The New Year is almost upon us! For many, it’s a time of excitement, new aspirations, and a dream of I CAN DO THIS as you set your business goals. You can feel it in your body, 2022 is going to be YOUR year!
This is our human nature. We want to do well. We want to share our gifts. And we want to do it NOW!
You know you can do this!
“I CAN DO THIS!” Four tiny words I know so well.
Four tiny words, that left unchecked, can stop you from achieving the business success you desire. You’re probably asking yourself, “How can being positive, how can saying I can do something hold me back?”
Maybe you’re even feeling a little tenseness around it. Go ahead, lean into that feeling, but please do keep reading.
“I CAN DO THIS!”
When we overly focus on the feeling of “I CAN DO THIS” –we open ourselves to external forces at play, such as “I’m going to hit $100K. No, scratch that – I’ll go for $250,000!!”
“I CAN DO THIS.”
“I’m going to grow my audience to 10,000. I’ll launch my courses. I’ll launch new products. This is exciting. It’s a game changer.”
“I CAN DO THIS.”
“And while I’m at it, I’ll get published… and that book!”
“I CAN DO THIS!”
Of course, you can do all this. Those are all wonderful goals and aspirations. You can do all that and more if that is what you want. BUT… it might not be on your timeline. It might not even be what you really want, deep down, in your heart.
And that’s where the story begins.
There Are Many External Forces at Play
We are bombarded daily with messages of others’ success. Social postings of dreams fulfilled. “I did it, so can you!!”
We are told how easy it is, just follow this formula. Marketing is no longer limited to billboards, magazine inserts and commercials. Marketing is in almost every post on every social platform. You cannot escape it.
When we desire something, material or internal, we tend to grasp for it. We look at what others are achieving, how they are achieving it, and we want to believe what we see, because that means we can do it too!
If we don’t intentionally slow down, PAUSE, and look deeply at our own needs, our own desires, our own capabilities, we go to the comfortable… the definition of success as defined by others.
The 9 Dangers of “I CAN DO THIS!”
When we allow external forces to drive our sense of I CAN DO THIS, we tend to push through our limitations. As a result, we
- Set goals not aligned with who we are
- Fail to check that our work is in line with our values and beliefs
- Work too many hours
- Push our bodies through fatigue, pain and other symptoms
- Market in ways we’re not comfortable with
- Fail to truly honor our most basic physical and mental needs
- Focus on what others think
- Fear judgement… and then push all the harder
- and Ultimately, sabotage our ability to truly share our gifts
Yes, these points come from experience. I had three business shutdowns between 2008 and 2012 to focus on my physical health. I learned many lessons over those years. Number 1 being to let go of saying “I CAN DO THIS!”
The Solution is Courageous Exploration – Following Your Internal Compass
What I want for you is for you to define your own definition of success and to follow YOUR internal compass. As you set your goals and strategy, listen for and replace the I CAN DO THIS Mindset that might be driven by external forces.
Don’t get me wrong, this whole post is ultimately about being able to achieve your goals. In fact, it’s exactly that, it’s about achieving YOUR goals. Not the goals of others. Not the goals someone in your family thinks you should achieve. Nor what you think your peers expect. No, this is 100% about you!
So How Do You Achieve Your Business Goals?
It’s simpler than you might expect but you have to be willing to do things differently.
There are 6 Things You Must Do Differently
You need to:
- Slow down and be curious
- Envision the lifestyle and business you want in 3-5 years
- Be honest with yourself around any health issues you have and account for those needs
- Know your capabilities
- Be courageous enough to say “I CAN’T DO THAT” around your limitations so you can find unique solutions that work for you
- Plan your strategy for the next 12 months in a way that is aligned with your long-term goals
Too often, we are so attached to our aspirations, that we try to fit them ALL into our current plan. Then we are overwhelmed, we push ourselves, and we fail to achieve our goals. This causes us to doubt ourselves, opens the pathways to comparison, and leads to further doubt.
By letting go of external forces and instead looking inside, allowing yourself to be comfortable with where you are right now, and by aligning your one-year strategy with your long-term strategy, you will be able to achieve your goals. And you will do so in a way that feels aligned and that brings energy to your daily activities.
Curious? Learn more about how my 6-week private coaching program around building YOUR business strategy will help your build a business that supports your HEALTH, WELL-BEING and SUCCESS.
So that YOU CAN live the life you desire.
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