success Archives - Melanie Pritchard

The Top 5 Regrets of The Dying + Why Death Shows Us How to Really Live

Posted on 23rd January 2026 by Melanie Pritchard

“Cancer need not be the epilogue. In many ways, it’s the introduction to a richer life of wisdom”

Matthew Pritchard ☁️

To mark the 25th anniversary of my brother’s death at 23, and to make sure that you also make the most of life, check out the top five regrets of the dying observed by the best-selling author, Bronnie Ware. These bore true of her time in palliative nursing irrespective of people’s rank, profession or otherwise:

1. I wish I had had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

“This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.”

2. I wish I had not worked so hard.

“This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.”

3. I wish I had had the courage to express my feelings.

“Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.”

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

“Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.”

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

“This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.”

If you think you’re too busy to consider the above, all the more reason to ⛵️

For as Steve Jobs, the man who ‘had it all’, warned:

“At this moment, lying on the sick bed + recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition + wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled + become meaningless”.

Confused about where to start with life or career change? Drop me a line: www.melanie-pritchard.com

Why Negative Emotions are Essential to Career Clarity + Change

Posted on 23rd January 2026 by Melanie Pritchard

Confusion and clarity are much closer together than you might think! 👯‍♀️

Indeed, as Alan Cohen says: “Confusion is the last stop on the way to clarity” ⛱️

We often feel panicked when we feel confused, overwhelmed or apathetic about our careers (or lives!)

And while not wholly fun ways to feel, negative emotions are often helpful emotional signals, revealing unmet needs and things we crave more of, whether:

🍓 Feeling flat in our life or career and not knowing why

🍎 Feeling repeatedly stressed and being unsure if it’s due to your boss, the company or the role or field itself

🍈 Not knowing if you’re the problem or you really do need a change.

I say again, negative emotions are merely signals for unmet needs and once you get clear on what those are and where they’re not being met, the rest is easy.

As Marie Curie said: “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood” 🏹

To see how coaching can help you move from confusion to clarity fast, book a free discovery call here: www.melanie-pritchard.com / email melanie@melanie-pritchard.com 🍒

Don’t believe it works? I didn’t either before I tried it so don’t take my word for it, see what my clients say here: https://lnkd.in/eMR3TjD4

A Powerful 3 Step Communication Hack to Optimise Relationships

Posted on 23rd January 2026 by Melanie Pritchard

“Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity”

Nat Turner 💡

I’ve never been one for sharing personal relationship stories on here – but this one is too good not to share.

I’m still friends with an ex-boyfriend below, probably cos he was a good friend to me and a very genuine guy.

And though our love story wasn’t meant to go beyond what it did, like all relationships, I learnt some valuable pearls o wisdom.

The main one being the value of calm communication. Note – the calm gentle tone was more vital than the words as per studies which show tone and body language account for 65% of communication’s impact, with words being only 35%.

Food for thought, hey?

That was definitely one of his superpowers – a bit like my dad, it was as if in that moment when others might have been angry or agressive (like when I snapped some skis he leant me 🫢), he did what Mr P advises:

“If someone is upset or doesn’t listen, repeat yourself slowly and calmly until they do”.

I’ve never, btw, heard my dad raise his voice once. Ever. No wonder I don’t do well with moody people 🫢

The What Why How handy communication tool below gives structure to the complex business o communication, boosting clarity, closeness and relationship success when you’re struggling to express something. It can also be applied at work 💼

Here’s how the 3 step formula goes:

🔦 What’s important to you

🔦 Why it’s important

🔦 How much of it you need (if relevant)

Continued below ⬇️

You can also ask it in questions if you’re getting to know someone professionally or personally:

For example:

🏈 What are two things that make you feel loved?

🏈 Why is that important to you?

🏈 How often need that?

How would you feel if someone asked you that?

How would it benefit you both?

Another example might be:

🍊 Being open about your worries is important to me

🍊Cos it builds my sense of trust n closeness

🍊 So I’d love it you could try to be open about stuff that’s worrying you when it’s weighing on your mind

What do you think?

What comes up for you if you apply it to pain-points in your life or work?

Simple tools like these can give a how to things that might otherwise block us and transform the complex into the simple.

In fact, often it’s not that we’re not good at communication – it’s a totally learnable skill – we just need the tools and willingness to be slightly vulnerable.

And what do we know about vulnerability?

It’s strength in disguise and it’ll always draw you closer to the right people and organisations 🏹

Try it n see 🪀

☘️ To upgrade your life or career, book a free discovery call: www.melanie-pritchard.com

7 Success Hacks to Expedite Entrepreneurial Success

Posted on 23rd January 2026 by Melanie Pritchard

“The harder you work, the luckier you get” – Mike Pritchard 🏒

💎 Unhappy, unfulfilled or apathetic about your current career?

💎 Unsure if you have the energy or clarity to change direction?

💎 Certain you need to shift paths but don’t know where to start?

Here are 7 things I’ve learnt about starting a business and changing career that helped me get to where I am today:

🛼 Many people see starting a business in black and white terms – as either reckless financial uncertainty and lack of experience or wonderful freedom working your own hours and having complete control over your life. The truth is somewhere in between. Many people work ‘normal’ jobs while growing a business and if you aren’t willing to put the time into getting good at what you do or learn how to market effectively, you may find y’self managing the most wonderful chateau with no road signs for punters to find or an awful place that looks great from the outside only 😶‍🌫️

🛼 Growth mindset is the winning factor in success or failure. Yes, you should play to your strengths, interests and values to optimise success but embracing confusion, mistakes and fear as the essence of development and growth versus success or failure is key to resilience and success 🥇 There are no mistakes, only positive learnings. As Churchill says: ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts’.

🛼 You can learn a lot about the field you want to set a business up in from working for others in the area you’re headed. I learnt a lot from working for a coaching leader in London and wouldn’t have learnt how to create structured coaching packages that optimise client success and stability otherwise. Don’t reinvent the wheel, research the market, build commercial awareness and then hone your own.

🛼 ‘You don’t have to get it perfect, you just have to get in going’ – Marie Forleo.
Let go of having the perfect website or product at the start. Minimum viable product is the baseline for businesses like mine – especially if you’re playing to natural strengths – and you can improve from there whether niching your service area, perfecting your copy or becoming skilled at your craft.

🛼 Action builds belief. If you wait to be ready you’ll never be ready. It’s tuning into your passions and taking small steps forward that boosts confidence, motivation and success. You’re bound to feel fear pushing outside your comfort zone but if you’re not feeling fear, you’re not growing. Embrace fear as a barometer for growth rather than a reason to stop ✋

🛼 It’s much easier to bridge gaps in skills and experience than you might think, especially when you’re clear on what you want to do and what your strengths and USPs are. High-results producing wins like volunteering, internships and taking short courses or investing in certifications can leapfrog you in new directions and rebrand your CV fast 💨

🛼 There’s no confusion in truth. Once you’re clear on who you are and what you need to be happy, there’ll be no stopping you. Yes, you need to consider important factors like money and earning potential but until you get clear on your framework for happiness, success and fulfilment, you’ll struggle to get the clarity and confidence to make big decisions like changing careers. I can assure you, having done career and life coaching for ten years, the answer is much nearer than you think 💭

To learn more about getting clear or optimising your career, book in a discovery call with me 🙂

If I could do it, you can too ❣️

The Simple Success Hack That May Surprise You

Posted on 23rd January 2026 by Melanie Pritchard

“Attention energises, intention transforms”

Deepak Chopra

Ever wondered why you’re unable to make change despite feeling frustration, boredom, anxiety or depression about your current life?

Here’s why 🤫

To make any big change in your life, you need to do more than recognise discomfort – you need to create the time, space and resources to get real clarity. From there, change becomes easy.

Ever wondered why people telling you what you should do rarely works? Because sometimes it comes more from a place of projection, protectiveness and bias than objectivity and real listening – truly sitting in the moment with you and really hearing what lies beneath is usually quite different, leaving you feeling heard, understood and pumped to uplevel your life.

This is exactly what I thought coaching wasn’t when I first started out. Honestly, I was hoping it was a quick fix involving talking to a wise owl who could help me cut corners and expedite change fast.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

When I heard it was being guided by the coach asking a series of questions to help me work out who I was and what I wanted, I thought it sounded like hot air.

Then we started practising coaching – and I ate my words fast 🤭

I quickly realised helping someone connect to who they truly are and what they truly want versus telling them what they should do, is where the magic happens.

I see this kind of magic happen daily with clients – whether midwives moving into project management, financiers moving into consulting, lawyers moving into coaching or graduates moving into advertising and beyond.

It’s not rocket science, but boy does it work.

As a wise friend on Mindline once said, really active listening is like developing a sixth sense.

So I say again – attention energises, intention transforms. Finding space to be truly heard and to deconstruct what’s really going on for you is an essential component to creating the intention required for change.

So if you’re feeling misaligned with your life or career, what’s stopping you?

And if you’re still feeling stuck, remember, nothing changes if nothing changes 💫

Why My Brother’s Death at 23 Taught Me That Courage is the Most High-Performance Habit of the Lot

Posted on 23rd January 202623rd January 2026 by Melanie Pritchard

“Courage is the complement of fear. A man who is fearless cannot be courageous”

Robert A Heinlein

I have a confession.

While many of us have felt it, I sometimes struggle with people who doggedly refuse to move from victim mindset + are unwilling to do anything differently. Obviously, mental illness can keep us there, which is truly hard.

I recognise I may be a bit intolerant having seen my 22 year old brother choose courage at the worst of times – untimely death.

Nobody Googles ‘Glioblastoma’ + comes away feeling hopeful. Ironic the ‘my brother died of a brain tumour’ line is a conversation stopper because his defiance in the face of adversity made it hard for us to view him as anything but inspiring, radically altering the course of my life for the better.

Courage is a powerful thing – especially when the stats tell you you’re f*cked + hope, for all intents + purposes, is lost.

But that’s the magical thing about courage.

It’s truly metaphysical, uniting improbable points of likeness like strength in suffering, bravery in hopelessness + humour in adversity, in the most breathtaking ways.

It finds hope in the hopeless, inspiring life’s Greats to do their highest work on Earth – the most inspiring of whom usually have real reason to be victims – the Nelson Mandela’s of Apartheid, The Viktor Frankel’s of the Holocaust + the Martin Luther King’s.

A few days’ before my brother’s death, he wrote my sister + I a letter oozing a courage that blew my mind: ‘Obviously I’m a bit narked because I thought we could win, so now we have to reassess winning + how we define that’.

w o w

That’s the thing about courage – it takes your breath away – because it’s grit + defiance that flies in the face of fear –

+ you never really know it’s there until the sh*t hits the fan.

In truth, Matthew had always been a bit special, with an understated charm + charisma that lit up rooms – but none of us were prepared for how he made suffering his crowning glory.

Even in his darkest hour, he found the courage to reframe the hopelessness of tragedy: ‘Cancer need not be the epilogue, in many ways it can be the introduction to a richer life of wisdom’.

Towards the end of his letter to his little sisters, my twin + I, he wrote: ‘So we need to have a lot of fun (underlined) over the next few months or so’ (before signing off with an Austin Powers quote).

I’m privileged to see courage daily in my career + life coaching clients – who are, by definition, deeply courageous, seeking the magic hidden in stress. They inspire me daily.

So when life feels impossible, remember, courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s defiance over fear. As Maslow says: ‘One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again + again; fear must be overcome again + again’.

So when you wobble, remember, there is purpose in pain. As Freud said:

‘Pain has nothing to teach those who don’t find the courage + strength to listen to it’.

Why Authenticity is a Super Attractor for Happiness & Success

Posted on 3rd February 2024 by Melanie Pritchard

‘This above all, to thine own self be true’ – William Shakespeare

The definition of greatness is being 💯% yourself and working out what you enjoy in life, what gets you out of bed each day, what gives you that passion for life and working out how you can make that a part of your life every day whether through your career or otherwise. It’s when everything’s aligned – your goals and giving something back for the benefit of others. @emilyskyefit on Instagram is an example of this.

Things weren’t always so clear for Emily who was painfully shy and insecure as a child, damaged by her father’s abandonment, abusive relationships and eventually tried to end it all.

But after she realised what her true passion was, to raise the profile of fitness and mental health, surrendered to being true to herself and took committed action to achieve her goal, everything fell into place.

She now does work she loves, alongside a man she loves, has a huge social media following and is about to have her first baby 👶 Complete, blissful alignment and flow. You know when it happens because ease, joy and peace flood you – whether in work, relationships or otherwise.

If you’re struggling to get in flow or find your purpose, carve out time to work out your why. Why you might feel confused, frustrated or unfulfilled. How your life may not be aligned with who you really are – what it is that really excites you. Talk to a trusted friend or a coach if you need to – but follow your bliss – whatever you do.

And before you say you can’t – that’s bullshit. Where there’s a will, there’s a way and there’s a variation on every dream to make it work for you, whether carving out more time for a passion outside work, working part-time, down-sizing where you live or otherwise. Once you understand what drives you, you’ll be determined to push through these blocks and reach for the stars in making your goals a reality.

Finally – my top tip for getting clarity on anything? ‘Think less, feel more’ – Dr Wayne Dyer 💡

Try it and see 👀

And if you don’t know where to start, book a free discovery call with me below – it’s so easy to untangle confusion and sky-rocket happiness and success in life and career when you have the tools and structure for change:

www.melanie-pritchard.com

How Bravery is the Key Driver of Career Success

Posted on 3rd February 2024 by Melanie Pritchard

‘You have listened to fears, child’, said Aslan. ‘Come, let me breathe on you. Forget them. Are you brave again?’ – Aslan, Narnia 🦁

The above is a snap of Jeff Bezos when he founded Amazon in 1994.

He is now the third-wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of about US$175.4 billion.

Imagine how different his life would be today if he hadn’t kept going?

When have you pushed through and seen results in your own life, no matter how small?

What do you need to be brave about this week?

Where could that lead?

What would the benefits be?

If in doubt remember, most fear, unless it’s the being chased down a dark alley by a man with a knife kind, is the:

F alse
E vidence
A ppearing
R eal

kind. Irrational, illusory and a cosy place to stay.

Finding it hard to bust through fear?

Ask yourself what hard evidence you have for your worst fears coming true?

And what would you say to a best friend?

Remember, fear is usually just a barometer for growth.

And growth is where success and happiness abide.

As Jim Carrey said:

‘You will only ever have two choices, love or fear’.

In 1985, he wrote himself a $10 million check.

He dated it 10 years in the future for “acting services rendered.”

Carrey was 23 years old then.

A fledgling actor struggling to find work.

He carried the cheque in his wallet everywhere he went.

If acting didn’t work out, he was likely headed for a Canadian steel mill.

But it did.

10 years after writing that cheque, Carrey found out he was going to make $10 million for Dumb & Dumber.

So remember next time you feel scared, a comfort zone is a lovely place, but nothing grows there 🌹

—————————————————————————–
Doubtful uplevelling your life or career is possible or could do with a handy making progress fast?

Drop me a DM to book in a free life or career coaching discovery call and let’s turn confusion into clarity before January is out! 🥂 www.melanie-pritchard.com

Why my Brother’s Death at 23 Taught me that Courage is the Most High-Performance Habit of All

Posted on 3rd February 20243rd February 2024 by Melanie Pritchard

“Courage is the complement of fear. A man who is fearless cannot be courageous” – Robert A Heinlein

I have a confession.

I recognise I may be a bit intolerant having seen my 22 year old brother choose courage at the worst of times – untimely death.

Courage is a powerful thing – especially when the stats tell you you’re f*cked + hope, for all intents + purposes, is lost.

But that’s the magical thing about courage.

It’s truly metaphysical, uniting improbable points of likeness like strength in suffering, bravery in hopelessness + humour in adversity, in the most breathtaking ways.

w o w

That’s the thing about courage – it takes your breath away – because it’s grit + defiance that flies in the face of fear –

+ you never really know it’s there until the sh*t hits the fan.

In truth, Matthew had always been a bit special, with an understated charm + charisma that lit up rooms – but none of us were prepared for how he made suffering his crowning glory.

Even in his darkest hour, he found the courage to reframe the hopelessness of tragedy: ‘Cancer need not be the epilogue, in many ways it can be the introduction to a richer life of wisdom’.

I’m privileged to see courage daily in my career + life coaching clients – who are, by definition, deeply courageous, seeking the magic hidden in stress. They inspire me daily.

So when you wobble, remember, there is purpose in pain. As Freud said:

‘Pain has nothing to teach those who don’t find the courage + strength to listen to it’.

3 Ways to Sex-Up A Cover Letter!

Posted on 6th September 20238th September 2023 by Melanie Pritchard

“Seduce my mind and you can have my body, find my soul and I’m yours forever” – MD Waters

Can you guess the link between dating and careers?

I see average cover letters again and again. Just like attracting a crème de la crème mate, we need to up our game massively to attract top employers, stand out from the crowd and secure the top jobs.

This means hardcore seduction.

I’m talking KC level, evidence based seduction that wins High Court cases.

There should be nothing average about it.

If it’s not breath-taking, don’t send it.

It you know it’s not a 10 out of 10, keep drafting.

If you don’t know how, drop me a line.

Corporate seduction is my superpower!

Like anything in life, it’s easy when you have the magic formula.

To find out how I can help you uplevel your life or career, book a free discovery call here

Still unsure? Here’s what a recent client, Tina LePomme said: ‘‘I worked with Mel in 2022. She helped me redefine my career, think about my key priorities and supported me throughout the entire process all the way until I found the dream job. She is absolutely amazing, she’s incredibly resourceful, will go above and beyond to support you in any way she can and is very professional. I cannot recommend her enough”

Tag: success

The Top 5 Regrets of The Dying + Why Death Shows Us How to Really Live

Why Negative Emotions are Essential to Career Clarity + Change

A Powerful 3 Step Communication Hack to Optimise Relationships

7 Success Hacks to Expedite Entrepreneurial Success

The Simple Success Hack That May Surprise You

Why My Brother’s Death at 23 Taught Me That Courage is the Most High-Performance Habit of the Lot

Why Authenticity is a Super Attractor for Happiness & Success

How Bravery is the Key Driver of Career Success

Why my Brother’s Death at 23 Taught me that Courage is the Most High-Performance Habit of All

3 Ways to Sex-Up A Cover Letter!

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