Think your dreams are too far off to capture? Think again. From starting something new to embracing the unknown, we look at how the most difficult challenges can reap the biggest rewards.

Have you ever felt that you’re on the brink of a great idea, innovative venture or a thought that could provoke change for good – but the obstacles ahead seem just too big to tackle? You’re not alone. Harnessing the power to use challenging situations to push progression is something that we all battle with at times. 

Throw into the mix the overriding self-doubt that can creep in when attempting to balance a flourishing career with a demanding personal life, and it’s no surprise that we can be swayed off course.

But positive change can come from the most trying of times. We hear from four experts in their fields as to how we can use challenging situations to refocus, adjust and truly influence the change we want to see in our lives. 

Take That First Leap

Sometimes, finding the confidence to get started can be the hardest part of a new journey. Ask Eleanor Pendleton, someone that knows a thing or two about taking risks. At 25, she left her role as Beauty Editor at InStyle to start her own business; Gritty Pretty, the first digital beauty magazine of its kind. 

“The idea of stepping away from a full-time role, a salary and a job that looked perfect on paper was really terrifying,” she tells AllBright. “But I’d reached that place where I didn’t feel creatively fulfilled and I missed writing in a tone that felt true to me.” 

The internal battle when toying with the idea of pursuing something that you’re passionate about can go on for months, if not years, so be patient with yourself. You’ll know when you’re ready to take that jump, but be sure to map out a solid plan before you do. Research, budget and invest time in exploring what leaping into a new start could look like for your lifestyle. Are you willing to take a short-term hit in order to achieve your forever goals? For Eleanor, it took six months of dreaming before kickstarting her new reality, and preparation was key.

“When it comes to starting a business, it’s important to prepare your mindset for a whole host of challenges that may come your way,” she says. “Lean into the idea of making mistakes – because you are going to make them. You are going to have failures, but if you are able to take learnings, you’re able to move things forward.”

It’s important to remember that no matter how meticulous your plan, you’ll inevitably encounter some stop signs along the way. Eleanor’s advice on overcoming these bumps in the road? Don’t dwell on rejection, but use it as a catalyst to get to where you want to be. 

“There is power in utilising the naysayers and taking that seed of doubt from others. You can really channel that and use it to drive you further.” 

With passion, perseverance and a plan, you’re already halfway there. 

Harness The Power Of Human Connection

As the CEO and Founder of the Aminata Maternal Foundation, Aminata Conteh-Biger understood from the very beginning that unlocking her success would take reliance and passion. Her charity was built from seeing first-hand the need for better healthcare for mothers and babies during childbirth in her home country of Sierra Leone. After finding refuge in Australia, the prominence of using her power as an individual to make a change for good was always her drive.  

For anyone, the idea of launching a business that holds such personal importance will always be daunting, so knowing your purpose and playing to your strengths is key.

“My heart wasn’t in building a platform to be powerful or famous, which in turn, helped me focus on being my true self,” Aminata explains. “I was taught to be mindful of emotions, but for me, it was very important to retain them when building my business. I also knew that I didn’t tick all the boxes I needed to for people to listen to me and that my story would have to be told by somebody else. Being smart and not rushing into defensive mode was necessary to change that.”

As someone that has battled such adversity in order to shine, Aminata’s thoughts on establishing ‘brand-you’ with less haste during times of challenge are some that we can all relate to. Figure out what makes you unique, work at showcasing it, and you’ll reap the long-term benefits with fewer hiccups along the way.

“Find out what you’re good at. I’m dyslexic, but I love human connection, so I nourish that. Confidence comes from being content and knowing your truth,” she says. “I learnt that speaking last would help me to understand others; first, to observe the room and then go and do the work. It doesn’t matter how difficult things are at the time – it doesn’t last, and the rewards will be much greater.”

With a resilient mindset that allows your ability to connect with emotion to become your superpower, no one will be able to throw challenges your way that you can’t overcome.

Use Vulnerability To Spark Innovation

As General Manager at Snapchat, Kathryn Carter knows just how important collaboration can be in setting the wheels in motion for ground-breaking ideas. As a trailblazing woman in tech, she praises her ability to remain vulnerable as a leader, building up a culture of mutual trust with her team, as a key reason for her success.

“Trust is critical… you need to implicitly believe that the business, your team and your manager have your best interests at heart,” she shares with AllBright. “The more you can model the idea of vulnerability as a leader, the more comfortable others will be.”

During the last year, change has been unavoidable. To reflect this, the need for openness to vulnerability in the workplace, from people of all levels, feels more relevant than ever. Understand that during times of ambiguity, it’s natural to doubt your ability and that portraying perfection isn’t possible. For those in leadership roles, don’t be too hard on yourself that you don’t have all the answers – look to emerging talent to offer a surge of fresh ideas. New perspectives are always sure to invigorate business, and your willingness to utilise input will give the team a much-needed morale boost in the meantime.

When it comes to being vulnerable, acceptance that we aren’t just the person that we show up as to work is crucial, and that in times of challenge, we’re all managing our own personal balancing acts.  

With unknown challenges and changes ahead, adapting to the ever-evolving workspace with vulnerability rather than battling against it will ensure that you get the most out of your team, colleagues and, quite simply, your own work/life balance too.

Embrace The Unexpected

Vashti Whitfield is a world-renowned coach and speaker, mindset expert and author. Her authority when it comes to harnessing human potential, having used her own setbacks to power through change, has impacted lives for the last 20 years. Priding herself on equipping clients from street level to suite level with the know-how to take back control of their own path, Vashti uses her experience to help others embrace the unknown.

But when we’re looking to move forward, how can we handle the things that we can’t control? In Vashti’s experience, it’s all about how we manage our thoughts. “Everything is about mindset,” she tells AllBright. “When we are able to isolate how we feel and observe what is going on – and why – we shift our ability to get something out of it. There is power in recognising that the only way to move into something new is the willingness to let go of what was.”

The idea of living in the now can be a challenging prospect, particularly when trying to roadmap out your future. But seeking the power of the present moment is something that can help us to remain level-headed when we don’t know what’s next.

Vashti adds that the idea that anything is certain could be the very thing that’s holding you back from opening the door to the life you want. “These times are teaching us the very eastern philosophical standpoint that all we have is this moment right now. We’re always living in a time of uncertainty, the reality is – you never know what’s going to happen.”

So with that in mind, when you remove the idea of certainty from what you can achieve, anything is possible.