I Won’t Ask This Question For Another 4 Years…
Happy Leap Day!
February 29 only comes very four years, which makes it a meaningful time to ask two questions:
What was happening in your business (and life) 4 years ago?
Where will you be in your business (and life) 4 years from now, on February 29, 2024?
Take a minute and think about it.
I’ll give my answer the first question below:
Four years ago, having reached complete overwhelm and burnout in my business, I spent a rainy day journaling and crying, and admitted to myself that it wasn’t working.
I was trying to create a HUGE membership-program (this was in the days of “online business is easy! Just create a funnel and everyone will buy!” coaching), without realizing that building something good and real takes time, building trust and connection.
I had so many hopes tied to this business— and had sunk many, many hours of work (and dollars) into it. I had a real grief-process to go through letting it go— but the alternative was to keep burning myself out.
Two things happened that day that I now see as divine intervention:
I ran into a therapist-friend at a coffee shop, and she let me cry on her shoulder, telling me that there is no shame in failure— she reminded me that she had recovered from a huge “failure” in her love life, one that was embarrassing and public, but had set the stage for her current loving relationship.
The other thing that happened: A colleague called me for some individual business-coaching over the phone. Little did he know, I was sitting in my car in that coffee shop parking lot, with mascara all over my face from the tears, pretending my nasal-sounding voice was a cold, not from crying.
And I nailed it.
I knew exactly how to coach him on that phone-session, and he raved about how helpful the call had been. I felt a tiny little flicker of confidence set in. Just a flicker… but it was just enough to give me some hope.
Four years later, I can look at my 4-years-ago self with compassion, and with the joy of knowing that my “failure” created the conditions for what I really love to do, individual coaching. I now have a coaching business I love, working with motivated, creative, interesting solopreneurs. My work is FUN, not burny-outy— and even better, it’s making money because it’s a joyful business.
I wrote these words in my business-journal after that sad day: “If it’s not fun (even if it’s hard work, still fun), that’s a key indicator that it’s not in alignment with me. It’s not gonna be a source of joy.”
That is still a guiding principle for my business now, one that I try to help my clients keep top of mind so that everything they do— from planning to marketing to running operations— is aligned with who they are and who they want to be.
Where were you four years ago? How can you celebrate how far you’ve come? Are there any places you still feel stuck, or habits you need to shift? Four years goes fast, doesn’t it?
Now for the more important question:
Where do you want to be in four years with your business? How do you want to feel every day? What income do you want to be making? Who do you want to be working with?
Even more important:
What steps are you taking now to make this vision happen? How are you going to make sure you don’t find yourself on the next Leap Day, looking back and realizing that the same old habits and thought-patterns have kept you stuck?
Four years will go fast. Don’t stay stuck. Small shifts and habits can make a big difference in your trajectory. Big shifts have even more impact.
Hit “reply” and tell me, what’s one thing you’ll do now to so that February 29, 2024 you feel pleased rather than regretful?
If you’re not sure what that is, consider taking the, ahem, “leap” to schedule a Clarity Call with me, so that we can discuss what’s possible for you and your business.
I can’t wait to check in with you in 4 years.