Let’s be honest, much of what motivates us to go into business for ourselves is our drive for autonomy – the desire to have control of our own time, our own schedule, and our own income.
To have the FREEDOM to choose when we work, how we work, where we work, and how hard we work. And depending upon your personality type and work style, we can quickly fall into working harder and longer when we are self-employed than we did when we were a cog in the wheel.
We justify our long hours as investment in our business and brush aside the nagging in our gut to take a break. There is too much to do. This is a new business, like a baby, it needs my time and attention to grow or it will die.
Is any of this sounding familiar to you? Please tell me I am not alone.
I am no longer a Spring chicken, as the saying goes, but I know better, so I need to do better. Here are three things I know:
- Whatever your why is – it did NOT include working 12 to 16 hours a day. We did not start our own business because we were not spending enough time at work. Stop it.
- We all want to be successful and most of us have a helluva work ethic to make that happen. We are not lacking in that arena. I self-sabotage – I know I do. I allow myself to become distracted when I am facing something I am uncomfortable with; whether that is the work load I have agreed to or the task I am facing is just one I am not fond of. I am learning to focus and not flounder in those moments.
- It takes practice. Everything we do takes practice. That being said, if you aren’t risking uncertainty and allowing yourself to be less than perfect, you are not practicing. Put yourself out there. Mess up. Write crappy copy. Practice being imperfect. I’ve discovered it’s kinda fun!
Does any of this resonate with you? What is it that you know about yourself and your business?
I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below, email me directly, or set up a call and let’s chat.
