The Teddy Bear Menace (And The Future Of Your Business)
Back in 1907, a new menace faced society, one that threatened to unravel the very fabric of civilization:
The Teddy Bear.
The popular toy, named after Teddy Roosevelt (famously outdoorsy), had been created for little boys to play with, but was becoming more and more popular with little girls.
The problem?
Behold, the Harbinger of Doom.
There were fears that girls, abandoning their human-like dolls, would lose their “mothering instinct," and civilization would eventually come to an end.
One preacher inveighed in the newspaper against making “future-women” chuck their desire to raise babies for "these bundles of horridness, the most harmful and repulsive of nature fakes ever perpetrated.”
—I weirdly find comfort knowing that hyperbolic projections in the media aren't a new thing. They didn't start with the growth of cable news; they're an ongoing part of our history.
What I also take from the Teddy Bear Menace is that as humans, we can be appallingly bad at predicting the future.
Does that mean that as a solopreneur, you should throw up your hands and “wait and see” what happens this year in your business?
No way.
Even if you don't know what the future holds, you can take the reins, step into the leader-role of your business, and start to envision what you want to make happen in 2023.
Take some time to pull out a journal or notebook and consider the following questions for your business in 2023.
(Hint: Enjoy this with curiosity and playfulness. Suspend the “judgy/shouldy” or “But that's not practical!” parts of your brain. And be sure to celebrate what you've already accomplished!).
The Questions:
How do you want to FEEL in your business this year?
What are some of the habits or practices that you're going to need to put in place consistently to achieve your vision for your business this year?
What are some of the mindsets or old ways of thinking that you need to release? What do you want to replace them with?
What are 1-3 skills that you want to learn or improve this year in your business?
What is one word, phrase, or "theme" that you'd like to embrace for the coming year?
What is your income goal for 2023?
What kind of support can you put in place for your business/life? Who can you add to your team (bookkeeper, housekeeper, business coach)?
What are some risks you know you'd like to take in your business, and can you choose at least one to commit to taking this year?
How can your business be more FUN this year?
What do you want to be able to say about *who you were* in your business this year, when you look back on 2023 a year from now?
What encouraging words can you give yourself as you start the new year?
I'd love to hear about any insights or “aha” moments you have during this exercise.
(And I hope you get the gift you want this Holiday season, even if it's just a cuddly Teddy Bear (of dooooommm!!!).