A big ingredient in a successful business is your “why.”
Why do you want to build a business that brings in 10K a month?
Why do you want to work from home?
Why do you stay up until 3:00 a.m. working on your dream business when you have to get up and go to your “real job” in the morning?
Once you’ve got your “why” figured out, no matter how many “why” questions get thrown at you, the answer will always be the same.
Your why is that big bulldozer that keeps pushing you forward - over, around, and through the excuses, the setbacks, the failures, the haters, the self-doubt . . . your why makes you unstoppable.
And oh what a beautiful thing it is.
Having a big strong why is what sets you apart from the 9 to 5’ers who will forever be at the mercy of a boss who controls their time and how much that time is worth.
But, the Wheels Will Fall Off
Sorry to burst the bubble of entrepreneurial bliss that you’re riding high on right now, but there will come a time that your why will fail you.
You may even find yourself in one of those times right now.
You’re struggling to move your business forward to create a consistent income for you, or maybe even struggling to get your business started at all, despite your clear dream and solid why.
The good news is, that doesn’t mean you have to close up shop, abandon your dream, or start filling job applications out online.
When you’re steadfast about your why, but your business just isn’t working out the way you so carefully and optimistically planned that it would, you simply need a plan B.
Here are the steps to making that plan.
1. Don’t be Too Hard on Yourself
As moms, a big part (if not the whole part) of our why has to do with our kids and what we want to be able to provide for them in life. Not just the material things, but the experiences, and the freedom to spend time with them.
So when suddenly even the thought of making your business work for their sake isn’t enough to kick you into action and write that next promotional piece for your business, you’ll likely start to feel pretty low.
Don’t I love my kids enough? I’m a bad mom. I say I’d do anything for my kids, why can’t I do this?
All these are thoughts that may run through your head.
Stop the negative self-talk. It can only make things worse.
If growing a successful business was just about loving your kids enough, we’d all be rich.
What you’re experiencing now is just a bump in the road and you’re about to get through it.
2. Take a Defined Break
Instead of frantically trying to fix things, which can often just result in spinning your wheels, step back for a minute and just declare yourself off work.
Pretend you’re a fast food employee who can just leave work at work, and it’s not your shift today.
Define how long your break will be so that you don’t end up drifting totally off course.
Maybe you need a day, maybe a week.
Just stick to it once you decide, and let existing clients and prospects know you’ll be back.
3. Work in Smaller Steps
Overwhelm is a huge problem for entrepreneurs. There is and always will be an endless number of things you can do.
When you’re stuck, it’s good to set small commitments that allow you to see yourself making progress.
Maybe you can’t run a mile today, but you can take a step. And after you take one step, it feels so good and so doable that you’re likely to take another.
Pick something you want to get done in your business and break it down into the smallest tasks possible. Don’t commit to getting the whole project complete.
Simply commit to doing the one small thing that inches the project forward, and go from there.
4. Develop Habits
Habits are the secret to why running a successful business looks easy for those who are actually doing it.
If you’re looking at someone who is successful with their business and wondering what she has that you don’t, it’s nothing more than the right habits.
Fortunately, with a little persistence and determination, you can develop habits that will make your business run that smoothly too.
A full discussion on habits needs far more time than we’ll give it today, but let’s start with something simple.
Let’s say sending out follow-ups emails to your prospects is one of the tasks you can never seem to get done.
First determine a trigger for when you’ll do this during the day. Then determine how you’re going to reward yourself for doing it.
For example, you could decide that you’ll do your emails every morning as soon as the kids leave for school. And you’ll reward yourself with a cup of your favorite tea when you’ve done it.
At first it will be hard.
You’ll have to force yourself to sit down and write those emails. But you’ll do it because you’ve made a promise to yourself, and because you really want that cup of tea.
Soon it will become habit, and you’ll sit down and write those emails on the same type of autopilot that makes you brush your teeth in the morning.
5. Connect With an Experienced Mentor
This may be the most important step of all because you’ll need someone to help you stay on track with steps one through four.
Your mentor can be a formal coaching arrangement, or just someone who’s further along than you and is willing to help you through this tough time.
The crucial qualities for your mentor are:
- Someone you can relate to. Don’t just go to the biggest name guru you can find. Pick someone who you feel like understands you and has a real desire to help you.
- Someone who’s been there. Don’t pair up with a buddy who’s also struggling right now. And don’t be intimidated to ask for help from someone who is clearly successful. If she’s got a business that’s consistently making money, she’s been through what you’re going through now to get there.
- Someone who will be real with you. This is not the time for coddling. You need to make sure that your mentor will give you the truth, whether you like it or not. And you need to be prepared to handle the truth, whether you like it or not.
If you’re feeling stuck in your business, or even stuck on taking the first step to start a business, consider booking a call with Cheryl Jacobs, owner of KidsPartyCharacters.com.
As a serial entrepreneur who runs three successful businesses, Cheryl has been through the struggle and has a passion for mentoring other entrepreneurs.
To help you get started, or add an extra stream of income to your life, Cheryl is offering a limited number of memberships to KidsPartyCharacters.com.
With membership, you get your own exclusive territory to book parties, the right to use our 200+ costumes, access to our casting director and acting coach, and ongoing training and support from Cheryl and the team at KidsPartyCharacters.com.
Book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Cheryl right here and see if she might be the perfect mentor to help you meet your business goals, whether that means earning a little extra income, or building a six figure business empire.
Also keep up with how fun and rewarding it is to have a KidsPartyCharacters.com business by joining us here on Facebook for daily updates.
No comments:
Post a Comment