The Competitive Advantage You Can’t Outsource | EP 521

🔗 Mentioned on this Episode: Show Notes 👈

We’re living in an era of rapid disruption—AI, collapsing systems, rising voices, and shifting wealth patterns. For many high-achieving founders, this moment feels louder and faster than anything we’ve navigated before. And while we’ve built businesses through uncertainty before, this season is asking something different of us.

In this minisode, I unpack what’s really stealing your clarity (hint: it’s not lack of strategy), and why self-trust is the most overlooked growth strategy in today’s entrepreneurial space. I also introduce you to The Aligned Pause, a 3-step embodiment practice you can start today to reclaim your clarity, power, and pace—without burning out or outsourcing your voice.

This is your reminder that staying true to your rhythm isn’t a weakness—it’s your edge. If you’ve been second-guessing your timing, your offers, or your energy… this conversation will anchor you in what’s still true. The Expansion Season is here—and it starts with you.

Text us! What landed for you from this episode?

🎁 Subscribe & Get the Seasons Success Method & Meditation
🎧 Listen, Subscribe & Rate this podcast
📲 Follow me for more insights: Instagram | LinkedIn

Episode Transcript

Sheila (00:03):
I've coached and collaborated with people at the
highest levels of business andthe ones who stay calm, clear
and confident.
Right now, they've learned howto tune out the noise and trust
their own voice.
In this episode, I'm giving youone strategy to rise above the
pressure of change and stay inyour power while doing less with
more impact.

(00:24):
If you're feeling pulled in toomany directions, this will land
.
Let's get into it.
Hi, I'm Sheila Botelho.
Welcome back to the podcast.
We are living in a time ofunprecedented innovation.
You're hearing about iteverywhere Disruption, ai,
wealth shifts, collapsingsystems and rising new ones.

(00:47):
It's a lot, and for manyfounders and creators,
especially those of us who havebeen building for four, five or
even 10 plus years, it can feelincredibly disorienting.
We're no longer strangers tochange.
We've navigated business pivots, personal growth, maternity
leaves, recessions, globalevents and internal revolutions,

(01:11):
but something about this momentis different it's fast, it's
noisy and if we're not careful,it can fracture our self-trust
without us even realizing it.
So today's conversation isabout something simple but
powerful Trusting yourself in atime of change.

(01:33):
Because self-trust is notfluffy.
It's not just about believingin yourself.
It's strategy.
And in a time where everyone istrying to go faster, shout
louder or become more AIcompatible than human.
It's the leaders who stayanchored in their knowing that
will actually rise, so let'stalk about it.

(01:57):
Everywhere I turn right now, Ihear how do I make sure I'm not
left behind?
Should I be doing more with AI?
I'm seeing people in my spaceexplode.
What am I missing?
I feel like I should alreadyhave all of this figured out and
listen.
I felt it too.
That's why I'm having thisconversation.

(02:17):
Even with years of experience,solid revenue and a clear body
of work, I still have momentswhere I look around and think am
I evolving fast enough?
This is what I call theinvisible pressure of proximity.
When you are surrounded byother high-level people doing
big things, it is really easy tostart questioning the very

(02:40):
things that got you there, evenyour own rhythm.
And when the internet isscreaming about urgency,
relevance, speed, you startoutsourcing your power without
even knowing it.
This is where self-trust getseroded Not from failure, not
from being wrong, but from micromoments of comparison that chip

(03:04):
away at your certainty.
You feel me?
I want to reframe something foryou.
Self-trust isn't something soft,it's solid.
It's actually theinfrastructure that lets you
make quick decisions, pivot withgrace and not jump ship every
time someone else looks shinier.

(03:24):
It's also the thing that mostof the people I coach even the
ones making multi, six or sevenplus figures struggle to name as
a skill, but it is Self-trust.
When I think about self-trust,it's something that allows you
to say no to the offer thatlooks good on paper but really

(03:48):
feels off Self-trust.
It also helps you walk awayfrom self-trust helps you walk
away from the client who paysreally well but drains your soul
.
It keeps you launching thething that feels true, even when

(04:11):
it's not trendy.
Rest when your body says pause,not when the algorithm says post
.
See, this is how we stay well.
This is how we stay visible.
This is how we grow sustainably, because I have found trusting
yourself is actually yourcompetitive advantage, because

(04:33):
most people right now areoutsourcing their voice to the
loudest room.
You, you're building yourempire with your feet on the
ground.
Let's name this.
Staying tuned into everythingfrom every platform, every
expert, every trend report isexhausting.
We weren't built for this levelof input, and here's what I see

(04:56):
happen over and over again withfounders in my programs and
people that I see in my midst.
They feel tired, unmotivated orsuddenly unsure of what they're
offering.
They think someone's donesomething to really shift
everything in their world andmaybe something's wrong with
them, but often it's really justoverexposure.

(05:19):
Something happens when you stepaway from it all.
So what if your clarity isn'tgone?
What if it's just buried undersomeone else's volume?
I've found the cure to be whitespace, not just as a luxury,
but really as a leadership move,because when you give yourself

(05:39):
even 10 minutes a day away frominput, you can actually hear
what you want, what you alreadyknow.
This is where decisions getmade.
This is where your next boldmove lands.
This is where you remember howwise you are.
So here's what I want to offeryou this week A simple but

(06:04):
potent embodiment practice thatI call the aligned pause.
It is a three-step micro ritualthat you can use every day to
bring your power back into yourown hands.
Step one step away from input,every kind.
Carve out 10 minutes.

(06:25):
Phone in the other room, nopodcast, no Slack, just you.
Step two ask one powerfulquestion what have I been
avoiding?
What have I been avoiding?
Deciding that I already knowthe answer.
To Let it come up.
It might be uncomfortable.

(06:46):
Actually, it will beuncomfortable.
The silence can beuncomfortable when you are busy
all the time, and that's okay.
Step three make one alignedmove.
That could be like sending outthe email, canceling the meeting
, saying no.
Imagine opening the offer,taking the nap yes, taking the

(07:10):
nap.
Let your knowing move you.
You don't need to make 20decisions right now, you just
need to make one from a place ofintegrity.
That is how momentum is builtin a time of change One embodied
move at a time.
This isn't just about yourbusiness.
It's about your legacy, becausewhat I have found to be true in

(07:34):
my experience you are not justbuilding funnels and teams and
programs.
You're building culture.
You're showing your clients,your community and the people
that you love what it looks liketo lead with alignment and when
you trust yourself enough tosay no, this isn't my season to

(07:55):
hustle.
Yes, I'm raising my rates.
No, I don't need to beeverywhere at once.
Yes, I'm building a differentkind of success.
You just don't win.
Your model was the thing thatwins, because it helps you lead

(08:16):
from wholeness, and that is whatexpansion season is about.
It's not about more, not aboutfaster, it's about truer.
And if today's conversationstirred something in you, don't
keep it to yourself.
Share this episode with afellow founder, a conscious

(08:39):
person in your world or someonethat you admire who's navigating
their next chapter with depth,and head over to the show notes
for a preview of what's comingnext this season of expansion,
including ways we can walk thispath together more closely.
I'll meet you in the nextepisode, where we keep building
our legacy with more clarity,more trust and more freedom than
ever before.

(08:59):
Thanks for listening you.