it.

Maybe you haven’t either.

Maybe you’ve been going full speed chasing your calling, trying to make your passion your profession. You’re doing the work, you believe in the impact, and you’ve seen glimpses of what’s possible. But also? You’re tired. The numbers aren’t adding up. And burnout is creeping in faster than momentum.

Been there.

When I left my full-time job to do this work: speaking, coaching, consulting, I felt completely aligned with my purpose. I saw lives change, teams grow, individuals get unstuck. I was doing what I was made to do. But behind the scenes, expenses outpaced income. And trying to wear every hat, every day, started to chip away at my creativity, my energy, and honestly, my belief in myself.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t do it all.
It was realizing that doing it all wasn’t sustainable.

So I hit pause. And I got honest with myself about what I was truly willing to do, and what I wasn’t.

Here’s what I found:
I am willing to do whatever it takes to keep living my purpose and caring for my people as long as it aligns with my values of faith, family, fun and flexibility. (Gotta love a girl who lives for alliteration!)

But I had to release the rigid belief that there was only one right path to get there.

What if there’s a version of your dream that looks a little different right now, but still gets you where you’re going?

What if success doesn’t always mean full-time entrepreneurship or a perfect solo venture? What if it looks like a dream adjacent role: something that fuels your finances and your spirit while allowing you to keep your passion alive?

For me, that looked like pursuing roles where I could still do meaningful work with people every day. It didn’t mean giving up on my purpose. It meant funding it, fueling it, and making space for it to grow in a way that’s sustainable and rooted.

And maybe that’s the reframe you need too.

If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, trying to build something you care about while also feeling the pressure of life, bills, and expectations, you haven’t failed my friend! You’re just being invited to realign.

So I’ll ask you now what my coach asked me:

What are you willing to do?
What are you not willing to do?

Write it down.

Look at the answers.

Then start brainstorming.

Reach out to your mentor or accountability partner.

Drop me a DM, I’d love to hear what your thinking!

There might be a dream-adjacent opportunity waiting for you that helps you pay the bills and keep building the thing you love. Something that reminds you that your work is valuable, your time is sacred, and your energy deserves protection.

Need help jumpstarting the next step?
Grab a copy of 6 Steps in the Bright Direction and join us soon on Substack for more tools, encouragement, and honest conversations to help you live it, own it, and share it…whatever path you’re on.

Let’s Shine Forward together, friend.