As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” And when it comes to making comparisons between your business and others, you are fighting a losing battle and sucking the joy out of life and your business.
When you compare your business with others, you’re only looking at the outside image; you’re not privy to the inner workings of that business and we all know how deceiving outside images can be. Just take a look at you social media feeds! You don’t know what happens “behind closed doors” nor do you have control over the actions of another business owner. Instead of focusing your attention on what THEY are doing, focus on YOUR end goals and the actions that YOU can control.
Change Your Mindset
I hear so many coaches say, “I should be further along than I am,” meaning “I’ve been in business for X years so I should be making so much more money.” It could also mean your name recognition factor should be higher after so many years. These comments usually come on the heels of hearing about the full speaking calendars of other coaches or seeing a tremendous book launch. Who wouldn’t want that kind of success, right?
In reality, these comments stem from jealousy. Success always seems to come easily to others, right? But you’re forgetting – or simply don’t know – how long that person has been writing their book or how many ‘NOs’ they heard before landing their first speaking gig. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, create your own action plan to reach your goals (which don’t have to be the same as those in this example). Take notes about how your mentors reach these goals – some may even publicize their process in a blog post or eBook – but take that action plan and tweak it to fit your audience and your business.
What’s Your Definition of Success?
While you may marvel at a seven-figure product launch or extensive speaking calendar, you need to define what success means to you. Your goals do not have to match those of your mentors or other coaches you admire. Your goals should be very personal; your WHY should make you cry, as some people like to say. Once you define your success, you can more easily create an action plan to reach that success. Just remember that everyone has a path to success but they will certainly not be identical.
How Do You Relax?
One way to get clear about your end goals and to plan action steps is to take time daily for self-care and relaxation. You need time away from your desk to quiet your brain and simply focus on something other than business. It may sound counter-intuitive but we hear stories all the time of people getting inspiration while in the shower, or standup comics who keep notebooks by their bed because they’ll dream about their next great joke. Relax your mind and spirit and allow creativity to find you.
Need Help Relaxing? You’re Not Alone
Business owners complain all the time that they don’t have enough time in the day so how can they possibly relax and do something fun. This takes time away from the business, of course. But sometimes inspiration comes from that time away from the office, away from the successful brags of others in your circle. If you need some self-care tips that will help quiet your brain, stay tuned for my webinar “5 Ways to Practice Regular Self-Care, Even if You Think You Don’t Have Time“.
