Episode 231: Finding Your Purpose After Hitting Rock Bottom with Jacki Semerau Tait
It can't get worse than this. Today’s guest will help us understand what the rock-bottom moments mean and how they relate to our own purpose, especially if you're an entrepreneur.
These moments allow us to grow; they enrich our experience of being alive; they deepen our ability to help others. And, they allow us to be helped as well.
Jacki Semerau Tait needed to recreate herself after losing her home and income sources. Her rock bottom became the catalyst she needed to launch her into her dream life. She's currently a top producing realtor with a background in marketing and advertising, and she's been using her expertise to coach other real estate agents nationwide.
Jacki's life mission is to help people overcome their biggest struggles, stop self-sabotaging and start living on purpose in purpose.
As you're listening to this episode, if you’re thinking, I’ve never had a moment like that or I don't know what that feels like, I would encourage you to think about is whether or not you're still healing. These moments where we have to ask for help, or we have to look in the mirror and ask, am I self-sabotaging? Did I cause this to happen? Or what strengths do I need to help myself get out of this? That's the moment. That's a moment where you can start to find your own purpose and start to build strength from it.
From rock bottom to success
Jacki says now more than ever, people need to see the authentic journey that entrepreneurs go through to be successful.
“There's no such thing as an overnight success,” says Jacki. “You just wake up one morning and this person's in your awareness, but you don't see the 20 years of blood, sweat, tears, heartache, depression, snot dripping down your nose, crying moments.”
Jacki says society advertises this idea that we should be safe, secure and life should be easy – we shouldn’t have to struggle.
“We think that when we go through the struggle, we're doing it wrong. There's something wrong with me. I, I must not deserve it,” says Jacki. “We get all that garbage in our head. That brings us to that moment of going, 'well, I might as well just give up.'"
Without the struggle, you can’t enjoy success.
Another reason people might have trouble tying the hard moments to the journey is that when you’re in the middle of it, you’re lost. Jacki recalls the saying, you can’t see the forest for the trees, and it’s so hard to look out.
Helping others feel seen
As a speaker, Jacki talks about mindset, motivation, and marketing and has shared the stage with Les Brown, Pedro Addo, Magic Johnson, and more. Sharing the truths of her experiences helps others overcome the moment.
In one instance, Jacki recalls sharing the story of being at the grocery store checkout, ready to buy an economy pack of macaroni and cheese, butter, and milk that would feed her children for the week. It cost $10. And she would pray that her card would be accepted. Sometimes, there hadn’t been enough.
Afterwards, a woman came up to her and told her how seen she felt, because she’d gone through it too. She says the point isn’t to feel like a victim, but to show that she got out of that situation. She overcame it.
Look for the helpers
Jacki says one of the principles from her $4 story is that you can’t do it by yourself. You have to look for the helpers.
“Our weaknesses are ingrained within us to allow other people's strengths to shine. We're not meant to do this world alone. Everything is symbiotic,” says Jacki.
If we come alongside each other, we can lift each other up and help us be our best selves and live our higher purpose. So don't get down on yourself about your weaknesses, says Jacki.
Finding motivation after rock bottom
It took Jacki two and a half years to get back on her feet after losing her home. In the midst of it, her friend was able to attend a conference with motivational speaker Les Brown. While Jacki couldn’t afford to go, her friend lent her the CD set she’d bought.
Jacki says his messaging changed the trajectory of her life and helped to get her outside of herself. Fast forward, two years later and Jacki was given the opportunity to be mentored by Les Brown.
Her story was published in Ignite the Hunger With You. She realized if Les hadn't shared his stories, she wouldn't have had those in that moment. Now, it's her job to share her story, and hopefully, that reaches even if just one person needs to hear the message.
As a speaker, it’s important not to share from a wound but from a scar. If you haven’t healed, you can end up triggering other people instead of inspiring them. If you still have that open wound, it's okay. Keep learning the lessons. Take journal notes. Take videos of yourself that you don't share just yet, and know that when this wound scars over, then it's time to share your story.
Free gift for listeners
Free gift for listeners: If you go to 4dollarstory.com, there's a free audio download of Jacki just being real and raw. She shares her $4 story, and gives you the seven principles that she learned during that time that you can apply to your life to really, truly bring you into your higher purpose.
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