It’s easy to go with the flow, chase your tail and fill your time with ‘busy’ activities – but there comes a point when it’s time to get really honest with yourself about how you’re leading your life and business. In this weeks episode, I’m challenging you to step up for the sake of your business and for the sake of your life experience and your loved ones. No more excuses – let’s do this!
Listen on the player above or read the blog below.
Tough Love for Massive Progress
I want you to make as much progress as possible so there is some short, sharp tough love in this week’s episode. It’s time for you to get honest about where you are in your business and the action you are taking. If you’re in the same position as last year, or finding you’re stagnating, then you need to start doing something differently.
You cannot continue on the same path if you want to see progress, finances grow, your position grows. All of this needs a new strategy to what you’ve currently been doing. Difference is scary. It means change and coming out of your comfort zone. Our brain is designed to keep us safe. So to counteract this change, we come up with excuses, procrastinate, justify and reason staying the same.
Excuses and barriers
You create logical barriers. However, you need to look at whether you are creating barriers to stop you from moving forwards. This happens to many people. I adore Elevate to hold my clients accountable, keep them moving and honest with themselves inside this programme. My clients can then take massive action.
There have been calls with tears. There have been mind-blowing moments happening. We all need this in every corner of life, not just business. We often don’t prioritise the important things.
One of the biggest excuses I hear is: “I don’t have time.” I know a lot of people in lockdown who have had more time. I had far less time to prioritise business during lockdown. It was tough and we are coming out of that. Lockdown has taught me that when we want to priorities something and make it happen – we will. Although not at the expense of our health.
This will be very controversial but you need to be very honest when you start pulling the ‘health card’. There will be people listening who have real-life conditions. You know your body and I’m not calling you out as that is not fair. But if you are pulling the health card, are you doing so genuinely? Only you can take an internal look and know whether you need to manage your health and energy. Ask yourself if you are stuck in a rut with this? Or doing it because it is easy.
Path of least resistance
As humans, we all love to take the path of least resistance. It’s easy, so why not? We have to rationalise this and understand what will give you the most life satisfaction. One life to make an impact, create amazing businesses, spend time with loved ones and travel. We have one life. If we are not careful, taking the path of least resistance will see you lonely, depressed, demotivated and not making the most of your life.
I want to get across that you are wasting precious time. We don’t know what tomorrow brings so how are you spending today that will change your path? This is what we cover in Elevate – making the most of now.
I mentioned in the last episode that you need to plan in your breaks so that you have something to look forwards to. Having these enriching experiences is important. Give yourself the sprints to work hard and then take time off.
Business is hard work – it does take hard work. If we stay at ground zero without any motion, we would never move forward. We would be drifting along. There need to be times where you sprint forward.
Be honest about what is holding you back
You need to be honest about what is holding you back. But at the same time, you have got to move forward. Sometimes it is about making a decision about taking a different action. In doing so, it can feel tricky and like you’re walking through treacle because you don’t know how to do it.
This can be a big thing for many business owners – that they don’t know how to take that different action. Again, this is something that we cover in Elevate. It gives people a pathway and a route to take different actions without procrastination and thinking work.
You need to create a new routine and do something different.
Ask yourself what you are not doing that is going to change the course of your business?
This is an extremely powerful question. You need to take some time to ponder on this and consider what you are not doing that will make a huge difference.
This path of the least resistance is perhaps that you are pitching to small-fry podcasts for example, and you now need to pitch to bigger podcasts. Something that will reach more people and put your name on the map.
Procrastination can make you stagnate – especially when you are busy. When you are putting yourself out there but you know you’re not putting yourself out there in the right places. If it works – great. But if you are stagnating you need to do something different As an example, you may need to think more strategically about where you are pitching yourself.
This is also true for when you create loads of content:
- Is it bringing in money?
- Is it positioning you as a market leader?
- Or is it making you run around like a busy fool?
I am so for content. But the kind of content you are creating needs to have thought put into it for more quality pieces. Is it in line with your niche and calling people to action? If not, then why waste time doing it? Stop and think more strategically about what will take you to the next level.
Use your time wisely
If time is one of the cards that you pull – where are you using your time in the day? How are you choosing to spend it? I’m not saying you need to give 90 per cent of the day to your business but you do need to give some of it away. And when you are spending that time, what is the 20% of my actions that are going to cause progress? That will push you forward and move the needle?
You can fill that time with things that you can delegate. Things that are taking up your mind and emotional energy. Things that are fun to do but don’t move the needle in terms of sales. We can all be busy but what you do in that time counts.
I have a “done by 1 pm” strategy, especially in the summer holidays. This attitude gives me more progress when I make a shorter deadline and get the priorities done that need to be completed. It gives you focus.
Likewise, thinking about the next day before it arrives. Understanding what tasks you need to get done tomorrow so you can hit the ground running. Be honest with yourself and be more strategic. And give yourself a boot up the bum.
It takes far more energy in the beginning than when you’ve built up the momentum. It will be difficult and uncomfortable. As soon as you start doing it, you will find that keeping the momentum to do it becomes far easier.
Useful links:
Book a Call with Jen – bit.ly/claritycallpodcast
Download my FREE Seven Figure Market Leader Roadmap –http://www.marketleaderleague.com/marketleaderroadmap/
Send your emails to jen@jen-hall.com
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