Wait.
Stop.
Hold it.
Let me tell you what no one else is saying.
It’s not time to jump ahead.
It’s tempting to start the year like a rocket ship. But is that sustainable, let alone the best course of action?
Maybe it’s best to use January to regroup and think it over. We’ll talk about developing your vision for 2017 in the January series, Uncharted Territory.
Trying to figure everything out and push on immediate results can be the first mistake of the year. Why start with a slip-up?
This is what happened to Gwen. Gwen’s consulting business was steady…it just wasn’t humming along the way she had hoped. Her corporate clients kept the campaigns coming, but she had some time on her hands.
Then she had a breakthrough idea. Within days, she’d posted a new product to her site. She’d help clients formulate their branding strategy in a kick-off consultation, then they could continue the discussion online.
She thought she had a slam dunk on her hands. Her small clients would fill out her schedule and bank account; she’d give them guidance from an experienced professional.
She rolled her eyes remembering her plan. “If I had only known!”
“Known what?” I asked. “It can’t be that hard.”
“I agree!” she exclaimed. “I never planned to spend most of my day answering mails like, “What’s a trademark?” or “How do I download branding best practices from your site?””
“Then I took a second look at the offer and realized three little words had derailed me. Unlimited. Email. Support. I thought my clients would take my advice and run with it, and I’d get a few follow-up questions. I wasn’t ready for my in-box to blow up.”
She shook her head. “I was bringing in extra money, but something wasn’t right. Then it hit me. My goal is upleveling my business, and spending most of my time on baseline issues wasn’t getting me there. So I let my small clients phase out.”
“That sounds painful,” I said.
“Yes and no,” Gwen replied. “I decided I’m going to shoot a “Branding 101” video this year. There’s an audience for that content…I just can’t give them all email support!” she laughed.
Maybe you had an experience or two in 2016 where things didn’t go as planned. But don’t put yourself down or dampen your enthusiasm. Like Gwen, your vision may be right. You may just need to take some time to think through the contingencies. Your question of the week is, “How can I build on those learnings to create something even better?”
There will be plenty of sensational headlines in January about instant weight loss or blow-out financial results, but don’t get distracted. That’s letting others be the boss of you.
Give some thought to what captivates you, what’s going to build you up, and begin to lovingly cultivate it. That’s how you become a Soul Boss.
Have a gentle start to the new year. Creating a fun, satisfying life is a rewarding process, not a race. Don’t rush the reveal.