I believe that knowing what you don’t want in your Next Chapter business is perhaps the most vital ingredient for clarity.
This wholehearted truth was reinforced again to me over the weekend when I spent some time chatting with a fellow Mum and budding entrepreneur on the sideline of our daughters soccer game.
Alison (the name I’ll choose use in this post) has been toying with the idea of starting her own business for some time now. She has the most amazing background, an absolute wealth of experience and skills that can certainly be harnessed as a strong foundation for her Next Chapter Business. But she’s been holding back – after all, a big leap such as this is not something you can make on a whim.
That’s very true. Big change does take contemplation.
But here’s the thing.
The desire has not gone away. Not in all the months I’ve known Alison. It sat quietly in the background for some time. And then it got a little tired of waiting to be acknowledged and stomped up to stand resolutely centre stage, waving a BIG FLAG.
But still, Alison held back.
She thought perhaps it was the environment she was in that was the problem. Maybe it was not the work itself that, but the employer, the environment that was causing the dissatisfaction?
And so she left and got another position in another company. That was easy, because she is so good at what she does, and did I mention her most amazing background, an absolute wealth of experience and skills???
Discontent is a sign that change is needed
On the first day in the new job she had that familiar sinking feeling and a month later, it’s still there. A deep sense of disappointment and frustration.
And that, dear reader, has actually been a gift for her.
Because now she understands, as she excitedly shared with me, that she needed this experience to make it really clear to her what she doesn’t want. Abundantly clear! And it is that clarity that will now provide the Future Fuel she needs to consciously create her Next Chapter.
I’m really confident that her Business Vision, the one that has been patiently, but with an increasing sense of urgency, waving the flag all this time, will now have the chance to be brought to life.
I’m not suggesting that Alison, with a wild TOWANDA whoop, needs to march up to her boss and QUIT tomorrow.
Though I have to admit, I do rather love that image, being such a fan of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café – you too?
The exciting thing for Alison is that her transition into her Next Chapter Business can now truly begin as she begins to build her Business Vision and identify the actions she needs to take to bring it to life, to design it around her values and desires as well as the gaps she can see in the current market that she wants to fill and the clients that she most wants to take care of.
I won’t share all the details, but suffice to say that the Real Estate Market needs Alison and I can’t wait to see her Vision unfold!
How about you?
Do you know what you don’t want?
Can you articulate it?
And then flip it, so that you can define what you do want?
Another conversation came up today about this topic, so it is obviously an important one right now. I was talking with a colleague about Wholehearted Marketing – the idea of following the feelings of joy and ease when it comes to choosing the marketing strategies and tactics that you utilise in your business.
Suffice to say, if a marketing activity you are contemplating feels heavy and you find yourself procrastinating and ruminating, perhaps you should consider something else? Think about the outcome you’re looking to achieve – how else could that goal be reached in a way, with a method or approach, that feels more enticing to you?
Once again, you can rely on the “Don’t Want, Do Want” philosophy. I guarantee, when you have clarity on how you don’t want to market yourself and your business, your options, the ones that make you feel good and a wee bit excited to get started, will become oh so much clearer.
And clarity is priceless in a business world bursting at the seams with marketing options!
Start simple.
Check in with yourself.
What don’t you want?
Can you articulate it?
And then flip it, so that you can define what you do want?
Because taking action is then so much easier.
