Usually this is my favorite month. Spring is in the air, it’s my birth month – tons of good things. But this year, March has kept me reeling with illnesses and back issues. As a result, my attitude has gone in the toilet.
In an attempt to get myself out of my funk, I turned to my go-to solution: create a success. Putting something in my “wins” column is always motivating and helps me return to my normally sunny attitude.
Brainstorming how I to create a success, here’s how my thought process went:
“I know, I’ll offer coaching sessions at the price I offered when I first got started. Yeah, I’ll send it out to my list and take 3 people – that will definitely give me wins!
But wait… didn’t I commit to not doing single sessions because they didn’t actually help people long-term? And if I get 3 people signed up, I’ll work for hours to make less than I make in my entry-level group program, and work with people who may or may not be serious and who are less likely toimplement. This isn’t going to create an actual win, is it?”
Upon reflection, my initial solution went against two important things: my value of impact – having to make a positive change in others’ lives – and my income goals. If I had gone through with this plan, I would have been totally out of alignment with who I am, and with what I want. This would have been a losing proposition, and completely unmotivating!
Have you ever gone through a similar thought process? Come up with an idea that you got momentarily excited about, but ultimately lead you in the wrong direction?
This is really common in the life of a business owner. I hear it again and again from my clients who want to stir up their business. So how do stop getting caught up in just doing anything to get a win and instead work on the things that give you wins that really count in the long run?
- Think it through. Is your action aligned with your values, goals, and proven marketing plan?
- Pause. Give some space for additional information to arise, even if it’s just for 24 hours.
- Get an outside perspective from an expert. Too often I see business owners getting advice from someone who is an employee or who has never successfully run their own business. Speak to a business coach, your mentor, or peer who has “been there, done that”.
Stay excited about your business. Try new things. And give yourself the gift of taking action that will give you what you really want!
Wow, did I soooooo need this right now! And this blog post so describes my March, too, thus far.
Thanks for what you’ve been teaching the past several years (yes, even going back to those early, cheaper, single lessons), because so much of what you’ve taught has helped on the “Lion” DAZE of this past March, and helped me to return to more “Lamb” days by redirecting and reprioritizing to align my passion, energy, work and finances.
Feel better and take care of you. You count in the assets column on all of your clients’ financial statements, and we so need you!