Doing what it takes...
Are you doing what it takes to succeed in business? Are you willing to? Do you have the stomach for it?
Not everyone has, as the Mr Robot character Elliot Alderson recognises:
“My father picked me up from school one day, and we played hooky and went to the beach. It was too cold to go in the water, so we sat on a blanket and ate pizza. When I got home, my sneakers were full of sand, and I dumped it on my bedroom floor. I didn’t know the difference. I was six. My mother screamed at me for the mess, but my father wasn’t mad. He said that billions of years ago, the world shifting and the oceans moving brought that sand to that spot on the beach, and then I took it away. “Every day,” he said, “we change the world,” which is a nice thought until I think about how many days and lifetimes I would need to bring a shoe full of sand home until there is no beach, until it made a difference to anyone. Every day, we change the world, but to change the world in a way that means anything, that takes more time than most people have. It never happens all at once. It’s slow. It’s methodical. It’s exhausting. We don’t all have the stomach for it.” –Elliot Alderson in the show Mr Robot.
When you are creating and growing a business, you are little by little, client by client changing the world in your own way.
To be able to change the world, to impact the lives of more people, you've got to do the work on you and your business.
That's what my business is all about - helping business owners do that work. Guiding them through it step by step.
Most Business Owners Aren't Doing What It Takes
Too many people who want to create a successful and profitable business complain that doing the foundational work that makes all the difference between the success or otherwise of your business...
It takes too long.
It's complex.
It's hard.
However, doing what it takes, putting the foundations in place business is less complex.
It brings more focus, makes your business better aligned and success comes more readily.
Here's the truth of it:
👉It is hard to get started with new processes and methods.
👉It's hard to stick at things that do not come naturally to us, that we don't necessarily think of as fun.
The number of times I've had people say:
"I don't need to do all this "boring" stuff, people just need to see my photos or whatever it is that you sell" or "I just want to do [insert what it is that you are passionate about in your business], why do I have to do all this other stuff?"
👉It's hard to do the things that demand more from us.
👉It's hard to change to new approaches, to do things differently to the way that we've always done them.
If it was that straightforward, everyone would have a wildly successful business.
Yet these same people come to me, to my site, because they're unhappy with the current state of their business. Their current approach is failing in some way.
Tell me which is harder:
Continuing to struggle, throwing more time, money and effort at your business without getting the returns or some short-term discomfort? Stretching yourself a little to put in place good solid foundations to build your business upon, foundations that will make everything that follows that much simpler, that much easier, that lead to the success you desire?
Or...
Doing what it takes for a few months to get those foundations in place.?
Creating a business from scratch is hard because it's new the first few times we do it.
It's not something any of us are born doing.
Just like the first time you try and do 20 push ups. It's hard until you develop the muscles.
Changing your frameworks on how you do business, how you see the world takes time.
Changing your behaviours and approaches to business takes effort.
It doesn't happen all at once.
It needs to be methodical.
What is the methodology?
1: Know who your client is, understand what intrinsically motivates them to buy.
2: Craft your message based on this, make your offer too good to pass up
3: Work out how to stand out in your market - don't expect your potential clients to work this out
4: Put in place a simple, repeatable sales process and marketing plan 5: Evolve and improve steps 1 - 4 as you get more data and clients. Only when you have done these basic steps do you look at growing your profits and scaling.
Most people don't have the stomach for it. Or they've never been shown how.
But it's doable. And it's worth it.
Is your business, worth it?
Are your goals and dreams worth it?
Louise
P.S. Business is not as hard when you are surrounded by like minded people. Most things aren't when you have someone in your corner.
That's why I've started a new Facebook Group called Life & Business Wisdom.
It's for business owners who are deliberate creators who know that the way they think is more important than the latest shiny tactics.
For people who do their best work when in alignment, who want to create a ripple effect through their contribution to the world.
Business owners who value feedom of time, money, purpose and relationships.
If you want to join us and be an inaugral member you'll find us here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lifeandbusinesswisdom/
Looking forward to you joining us...