Why Your Community Is the Secret to Crushing Your Goals This Year

🎙️ Why Your Community is the Key to Crushing Every Goal This Year

Success isn’t a solo sport. The people you surround yourself with can make or break your dreams—and in this episode of Glass Ceilings & Sticky Floors, I’m diving into why community is the ultimate cheat code for achieving your goals.

Join me as I share:

✨ Science-backed stats proving you’re more likely to succeed with the right support system.
✨ Personal stories about how community helped me give up drinking and build a thriving career.
✨ The tangible benefits of accountability, mentorship, and collective momentum.
✨ How to find (or build) your dream community—and why I created HER Collective to support ambitious women like you.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing it all alone, this episode will change how you approach success.

💡 Don’t wait to find your people. Listen now and start building the connections that will transform your life!

👉 Learn more about HER Collective: https://ericaandersonrooney.myflodesk.com/joinhercollective
👉 Subscribe to never miss an episode!

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Transcript

0:00

All right, friend. I want to get real with you for a second. Success is not a solo sport. Yeah, I know. You might think that you can white knuckle your way to all of your dreams, your goals and your desires. But I want to tell you this. When you go that route, it is exhausting. And it's not how you in longterm. Now the truth is the people that you surround yourself with. They are your secret weapon. Yes, I'm talking about community and I am here to tell you. That community could be the very thing. That is standing between you and the breakthrough that you are chasing. Now I personally learned this the very hard way. Y'all. I don't know about you, but I used to think that I had to do everything on my own. That it had to be all me that I was responsible. And that didn't matter if it was climbing the corporate ladder. If it was quitting drinking or starting my own business, I thought it had to be me. Like, is that you, do you feel me on that one? But I want to tell you this. When I actually started leaning on others when I started connecting with other people. Right. Everything shifted. And that's what I want to talk to you about today. It's why community is your ultimate cheat code, right? Your ultimate secret weapon for actually achieving all of the goals that you've set this year and how you can find the right community or build one that is truly going to elevate your life. Now by the end of this episode, you'll know why the right community is a game changer, how to find it and how I used it to transform. My life accelerate my success and how you can join her collective. So you can experience it first hand. You are listening to the glass ceiling and sticky floor podcast. The podcast will empower you to shatter limiting beliefs and toxic behaviors to uncover infinite possibilities. So you can live your best life. I'm Erica Rooney and I'm on a mission to bring more women into positions of power and keep them there. I'm obsessed with all things, growth and abundance. And I'm here to talk you through the tried and true secrets to get you to level up your career and your life. We talk about the hard stuff here. Imposter syndrome, perfectionism, fear and burnout. So pull up a seat, pop it in your bed and let's dive in. All right. Here's the thing. Research backs this up. Did you know that you are 65% more likely to achieve your goals? Just by sharing them with someone else. And if you add in an accountability partner to the mix and that number shoots up to 95%. So shout out to Tina and Judy, who are my two accountability partners. But let's get real. Those are not just feel good numbers like that is data that is science and that is the power of connection. Now I want you to think about this. When you're working towards a big goal, whether that is growing your business. Maybe getting into the best shape of your life or leveling up your career. There are going to be days where you just don't feel like it, right. We're momentum is not enough. We're motivation. Is not enough. And that is where your community steps in. That's where the power is. Because when you're by yourself and you haven't spoken these things out loud and you haven't shared them with other people, it's so easy to let yourself off the hook. Am I right? Like how many times have you been laying up in that bed at 5:00 AM? You know, you said that you would get up and work out, but guess what? Nobody else knows it. So really the only person you'd be disappointing is you and that's, you know, easy secret to keep right. But when you have others, when you have other people, whether you are. Meeting them at the gym or you're going to high-five them on the Peloton. Guess what? You're unstoppable because you're going to show up. So I want to talk about the key benefits of community, because if I'm really honest with you, I thought it was a bunch of fluff in the beginning, and it almost felt safer to kind of keep all of those big goals, dreams, and desires to myself. And it felt safer for a lot of reasons, right? Like I didn't want other people to think my dreams were too big or too crazy. But the real reason that I didn't lean into community is because what if my goals or my dreams failed? Right. Like, what if. I couldn't do what I was setting out to do, then everybody else would know I was a failure. Right. And so a lot of times I didn't share those out. So when we talk about these three key benefits, accountability perspective, and momentum. It really does ensure that you are going to succeed with whatever you set out to do. So like let's face it right. We are often so much better at showing up for other people than we are showing up for ourselves. Right. But when you have people counting on you, when you have people cheering you on. You are much more likely to stay consistent. And I will. I'll give you an example from my own life. Like when I, the best shape of my life that I was ever in was when I had my friend Molly showing up with me every single day at 5:00 AM at the gym, because I knew that she was going to be there. I couldn't sleep in, I couldn't stay in those warm, cozy covers. You know, even in the cold of January, because my friend was waiting for me. Now, hi, not involved her in this whole thing. Like it would've been so easy to hit this news. It would've been so easy to tell myself, oh, I'll just do it tomorrow or I'll add it in later today. And then we all know what happens. Right. And that's it. It never happens. So the accountability showing up for others to guarantee. Your own success. That is a huge benefit of community right. Perspective. Sometimes we cannot see the forest for the trees. You know what I'm saying? But when you have the right community around you, the right people, they help you see your blind spots. They offer fresh insights. They can give you that gentle nudge or that push, or even sometimes the hard truth that you need to pivot and grow. Now I've got a really good friend. And she's got ADHD. So she's always got ping-pong brain all over the place, but she starting her own business. And one of her challenges is seeing an idea all the way through. Right because she gets so many great ideas. Right. And coupled with the ADHD, it's just everywhere. But with the, the community that she has built around her. Right. And I'm a part of that community. We often give her that hard truth that she needs to stop and stay focused, that she needs to see something all the way through. And that has really helped her gain new perspective. And then momentum all y'all, you know, motivation doesn't last. So the best thing to do is like ride the momentum wave when it hits. But here's the thing with accountability with community and with momentum. And that is that energy. Is contagious. I mean, you know this, when you're around people who are just like everything sucks. It's no good. Then guess what? Everything sets. It's no good. It's kind of a whole Debbie downer thing that no one wants to be involved in. Right. But when you are with people who are motivated, who are fired up, who are focused and taking action and like going after their dreams, guess what? Like it's contagious, it's impossible to not get caught up in that momentum. And so when you were surrounding yourself with those types of people, you were automatically advancing your own goals. Now. I want to tell you. The personal, very personal story, right. About when I stopped drinking. And I cannot tell you for how long I told myself and challenged myself that like I was going to not drink today or not drink this week or not drink for 30 days. Right. But then the end of the day would come and you know what? The kids were tired and work was hard. So like, why not just have that glass of wine? And even now it's like, yeah, why not? Right. Like, it's super easy to do it. And it felt impossible because it was just like, oh my gosh, these kids are driving me crazy, but here's the deal. I had a really good. Accountability buddy, when it came to this and her name's Darcy. And she and I were both doing it together. And it was so helpful because when I was going through that period of my life and I was making these commitments to stop drinking and I was doing it by myself. You know, I had all these questions of like, how am I going to get through the night with these kids going crazy? Right. Who's even going to understand who can commiserate, especially when it comes to giving up drinking, because nobody talks about that. Right. But when I found my accountability, buddy Darcy, and we started going through it together. Like she was able to not just ship support me, but show me that it was possible because she was doing it too. And so all of the struggles that we had, we kind of had them together. Right. And I would talk about how. It was so challenging and the kids are driving me crazy. And I really wanted to. You know, and on those days when I did really want to. Darcy was there in the back of my mind as someone I didn't want to let down because we already talked about this. It's so much easier to let yourself down than it is to let others down. So when I had Darcy in my corner, I wasn't going to let her down. And so. That community. It really changed my life because it fueled me to get through that first day, first week, first month, first, six months, first year. And now I can do that for others. And then there was my whole corporate career, right? When I was an executive and like climbing the corporate ladder, it felt like I was doing it blindfolded. And here's the thing. A lot of the women in my community they're stay at home moms, right. Or they work part-time, which is great and amazing, but I could not connect with them as someone who is having to travel to India for half of a month, six times a year, you know what I'm saying? So. I really wished that I had had more women in my community early in my executive career to kind of help me navigate. Motherhood and travel and feeling like I had to balance and juggle it all and really have that person in my corner to say, Hey, I've been there. Like, here's how I navigated this. I don't know if it's helpful for you or not. And if I look back on that, I really think like what if I had that kind of community then that I do now. And I really think that it would have saved me so much more time and so much heartache. And that is why I am so passionate about creating spaces like her collective, because I want to give to other people what I. Wish I had had. So. One thing I also want to talk about, because this is huge expecially in corporate America is mentorship and sponsorship, and those are two big aspects of community that are critical to your advancement in your success. And. Here's the thing, there is a difference, a big difference between mentorship and sponsorship. And if you're in the right community, you do get both like that's, what's amazing. Okay. So mentors, mentors, they, they guide you. And they share their experiences and they offer advice. Whereas sponsors, they kind of go a step further. So they are actively opening doors for you. They're advocating for you when you're not in the room and they're pushing you into opportunities that you didn't even know existed. So it's key to have both mentors and sponsors and you know what find the right community like her collective and killed two birds with one stone. You know, so. Here is the thing. A good community does not just pat you on the back. They don't just tell you you're doing a great job. They're going to challenge you. And they're going to challenge you in the best of ways. They're going to say, Hey girl, why not aim higher? Why not go bigger? What's holding you back. And if you have the right women in your corner, they're also going to make you a little bit uncomfortable, but in a way that pushes you towards growth. The other benefit to community is when you are in a thriving group. Guess what you are not operating in isolation. And if you are a ambitious working woman tack on, if you have kids, like it can often feel like you were in the trenches alone. But with the right community, you're swapping resources. You're sharing ideas. And you're creating opportunities for each other. I just took part in an amazing women's event called bubbles bobbles and business. And I came together with my friend Gretta Fitzgerald. And she was helping me because she was highlighting my book and I was helping her. Cause I was hyping up her event. And guess what? It was amazing, amazing, amazing collaboration where we both got to win. So here's the thing. And this is really good news. You can find community everywhere. You just have to look, you just have to ask. You know, and one way you can do this is start with interest based groups, whether it's online or in-person, I can't tell you how many moms groups I'm in, how many Peloton groups I'm in, how many psychological thriller book clubs I'm in. Like there is just a plethora of communities out there that you can connect with to hit every interest. And every. Need. But also make sure that you're joining a professional network that is in your industry. Right? So for HR. Join Sherm joined the PHR community, joined the hacking HR community. But here's the thing. If you are not finding what you need, build your own. I created my own accountability group, right. I found the right women to join in with me with similar goals, similar paths in a similar place in life, and we're getting after it. But also I'm going to use this moment to plug my latest adventure, which is called her collective. Now you've heard me drop. This earlier in the podcast, it is something I am so excited about, but. I wanted a space where ambitious driven women could come together, could support each other and could help grow each other. And I wanted it to be really inclusive, so I didn't want it to be limited to a certain level in corporate America, but I wanted it to have a space where all women could thrive. And this is a community that I wish I had had early in my journey. And guess what? I brought it to you. I create it. I made it and I brought it to you. So if you are creating that kind of support and connection, take this as your sign to join. So, let me leave you with this. And this is important. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. I'm sure you've heard that before. Right? So this means that your community matters a heck of a lot more than you think it does. It's not just about having people around you, right. You can still feel lonely in a room, filled with people. But it is about having the right people, the people who lift you up, the people who challenge you, the people who keep you moving forward. So remember this. Success doesn't happen in isolation. Y'all when you surround yourself with the right people, with the right mindset. You unlock a level of accountability. Energy and opportunity that you will not be able to find or create on your own. And this year, I want you to make it your mission. To build or find your community. All right. If this resonated with you, I want you, I implore you to check out her collective. Until January 15th. That's the day, this episode is going to drop. Founding members can join for a super special price. That will never be this low again. Uh,$570 for 12 months. That's two free months, four founding members. Okay. I'm going to link everything in the show notes on how you can drop. And I absolutely would love to see you there. I also want you to DM me your biggest goal for the year. So even if her collective is not for you, I can cheer you on from afar because you've. Got this. All right. Thanks for listening and tuning in. If you haven't already dropped that, five-star review do it today. And if you're listening or watching on YouTube, please rate, review and subscribe as it truly helps it land in the hands of the woman who needs to hear it the most. And don't forget to hit up all my socials too. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and ticktock for however long it is around. I dropped some really great freebies over there. So you don't want to miss out. But until next time, stop putting a ceiling on what's possible and start smashing through them.