What I like about my business is attracting conscious entrepreneurs whose businesses are evolving. But sometimes we can get stuck in our heads and unconsciously hold ourselves back. People have a lot of “good reasons” for not moving forward. But many of us who are self-aware know that our reasons are often our beliefs, and it’s our beliefs and perceptions that are holding us back.
Here are two common “good reasons” why people don’t move forward, and then an example of an amazing entrepreneur who overcame both and is succeeding beyond her wildest expectations.
Reason: “The smart thing would be to get a job now and then come back to my business later when the economy is better.”
Now I’m not going to refute this reason. The state of the economy is causing lots of changes, and if you need to get a job to pay your mortgage, then it might be a good move.
The thing is, you need to make a decision about what you’re going to do. Too many people spend far too long in contemplation mode. They’re sitting in Starbucks doing their work and thinking about how great and easy it would be to be a barista, serve lattes all day and then go home and not think about work.
You need to make a decision because all that time contemplating can be detrimental to you business: there’s part of you not committed to your business. You’re stuck in this observation mode and you’re not engaged, you’re not “all in.” So if you feel like that at all, make a decision. Draw a line in the sand and decide. And once you decide you can be all in or not. And if you’re not, that’s okay. You may as well stop the agony and get a job and move forward. But it’s the contemplation that’s holding you back.
Reason: “I can’t raise my prices because I just don’t attract the kind of people who want to pay me that much for my services.”
I made a quantum leap in 2009, going from eight years of just below my six figure goal, to making that leap above six figures. But I had to completely throw out the way I was charging for my services and create a new model. And I needed to live on the planet of my mentors – the planet where they charge $10,000 a day or $800 per hour rates.
It’s really important to be able to articulate your benefit to people so they know and understand what they’re investing in. If you’re prices don’t reflect your service and what you deserve, you’ll feel resentful of your clients. And that’s not good for business.
Therese Skelly is a very successful business transformation expert who has more than 20 years of experience in the world of psychotherapy. It took Therese some time to go “all in” on her business and learn to value herself and her services.
Because she had worked for so long in the world of therapy, it was hard for Therese to change her business model. She thought of herself as “only a therapist who had a few business clients,” she said to me. “It was painful how slow the growth of my business came because I wasn’t owning my gift. It took me awfully long time to claim my expert status and stop apologizing for just being a therapist because in reality that’s what made me an expert.”
Once Therese owned her value and started attracting high paying clients, she was no longer in contemplation mode about her business. She went “all in” and has never looked back. Today she teaches other entrepreneurs how to discover their value and shows them how to leverage that value by creating a business around it.
Maybe you see a part of yourself in this scenario? If one of these “good reasons” is holding you back I urge you to take a hard look at it – and yourself. Take some time – but not too much time – to think about where you want to be, and then take some action so you can move forward. And value yourself and your services. Once you do, you’ll be able to get where you want to go.
Entrepreneurship – The Road Less Traveled
I believe that life is a journey, and just like any journey, it has some bumps in the road along the way. For me, those “bumps” came in the form of three layoffs in two years. I thought, “This is my life. I need to create a way for it to support me and bring me freedom and joy.” So… I started on that journey of entrepreneurship.
What I Learned From A Glitch – And A Rabbit
How did I learn how vital it is to be conscious about your marketing? By working with entrepreneurs! In fact, it's the core strategy behind what I teach, and it’s why I named my business Conscious Marketing. But here's where my head got in the way of my heart: I had an extensive marketing background. I played hardball with some of the top advertising agencies. I thought I had it going on! I didn't think I needed any help from a coach or a mentor, because I already had all the answers. I was wrong.
Everyone Needs a Soapbox!
I was kicked out of corporate America. Literally. I was let go three times in two years! It was difficult at the time, but now I see - the struggle had a purpose. Because of that trial, I found my true calling: helping business owners find their voice, get on that soapbox, and attract in their ideal clients like moths to light.
