How often do you tell yourself that things should be better than they are?
Think about how often you have thoughts similar to these: I should be more successful. My business should be farther along. I should be getting more clients by now. I have to get this much income by this date.
“Should statements” when directed internally lead to guilt and frustration. When you’re growing a business, they stifle creativity, increase anxiety, and ultimately lead to burnout.
You grow your business best when you are in a relaxed and creative energy, not from a place of pressure and expectations.
Many people subconsciously “should” themselves as a way to motivate themselves to be successful, and many people think this is a positive thing.
In reality, should statements create external pressure and often unrealistic expectations that take your power away.
Think about a “should” statement you’ve had recently. Something like, “I have to have 10 clients by x date.”
Now, change the should to a want. “I want to have 10 clients by x date.”
Do you feel the change in energy between the two statements? “I have” creates pressure and expectation. “I want” creates motivation, power, and excitement.
Changing your “shoulds” to “wants” puts the power back in your hands. From this place of power, you can dive further into the want statement. Does this want really feel true to you? Is this something you actually want, or something you just thought you should do?
It’s too easy to put unrealistic pressure on ourselves and do things because we think we should, not because we really want to. The point of growing our own business is the freedom to work without external expectations. Take back your power and release your “shoulds”. You have the power and the freedom to only do the things you want.