Lets face it setting up your RTO is a huge commitment. Fear in starting the process to set up your RTO is normal. When everything is aligned some of us step right up get going straight away. There is excitement. Others like to think about it, and then think about it some more. That is OK too. There are times when we don’t feel right in the gut, or our heart is not really in it. So we stop. For those of us who are used to contacting parts of our body; heart, gut and head for information we know that these are normal situations, and ones that should be listened to. Sometimes though our excitement is over ridden by tension, or fear.
Excitement
Excitement gets the juices running, and motivation to do all the right work for your application and auditors visit. I can hear the excitement in peoples voices when we first connect. When we discuss setting up their RTO. They tell me about their dream, and we discuss ways to move forward. For me this is very rewarding hearing these people speak; I know from many years of experience that they have the motivation to keep going even if fear or tension come into their sights.
Fear
Fear can shut you down, and stop your dreams. Your dreams of setting up your RTO can be huge. But the fear can put us into a freeze situation; where we stop everything, or a flight situation; where we run away from what we are doing. In both situations we are unable to find the courage to move forward with the RTO development. These people contact me, get some information, then decide it isn’t for them. I am blessed they took the initial step and made a decision.
During the development phase when setting up the RTO fear is often present. It is fear that ensures compliance. “Do this,” the auditor/regulator/well-meaning friend threatens, “or you won’t pass your audit.” sometimes people start the process, and then find it all too hard, so they stop.
The thing is, learning to build a business is difficult; especially setting up your RTO. If it was easy, you’d already know everything you need to know. And if you could do it on your own, you wouldn’t need the time or expense to do it with others.
But when we try to learn something new on our own, we often get stuck. It’s not because of fear, it’s because of tension.
Tension
Tension is what we face when we get confused, or feel overwhelm, and it usually is when people stop and fail to continue. Tension however is great signal; it is the time when we’re about to cross a threshold. A threshold of knowledge break-through. The moment when we finally are getting what we need to know. If you continue at this point, then the information sticks. However many people stop before they get the breakthrough. They are missing a golden opportunity.
Tension is the hallmark of a great educational experience. The tension of not quite knowing where we are in the process, not being sure of the final outcome, not having a guarantee that it’s about to happen. So we let fear take control. (remember freeze or flight?)
As adults we willingly expose ourselves to the tension of a great circus act, or a football game or a thrilling movie. So why do we stop when it is about learning something new? Sure setting up your RTO is important, but we stop because we don’t wont to learn something new.
Has your RTO dream stopped?
As someone who is setting up your own RTO and an adult learner you need to actively seek out this tension, because it works. It pushes us over the chasm to the other side. A trainer who builds that tension and get people to the other side, are special, and do it on purpose to see your gains.
I’ve been working with people setting up their own RTO for over 9 years, and in that time have seen hundreds of people consider the dream, and maybe even start it. Some of them see the tension coming and eagerly dive in, asking for reflection, and feedback. Others mistake that tension for fear and back away, promising themselves that they’ll get back to it later.
Tension pays off
The ones who leapt are transformed. The tension pays off.
At RTO Mentor we’re proud of the tension we create in the education process. We build it from the start, realising that education is never about easy access to information, it’s about the forward motion of learning. It is important to us that you are part of the journey. It is important that you understand why things are done, and how to fix them.
So if your still considering setting up your own RTO, then the hesitation comes from knowing that a process of tension works. That the unknown is right over there, and to get yourself there, you have to walk through a few months’ worth of tension. That’s the best way I know to learn. And so that’s the way we assist you through the RTO process.
When setting up your RTO, whether it’s working through the online course, the RTO Success, or having a mentor assist you through the process. Our aim is to get you compliant, and in that process there will be tension.
