This Is Not a Positioning Problem. This Is a Human Problem.
For anyone who has ever asked "what's my niche?" and meant something much deeper
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One of the most common questions I’m asked is: “I want to start a [brand/project/business] but I don’t know how to position myself, or if I need a niche, what should I do?”
What I’ve learned doing this work for many years is that there is a huge gap we need to bridge, between what you think you need versus what you actually need.
Sitting in the sun, working on my standup comedy jokes for class last week
I used to think I could pay someone to give me the answer. I used to think there was a magic bullet, a pill, or a conversation that would suddenly unlock everything. I am here to tell you, that is not true. There is not one way, one coach, one book, or one piece of advice that will solve your problems or give you the clarity you’re searching for. The messier, unsexy truth is that it is about being open, leading with curiosity, and practicing the courage it takes to take big bets on yourself.
I don’t think people want to hear this. And I say that because it means the responsibility lands back on you. You might think, “But if I do that course, buy that thing, pay that person, why is it still my responsibility?” But it is. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s actually an incredible thing! It means you have the capability and the opportunity to create whatever you want to create.
The old world sells us a solution ➡️ The new world invites us into play.
The old world tells you there’s a silver bullet ➡️ The new world defines growth as emergence.
The old world gives you a fixed shape to fit yourself into ➡️ The new world hands you the clay and trusts you to find your own form.
Over and over again, I hear the same things from the people I speak to, because after all, we are all human. And we are all quite beautifully basic!
Life is full of pain, insecurity, and fear, and admitting this to ourselves is hard. So we do a song and dance to avoid the reality we know to be true. We numb and avoid. We become passive. We hide. We freeze.
I want you to know that this is normal. If you resonate with this — and you all will — then welcome. You’re human. It’s when we deny ourselves these truths that things get sticky.
When we take an outside-in approach to life, we give away our sovereignty. We outsource our decisions. We ask others to name our desires.
But when we decide to go inward, when we take a mirror and hold it up to ourselves, this is when the real answers emerge. We start to get to know ourselves. We start to meet ourselves differently. With compassion. With empathy. We start to see ourselves as the kids we are. All wanting love and all wanting to belong.
When we ask ourselves, “What is my niche?” we are actually asking: How can I make sense to the world? What do I need to do to belong? Who do I need to be to be clear?
The answer is to try. It is the most simple and most difficult thing.
It’s simple because it invites us into play. It’s difficult because it opens us to judgement.
Never not feeling great after doing The Class
And this is why doing the inner work, alongside showing up, testing, trying, and ultimately finding your groove and your voice is absolutely non-negotiable — whether you’re a consultant, a freelancer, a creative, or a founder. Basically, anyone who wants to work for themselves and represent themselves.
And this will grow and change. As my friend Siosi | The Digital Wayfinder says, our job is to test and experiment. To really think about the platforms we’re on and consider what kinds of people will be there, and act accordingly.
Through this testing and failing, we feel into the work. And over time, the answers emerge.
Today, I call you into your truth. I honour all that you’ve done, and I welcome in all that you will do. I want to ask you to really sit with what I’ve shared today. I want you to deeply understand that you are worthy of creating, showing up, and sharing your voice. I know it can be hard. I know you may not see the full picture. But I know you know at least one step you can take to move forward, and I want you to take it this week.
