As entrepreneurs, we’re told that we need to make plans and have goals. We need deadlines and accountability. We need commitment and consistency. And on, and on, and on, right? Have you heard all these things before? If you’ve been following me for a while, then you’re probably thinking… yeah, Erin, I’ve heard some of those things from you! Yep, guilty-as-charged. Because I believe all of that is true, some of the time.
However, there’s something else that I think most entrepreneurs aren’t told but desperately need to hear. You also need some grace.
Yep, Grace, because we are often so hard on ourselves! Grace is the gift we give ourselves to ensure we stay committed to our path. Grace is how we redefine what we’ve been told are our measures of success or failure. You set a goal to get 10 new clients last month, but you only got 6. Honey, you got SIX new clients! That’s awesome! If you put every ounce of effort into getting those six clients, then grace means giving yourself permission to celebrate your accomplishment rather than lament that six isn’t ten. You put in the effort with your whole heart and commitment, and you can choose a brand new goal for next month.
What grace doesn’t mean is that we become unfocused, wishy-washy, or dabblers… not at ALL. We can find our sweet spot, our middle ground. How can we be completely committed and consistent without driving ourselves absolutely crazy?
Why is this lesson is essential for every entrepreneur to learn? Let me share the story of how I became a “recovering Type-A” entrepreneur…
My Personal Breakdown
In 2005, I had finished my graduate school program, was 2 years into building Living Peace (my first company), and finally had ALL of my time available to grow my business. Well, I went kinda crazy! I came up with this service offering that I thought was brilliant, and I threw myself into researching, planning, and marketing it. I became a complete workaholic, truly. From the moment I woke up in the morning until long past when I should have gone to bed (aka 12-2am) I was working on my business. It was September, and I made a decision that I was going to launch that new service by January … come hell, or high water.
I thought it would be like finals time in grad school. You hit the books hard for a while, and then it’s done. What I failed to recognize is that Finals period in school is like 2-3 weeks, not 4+ months. I LOVED my business and the service I was building, so it didn’t even feel like work at the time. I was having so much fun!
Then, Thanksgiving came around. That November I was supposed to be with my boyfriend and his family in Vermont. I drove up the day before, slept horribly, and by the next morning I was a wreak! I was curled up, sobbing, in fetal position on the floor. I had been working virtually non-stop for months, and now I was supposed to turn on the charm and be social with 20 people from his extended family. This inherent introvert was TAPPED OUT. I was toast. Full melt-down mode.
He tried to help. He tried to talk to me, but I wasn’t even coherent enough to explain what was wrong. I didn’t really know what was wrong! All I knew was the idea of having to be social and talk to people that day was utterly overwhelming!
Those of you who know me somewhat might be completely baffled. After all, when I’m ready and well-rested, then I can be the life of the party. I can turn on my social skills and charm fairly easily… in the right circumstances. That Thursday morning was far from the right circumstances. In fact, after completely unspooling on my boyfriend’s bedroom floor, I literally grabbed my bag, car keys, and drove away to the closest hotel I could find. I hid there for the next 2 days, crying, sleeping, and reflecting on what the HECK was wrong with me.
That was when I realized that this was a problem of my own making. I was pushing myself too hard. The deadline I created to launch the service in January was entirely self-imposed, but I had attached so much meaning to that goal. Was I going to be less of a person? Less successful in business? Less committed to my clients if I postponed the launch for a couple months?
Did it mean that I was a failure because I didn’t reach that goal on that particular day of the year?
Of course not.
Lesson #1: Commit to the Outcome not the Date
Why am I sharing this very personal and somewhat vulnerable story with you? Because I know that some of you have been there too, or might be right now heading over this specific cliff yourself. Part of the challenge as an entrepreneur is that often you don’t know what you don’t know. Particularly when you’re building a new service offering, or changing business models, or making some major shift in your business.
There are a LOT of new pieces to learn, new systems to create, and new tasks that hit your Master List. Often you have to get down the development road to even know how big this project will truly be for you. And, if you’re still a solo-entrepreneur, then it’s ALL on your shoulders! Every new task lands on your plate.
Even if you have a couple team members, you’re still sailing the ship, and it’s easy to not realize all the stops you will have to make and detours involved on this specific journey. After all, it’s likely that you’ve never done something quite like this before.
So, here’s the first huge lesson that I took away from my personal breakdown, which influences all my decisions even today over a decade later: Commit to the Outcome, not the Date.
I’ve built and sold a six-figure business. I’ve been an entrepreneur for almost 16 years, as of this writing. What matters most is that you are full-on, no-holds barred, committed to creating what’s core to your business (and your life.) But, you give yourself some grace about exactly when and how that outcome shows up in your world. You commit to making it happen as rapidly as possible. You put consistent, intentional work toward it each week, but you don’t let any arbitrary, self-created deadlines create unnecessary or unmanageable levels of stress.
Now, I know some of you are saying, “But if I’m planning a course launch, then there have to be dates and deadlines! I have to know when the cart opens and closes, when the modules will be delivered, etc.” (Shout out to all my DCA tribe who are living this issue right now. For those of you wondering, DCA, what? Amy Porterfield’s Digital Course Academy. If you think you want to create a course-based business, then it’s an awesome program, and you definitely want to get on her waitlist.)
So, you deadline-driven, pressure-lovers. You’re right, it’s true that some things have to have deadlines. But, here’s when I’m going to share the second key lesson that can help you.
Lesson #2: Create the Shape, but Hold It Loosely
There’s a point at the beginning of any new project when you’re committed to creating the outcome, but you barely have any idea what that’s going to involve. So, you create a “straw-man” timeline that perhaps feels like a reachable challenge. But, if you get down the road and realize that this project is much bigger than you ever imagined, that’s when you remember to “hold it loosely.” You created that original timeline; you can change it.
You created an intentional shape for this project in your life, but don’t let it lead you into a personal breakdown. It’s truly not worth it. Honest truth, it took me several months to recover from my Thanksgiving debacle, and that service launch that I had thrown my heart and soul into in the fall of 2005 never happened. By the time I picked myself up and looked around at my business and future, I realized that while that offering was interesting, exciting, and fun for me… I had failed to fully validate it. *doh* beginners mistake! (Remember, I was only in business for about 2 years at that point.)
So, I reconnected with the core of the business I had built in those first two years, and less than 6 months later I was fully booked with clients and brought on my first professional organizer subcontractor to work with my clients. In this case, I “let go” of my original huge project, and it was the right decision. However, there’s one more lesson learned that I want to share from a few years later.
Lesson #3: Stay Committed, Even When You’re Disappointed
Fast forward ten years later in business. It was 2015, I went full-throttle again to create and launch my first digital course. I created a 4-video mini-course-style launch (a la Jeff Walker or Marie Forleo). We decided to presell it, so I recorded, edited, and planned all the marketing for this awesome program.
However, at the time, Chosen Course had a truly tiny email list. Well, our Facebook Ads strategy tanked (having never done ads before *doh*,) and I only converted 4% of my list (which I now know is a respectable conversion rate for a first-time launch & first time course creator.) But, I was so devastated that the revenue & number of attendees was going to be so small that I simply gave up. I refunded the people who bought and cancelled the program. Big mistake, and I regret that decision now.
I have no idea how different my business and life would be now had I recommitted and moved forward with creating that program, but probably very different.
Had I committed fully to creating the program and launching it multiple times over the next couple years, I know that our results would have improved with every launch, and my business would likely be in a very different shape right now.
So, what’s the lesson here? Commit FULLY to the long-term outcome, even when the immediate result didn’t meet your expectations. I let the fact that I didn’t meet my revenue goal for that first launch completely dishearten me from the business model path I had chosen, and I went back to focusing on my 1:1 services.
What I failed to recognize four years ago is that I needed to commit to the outcome of creating a course-based business, not to the specifics of having a successful first launch. If you get through the finish line of your project and didn’t get the results you were hoping for, then yes, occasionally you go back to the drawing board. Particularly, if you realize that you might have missed a major step (like validating your idea).
But, sometimes it simply means it’s time to wash, rinse, repeat and do it again. Take a few deep breaths, reflect on what you want to do differently, and make the next launch even better.
What’s Next?
Now, why am I sharing all these stories with you right now? Because I’m going to put the public stake in the ground and tell you that we’re back on track and creating a new program that we’ll be launching Fall 2019. As we get closer I’ll let you know more specifics to decide whether it might be right for you.
But, for now, I’ll just tell you that this course will help location-independent entrepreneurs create the five core elements you need for the business and lifestyle you deserve.
We’re ALL IN to launch this program in 2019 and again in 2020 and beyond. I’m committed to helping even more entrepreneurs create the core systems that will both scale their businesses and provide the freedom to enjoy the lifestyle that they passionately want to create for themselves (and for their travel partners and families!)
So, if you want to make sure that you hear more about this course and the brand new, free masterclass I’m creating too, then click on the button below and make sure you hear more as we’re ready to share it.
Regardless of whether this course rings your professional (and personal) bells, I hope the three lessons I learned the hard way will help you create even more success and even less stress in your business journey.
1. Commit to the Outcome, Not the Date
2. Create the Shape, But Hold It Loosely
3. Stay Committed, Even When You’re Disappointed
If you recognize the truth of these lessons in your own current or past experiences, then please share your story or Ah-ha’s in the comments below.
We all like to know that we’re not alone, and if you’ve got a BIG outcome you’re working toward right now, then I’d love to cheer you on too!
