In the This Week I Learned (TWIL) series, I share with you the things I learned throughout the week.
This week, I had a lot of things in flight, a lot of decisions to make, and exciting deadlines dangling carrots — well, really ice cream — in front of me. There were many challenges in front of me so I was happy I committed to focusing on what I am learning. While it doesn't eliminate the challenges, it does make me take the time to ask "What am I learning?" which puts me in a more positive-focused perspective.
So, let's get into what I learned this week.
Focus on the real value.
Tech & tools is a necessary part of running a business. Websites, email lists, payment processing, video/audio, lighting, & so much more. There is no shortage of people and companies who are ready to sell you things you “must have” to be successful.
It is hard to know what is worth the expense. I am making a lot of assumptions about what will lead to more revenue. Early on in this business, the ROI is not clear and that makes decision-making difficult, especially when I’m a business of 1.
I had to think about a question I could answer that didn’t have a long list of assumptions with it. The one that felt best:
Will this expense allow me to spend more time delivering value to potential and existing clients? If so, how much time?
My goal for this year is to make $35,000. I’m hoping that I can achieve that and would love it if I can achieve that after expenses. While it isn't guaranteed I will, I choose to have the perspective that I will have that celebratory dance this year.
No matter what, my work is about helping people live their most epic life. Staying focused on that will keep me on the right path.
When the going get's tough, take a break!
This was “hustle week” I had a lot of big deliverables I wanted to get done leading into an exciting deadline next week. One of the deliverables was to launch the redesign of my website. The design of it is beautiful and does an amazing job of representing me and my business. The designer gave me the mock-ups and all I had to do was build it.
I ran into SO MANY HURDLES.
Sitting at my desk at 10:30 pm I hit an issue that I was worried meant we would have to make big changes to the design. I was frustrated, disappointed, and felt so hopeless at that moment. If my partner was awake, I am sure I would have gone to him for a big hug & cry.
What was I going to do now?
I decided: Time to step away. Get away from the computer. Go get some sleep. Come back in the morning and see what appears.
The next morning, I drank a big glass of water — stay hydrated folks — and went back to the problem. Coming back with fresh eyes, I saw an easy solution, put it in place, and later that day launched the website!
I really didn’t want to step away from the computer that night. I wanted to power through and figure it out. What I learned is that the best thing I can do when things are super tough is take a break from it.
Let yourself be celebrated.
I'm double dipping on the website redesign. :)
I got on a call with my main collaborator minutes after publishing my new site. I shared my screen and showed them the site. I highlighted my favorite parts. I celebrated what I learned. I applauded getting over the many hills.
Normally, I would have tried to stop the celebration. I would have felt uncomfortable being the center of attention. I would have wondered “am I bragging or showing off too much?”. This time, I decided I was going to let myself be celebrated and see what happens.
It felt amazing!
My friend celebrated with me. They shouted so loud their partner came in to check that they were ok! They had me dancing in my chair, applauding myself, and fully experiencing my own awesomeness.
Getting to celebrate myself this way helped me see all the work I put in and get excited about all I will do next.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of these, as well as what YOU learned this week.
Happy Learning,
Autumn