250: The Evolution of the Reality Check Method

Episode 250: The Evolution of the Reality Check Method

In this milestone 250th episode, Cindy Gordon shares the 10 reality checks that transformed her from an overwhelmed entrepreneur drowning in chaos to the creator of the Reality Check Method helping thousands bridge the gap from paralysis to action.

Discover the three reality checks that started everything, the three that clients credit with changing their businesses, and the three Cindy still needs to hear daily. Plus, the one reality check that defines everything: "You've got this."

In this special episode, you'll discover:

• The 3 foundation reality checks that created the entire method
• Why "when everything feels urgent, nothing really is" changes everything
• The reality checks that make clients cry (good tears)
• The difference between busy and productive (and why it matters)
• Why your chaos isn't unique but your solution must be
• The vulnerable truth about what Cindy still struggles with daily
• The complete meaning behind "You've got this"

Perfect for: Entrepreneurs and small business owners who need practical wisdom, not toxic positivity, to break through overwhelm and build sustainable success.

Episode Highlights: "When everything feels urgent, nothing really is." 

"You don't have to do it all , you just have to do what matters."

 "Your chaos is not unique , your solution will be." 

"Busy and productive are not the same thing." 

"You've got this , you just need to see what 'this' actually is."

Resources mentioned:

• The Reality Check Method Complete Guide (free with email sign-up)
• 10 Reality Checks PDF with Implementation Strategies
• The Growth Collective Membership

250 episodes of proving that you've got this. Thank you for being part of this journey.

🎯 You don't have to figure this out alone! The Growth Collective is your $1/day business support community with weekly office hours, strategic frameworks, and entrepreneurs who get it. Less than your coffee, more than a mastermind. Details at https://exclusivelycindy.thrivecart.com/the-growth-collective/

💡 Don't forget to subscribe for more quick productivity tips for overwhelmed business owners and female entrepreneurs!

💌 Join 1,400+ entrepreneurs getting exclusive overwhelm solutions and productivity strategies straight to their inbox - sign up now! https://cindygordon.myflodesk.com/countmein

Connect with Cindy Gordon - Reality Check Method Coach for Overwhelmed Entrepreneurs:

• Website: ExclusivelyCindy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exclusivelycindy/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cindygordon

Transcript

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episode 250, can you believe it? 250 conversations about breaking overwhelm 250 reality checks for overwhelmed entrepreneurs 250 times. I have sat here reminding you and honestly myself that we've got this even when it doesn't feel like it. Thank you. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for listening, and thank you for taking actions on these strategies. And most of all, thank you for trusting me with all of your mornings and afternoons, or whenever you squeeze in these episodes between your meetings and school pickups. Today feels like the perfect time to pull back the curtain on the reality check method. Not just what it is now, but how it's evolved from three simple truths I had to tell myself when I was drowning and overwhelm to the framework that it's become. That's now helping thousands of entrepreneurs bridge the gap from paralysis to action. Hi, I'm Cindy Gordon and you are listening to The Overwhelmed Entrepreneur Podcast. And today I am sharing the 10 reality checks that changed everything, the three that started it all, the three that my clients thank me the most for, and the three that I personally still need to hear every single day. I was running two businesses. Raising kids and completely drowning every productivity system I tried made me feel worse because I couldn't keep up with the perfect color coded schedules and elaborate morning routines. Does this sound familiar? That's when I had to get brutally honest with myself. These three reality checks saved my sanity and became the foundation of everything. I teach Reality check number one, when everything feels urgent, nothing really is, I was treating every email, every request, every idea, like it was a five alarm fire. My nervous system was shot, my decision making was chaos. And then I forced myself to ask. What would actually happen if I waited 24 hours, nine times outta 10, nothing. The world wouldn't end. The client wouldn't fire me. The opportunity wouldn't disappear. This reality check became my reset button when my brain starts screaming that everything needs to happen right now, I remember and I pause. Because when everything feels urgent, nothing really is reality. Check number two, you don't have to do it all. You just need to do what matters. I had this crushing belief that successful entrepreneurs did everything perfect. Website, daily social media, flawless customer service, innovative products, speaking engagements, networking events. The list never ended. And then when I looked at my actual revenue, 80% of it came from two offerings. Most of my clients found me through word of mouth and not my perfect Instagram grid this reality check gave me the permission to stop doing it all and start doing what actually moves the needle. Reality check number three. Progress beats perfection every single time. I was the queen of starting over every Monday. If Tuesday didn't go perfectly, I'd wait till the next week to try again. I was addicted to fresh starts instead of messy middles. This reality check changed my entire approach. Now I tell myself that B plus work that's published beats a plus work that's still in your head, a workout. You modify beats One, you skip entirely. Three productive hours, beats eight hours of perfectionist paralysis, pausing. after coaching hundreds of overwhelmed entrepreneurs from solo business owners to those managing small teams of contractors, there are certain reality checks that consistently change everything for them. These are the three that I hear most about in testimonials, dms and tearful breakthrough moments. Reality check number four. Your chaos is not unique. Your solution will be. Every client starts with, I know I'm probably your most disorganized client. No friend. You are not. Your overwhelm isn't special or shameful. It's predictable. The key is while chaos patterns are universal, your solution needs to be customized to your brain, your business, and your life. Small business owners especially need that reminder. Stop trying to force yourself into someone else's system. Build one that works for your reality. Reality. Check number five, from my clients, you can't manage time. You can only manage choices. This reality check hits a bit different. We've all been sold the lie that if we just managed our time better, we'd get it all done. But time doesn't care about your color coded calendar. It keeps moving. Whether you're productive or paralyzed, what can you manage your choices? Which meeting to take, which project to prioritize, which boundary to set, which opportunity to decline. My clients tell me that this reality check finally freed them from time, guilt and help them with their own decisions. Reality check number six, from my clients, busy and productive are not the same. This one, it usually makes people cry, but good tears though. You can actually be busy all day responding to emails, attending meetings, checking off tasks on your list, and make zero progress on what matters. Busy is movement. Productive is progress. They are not the same thing my friend. Choosing productive over busy is what separates thriving entrepreneurs from exhausted ones. Here's something a little bit vulnerable. These next three reality checks are ones that I still need to hear. The work is never done, friends, even after 250 episodes, multiple successful businesses, and teaching this method, two hundreds of entrepreneurs, these three, I still have to remind myself of constantly. So reality check number seven, your worth is not your productivity. This one's hard for me. I'm wired to equate my value with output. A slow day I must be failing. A goal that I didn't hit, oh, I'm falling behind this reality. Check grounds me. I'm valuable because of who I am, not just what I produce. And you are too. Whether you're managing a business, a family, or both, your worth is not measured in checked boxes. Reality. Check number eight for myself. Rest is not a reward. It is a requirement. I used to treat rest like something I had to earn. Finish the project, then you can rest, hit the revenue goal. Then you can take a break. But running on empty doesn't make you a hero. It makes you ineffective. This framework guides my daily decisions. Now I schedule rest, like I schedule appointments. Non-negotiable because rest isn't what you do when the work is done. It's what makes the work possible. Reality check number nine that I still need to hear. Is that good enough? Today Beats perfect tomorrow. Even teaching anti perfectionism. I still fight this battle from time to time. I want this podcast to be perfect. I want my programs to be flawless. I want every single client to have a breakthrough in every single session. But can you guess what's helped more people? Is it my imperfect action or my perfect plans that stayed in my head? Right. You know the answer on that one. It's my imperfect action. This reality check keeps me shipping, sharing, and serving instead of polishing and procrastinating. And now, one final reality check that has started as my personal mantra and has become the heartbeat of my community reality check number 10, you've got this, but here's the full version that I don't always share. The full reality check is you've got this, you just need to figure out what this actually is because you do have what it takes. But when you're overwhelmed, you can't see it clearly. When you're looking at 47 tasks instead of three priorities, you are seeing problems instead of possibilities. You are feeling the weight of everything instead of the importance of something you've got, this isn't toxic positivity. It's not pretending things are easy when they're hard. It's remembering that you've handled hard things before. You've figured out complex problems. You've survived every worst day so far. You've got this. Once you reality check what this actually is. So here we are 250 episodes later. The reality check method has evolved from my personal survival strategy to a complete framework, helping entrepreneurs bridge the gap from overwhelm to action. These 10 reality checks aren't just nice quotes for your Instagram feed. They're tools. Use them. When your brain lies to you about urgency, when perfectionism has you paralyzed, when busy, masquerades as productive Thank you for 250 episodes of trust, growth, and reality checks. Thank you for choosing me to bridge the gap from overwhelm to action, and thank you for proving every single day that you've got this. Here's to the next 250 episodes of Reality Checks, breakthroughs, and remembering what we're truly capable of when we see clearly. Remember, friend, you've got this. You always have. Thanks for spending these few minutes with me today. Remember, overwhelm isn't permanent. It's simply your brain's way of saying pause and take a little reality check. If this was helpful, you'll love my weekly email tips where I share the systems that keep me and hundreds of other entrepreneurs on Track Link in the show notes. If you got value in today's episode, please share it with another entrepreneur who needs that reminder. If you're loving the show, I'd be so grateful if you could leave me a quick review. It helps other overwhelmed entrepreneurs find us. Make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss your weekly dose of clarity. For more resources and to connect with me, visit exclusively cindy.com. Until next time, remember you've got this.