In my last post, I laid out my plan for increasing my average monthly revenue by about 40% by the end of 2018.
I discussed all of the foundational work I put in place during the fourth quarter to set both myself and the business up to reach this target.
But one question many people I’ve shared this goal with have had is,“why such a long runway to reach the target?”
This question warrants a three-part answer:
- My own personal preferences and my ongoing journey to be kinder to myself.
- My experience that things take time to percolate and very often a lot more time than we anticipate
- The external demands on my time force me to be more realistic about what I can accomplish at this stage in my life
So let’s dig into these!
Why personal preferences matter
There are so many gurus out there that preach starving for goals in the fastest method possible. They argue a fast and intense approach is best and you’re wasting valuable time if you don’t go all out.
Here’s the thing though, this approach, while perfectly valid, doesn’t always match personal preferences. I have heard countless times from clients how much pressure they feel to hustle, hustle, hustle and get it done in the minimal time frame.
And I get that, I’ve lived it countless times too, in my business and in my clients’ businesses. But over the last year, I’ve realized my extreme focus on getting it done leads me to overwork myself and my team. I’ve been on the receiving end of that in prior jobs and it was miserable.
I’ve also set a goal of being kinder to myself in all ways so setting a gentler pace towards these goals was also very important to me. I am on a journey to creating a more fulfilling life that provides all the things I crave, not just a life that emphasizes achievement.
As an overachiever generally obsessed with checking things off a to do list, I know my tendencies are always towards doing too much. So, I intentionally decided to establish a slower pace this time to support me in my path to change.
The best things take time
During my last nearly decade working in the online world I’ve seen that things almost always take far more time than we anticipate — especially when done well.
I’ve been a part of so many launches, product creations, program starts, and new offerings where the emphasis was on speed and just getting it done. While they were generally a success, there were often fraught with way more stress and anxiety than necessary. They very often underestimated the sheer scope of the project at the outset which led to breakdowns in the execution and delivery that were preventable.
However, on other projects where more realistic time frames were established, there was the space to properly plan and pivot as needed.
Here, the end results were nearly always better and the process was smoother overall. So this is the type of plan and timeline I wanted to establish for myself.
Considering my external reality
This is something I encourage my clients to always do, so it was important I walk my own talk. It is entirely unproductive to make plans and set goals that do not take into consideration your full picture.
There are a often seasons of our life with more flexibility just as there are ones with less.
As a mother to two young daughters, I have to take into account all the demands of homework activities and providing a nurturing environment for them to grow up in. To add to this, my husband often travels for work for extended research trips so I have long stretches of very limited support.
Lastly, we live abroad which means I also frequently travel long distances for clients and business development.
I list these out not to complain but to show you an example of how to look at the big picture. While these are not directly business related, they can and should, impact how I run my business.
I started this business to support my lifestyle, as I’m sure many of you did, which is why I value making business decisions around the type of life I want.
So to wrap things up, I encourage you to set your wants and needs high on the priority list — even if it seems to fly in the face of all the common advice you may hear.
In the long run, these types of plans will likely pay off more frequently and more substantially than the alternative.