Have you ever felt the need to change the way you do things?
Have you experienced those growing pains that are so obvious you just can’t ignore them?
I’m raising my hand!
After nearly 14 years in business as a coach, I decided it was time for a major overhaul of what I do, how I do what I do, and who I work with. (Rebranding myself and my business.)
Talk about scary and exciting all at the same time. But here’s the thing, I was starting to feel like a plant that had outgrown its pot. No more room to expand my roots.
So clearly it was time for a bigger pot. Seems logical, right? Logical, but still scary and time!
As I was getting ready to leave the smaller pot that had served me well, I reflected. I reflected on some of the lessons (or fertilizer, if we stick with the pot metaphor) that helped me to grow not only professionally, but personally.
The Fertilizer
Quality over quantity. There are all sorts of messages about the importance of having tons of social media followers, newsletter subscribers, etc. It can all get a little overwhelming.
I don’t disagree, being connected to your target market is important. BUT you could have thousands of subscribers and followers that just don’t engage with you or your brand. (Which I did.) Making those thousands just numbers on your stats or dashboards. (Which they were.)
It all began to remind me of a high school popularity contest.
Been there, done that, have the tiara and t-shirt. Let me tell you, it had me questioning the relevance of my work in the world…and not in a good way!
Did it suck? Was I putting out stuff that people thought was crap?
No, I was just trying too hard to “please” the masses!
The bottom line…
Anything that doesn’t make you feel good about what you do, isn’t going to support your growth as a person, leader, business owner, or entrepreneur.
At the end of the day, it is true that quality is far better than quantity. Having quality connections with a smaller group of people has supported me in providing more value to my target market so I can be of greater service.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Stay in my own lane. Want to talk about something that hampers growth and makes you feel like shit as an entrepreneur, business owner or aspiring leader…it’s called comparison. When we compare ourselves to someone else what we’re really saying is, “I’m not good enough. My work isn’t good enough.”
Talk about a bold-face lie and a major swerve out of your own lane!
In my case, while there are many amazing coaches out in the world that do something similar to what I do, they don’t do it in the same way. Wanna know why?
They don’t have my heart. They have their own heart.
Staying in my own lane has not only minimized the comparing, but it’s also helped me to focus more on my own work and doing it in my own way. And doing that has sparked the production of some pretty cool stuff, stuff that I’m excited about. Who doesn’t want to be excited by what they’re putting out into the world?
BUT most importantly, staying in my own lane has helped (and continues to help) my business to grow.
The best way to gain exposure is to continue to put work out into the world that you love. Work that is you. Not work that you think others will want. (Are you noticing a theme here?)
As Ryan Holiday shares in his article “Your Work Is The Only Thing That Matters“, “An artist’s job is to create masterpieces. Period.”(By the way, this is awesome thought-provoking article! Definitely worth the read!)
That is so true! Whether you’re an entrepreneur, aspiring leader, dreamer, writer, coach, or artist…you’re job is to work on your masterpiece. Period.
Clients are NOT dollar signs. It is all too easy to get caught up in the bottom line, especially when there are mouths to feed and bills to pay, or your job depends on the sales you make or the number of clients you bring in. It happens to the best of us. Trust me.
There was a time early on in my coaching career when I was desperate for cash. And since desperate is as desperate does, I was putting out a vibe that was just plain gross and repelling.
While knowing my financial landscape has always been important, when it became the focus, the energy shifted from loving what I do to making it about the cash flow. That’s no bueno! Talk about a hit to the bottom line.
At the end of the day, my clients are people. People who do not deserve to be looked at as a dollar sign. NEVER EVER!
So now, during the slower months (because business always ebbs and flows), I focus on why I love what I do and how grateful I am to have the opportunity to work with some amazing people. Wanna talk about the best fertilizer ever!?!
When you’re focusing on what you love and why you’re doing it (your vision), you amp up your vibe and positive vibes are magnetic.
Patience is a valuable commodity. Not always the easiest, however. This is something I’m still working on myself. Especially when I’m excited about something that I’ve just launched.
But here’s the deal (and back to the plant analogy) when you plant a seed, you don’t pull the seed out of the ground every day to see if it’s sprouting roots. Because you know if you do, you’ll prevent it from growing. Instead you water it and fertilize it.
So the key is to be patient. To share your work in a way that’s authentic to you, trusting that the seed you’ve planted will grow and turn into something totally amazing!
Ready to Outgrow Your Pot?
So there you have it, some of the most powerful fertilizer I’ve used and will continue to use as I get used to this new pot.
How about you? What helps you to grow your work in the world? What, if anything, is keeping you in a smaller pot?
Take some time to assess and survey the pot you’re in, the fertilizer you use, and feel free to share your thoughts, questions, and comments.
Originally published at www.whatswithinu.com