Jo: I hear you had a major setback in your life that led you to found Do What You Love. Tell me about it.
Beth: Yes, a major professional one. I was Head of Legacy Development for England’s bid to host the FIFA 2018 World Cup. My remit was to use the world cup for global good. England’s bid was amazing, so well thought through. We’d got all these national and local sports bodies signed up to implement actions that were going to make a real difference to children’s lives across the world. Then, England’s bid went out on the first round. It was like someone had kicked me in the stomach.
I hear disillusionment in Beth’s voice. It was a turning point. She realised she couldn’t continue to work in an area where good and children’s wellbeing did not seem highly valued.
Beth: About the same time, I went on a creative retreat in San Jose with 100 other women. I had a creative awakening. I realised I had all this creative energy that I’d pushed down. The thread I saw running through my life was helping people to fulfil their potential. I realised I could do it in a different, new way. The seed for Do What You Love was sown.
I hear something profound and spiritual in how Beth is speaking. She agrees it was so. I had a spiritual experience in 2012 so I relate to what she tells me. We agree that it’s like for a moment in time the Universe, Life, god, God, whatever you want to call it, concentrates down on you. It opens you up. You take in the message, the energy and step out on your new path. We find ourselves agreeing that this experience is available to everyone at any time. We just need to be ready and receptive. And in our experience, it happens more than once; it can keep happening.