There are lots of tools and strategies I could share with you about how to launch and grow a business (and I probably will). And yet nothing has impacted my business, and my life for that matter, more than shifting my mindset. Here are 5 things that I stopped doing that changed everything.
1. Feeling Comfortable
As soon as I realised that feeling comfortable wasn’t getting me anywhere I fast, I changed tack. For a sailor, that's an instinctive decision to change direction, and it’s the same for an entrepreneur! It might seem counterintuitive, but I’m talking about consciously avoiding the path of least resistance. Like taking the stairs for fun, when there’s a perfectly good lift.
Resistance (kinda like gale force winds blowing against you in that sailing analogy), plainly reveals the work you need to do on yourself, in order to keep moving forward. It feels like a knot in your stomach – equal parts excitement and terror. It shows up when you feel frustrated, uncertain, fearful, confused, and provides an opportunity to learn and grow.
Getting uncomfortable is about doing something every day that scares the hell out of you. Because you don’t get to the next level by playing it safe.
2. Knowing What To Do Next
Forget about Step 20 for a second, and focus in Step 1. One of my favourite authors, Rob Bell, reminded me of this at a pivotal moment in my business. So often we fail to get going on something because we can’t see the full picture. Rob says; “just make the crap version” and you’ll often hear me saying (and trying to do) the same. You can draft and refine all day long, but putting it out there is when stuff happens!
For example, I’d decided I wanted to offer business coaching long before I knew how it’d fit into my existing business. For months (far too many), I deliberated about how to integrate it, how to market it, how to schedule it, until I realised – these questions are irrelevant until I actually just start.
3. Talking About It
Talking is something I’m good at. I can talk for hours. Ask anyone on my team about my penchant for new ideas and you’ll get a full-blown LOL! But talking takes up a lot of time; time that could be better spent taking action. And it’s action that leads to outcomes.
The other problem with talking is that you forget to listen. And I’m not just talking about listening to everyone else around you (which is also a distraction; especially if they haven’t done what you want to do)!
I’m talking about listening to you and your little inner voice that knows. He or she knows what to do next, knows that it might be outside of that snuggled-on-the-sofa-style comfort zone. Listen and respond!
4. Being A Victim Of Circumstance
Yep, stuff goes wrong when you’re running a business, and there’s always someone or something to blame. The website hosting company, the factory, a dead battery, that muffin you thought was gluten-free…
A brilliant mantra I heard early on, when feeling totally alone and very short on cash, was this: “get up, dress up, and show up.” Three things that nobody else could do for me. Choosing not to be a victim of challenging circumstances in your life or business, signals to the powers that be that you’re ready to show up and learn! Successful people don’t have it all figured out, and face challenges in equal measure. But they do cultivate the gumption required to get up, and try again.
5. Trying To Find The Perfect Balance
I decided that balance was one more thing I didn’t need need to chase after or obsess over. And believe me, it comes up a lot when you work in the wellness industry.
Having faith that everything will work out, without knowing exactly how, is what helped to let go! It takes practice, but trusting yourself and your ability to work it all out (and checking in to see if you're actually enjoying the ride) is a learned art worth refining.
It's embracing the chaos that is deep personal transformation and learning on the job, all whilst having skipped lunch because you didn’t even notice it was 3pm already. You don't need another set of expectations to be perfectly balanced too; just enjoy the crazy, messy process!
