#HWPO

Whenever we’re digging in to a new level of effort to accomplish something big, we tap into an identity. We all have a hard-working, dig deep, laser focused, push further, keep going and get out of my f***ing way identity. What I’ve come to learn is that a lot of us can be sloppy in doing it that we do it reactively or by chance. Whereas truly great (GOAT) athletes have mental/emotional imagery and physical habits that trigger that identity before they put in the work and before they step on the competition floor.

I see this when I watch Mat Fraser. Aka Mr Hard Work Pays Off #HWPO. He is the 4-time champion of the CrossFit Games and going for his 5th win (which will be a first for any athlete). He has the great mix of loving working hard in his gym day in and day out AND amping up for the competition floor.

When I watch him, whether it’s training, interviews or competing, I tap into that part of me. And thinking of him, other athletes and business heros, it’s given me something to reflect on and test. I’ve tested visualization methods, daily habits, sayings, physical movements and more. My goal is to turn it on - quickly and to the core. Being crystal clear on those simple, short things that turn it on QUICKLY means more easily tapping into it, more of the day, regardless of the goal or the circumstance.

I love what I do and I have big dreams to keep the good times rolling.

100 Days Until…

Sept 23rd is 100 days until the end of the year AND the beginning of 2021!

I like fun ‘challenges’, ‘goals’, ‘resolutions’, etc. It can seem silly or arbitrary from the surface to some. To me, it can be that extra oomph in going after something we want. Or it can help us focus on an area enough that to make progress. Forget past challenges, goals, resolutions, etc. attempts. The negative energy of that is not welcome now. Don’t judge what happened before. We are different than before. We learn. We grow. We are in a different time right now that might be all the right factors combined for a 100 day challenge on that area and to see progress and progress that lasts.

2020 has been a weird, challenging year for everyone. Everyone. Even the most positive thinking, can-do people have not been immune to 2020 throwing a wrench in plans and goals and moods. If it feels right, do something for the last 100 days. Right now, it feels like a changing of energy going on right now with a lot of people. Build on that! It could be a great time to do a 100 day challenge in one area to really focus on something important and give it that extra kick to make it exciting, a little more challenging (stretch goal) and to round out 2020 on a high note.

So decide if Wednesday is the start of your 100 day challenge to ________.

‘When’ to get support

‘When’ is key in getting support/ help. I have shifted more and more to instead of asking ‘should I…” to “when would I…”. ‘When’ takes it from Yes/No to focusing in on the conditions in which a yes feels right. It paints the picture of the situation under which you would get help.

I’m going to skip saying how we all need to open up to getting support/help more or saying all the benefits. Even that sentence makes me go ‘I know I know’. Instead…here’s what helped my decision to hire an assistant! And it’s going great!

What made the decision a strong yes was remembering an HBR article on time versus energy management. The article focused on that although it can be more straightforward to schedule our day by the clock yet we all know that there are times we fly through tasks because we’re in the right energy. It’s not because we are any smarter that day versus earlier in the week. It is harder though to trigger the type of energy we need for tasks because that requires a deeper level of self-awareness and discipline. Ever since reading the article a few years ago, I have leaned more into this idea and that’s where I’ve learned new things around setting up energy for tasks. Some thing have been morning routines, the Disney Strategy and removing tasks from my day that take me away from my zone of genius (Check out a Forbes article on zone of genius and Gay Hendricks for more on that).

By asking ‘when would I get support/ help’, it helped me to focus on where I am going next and where I need to focus now to get there…and what tasks to delegate. I love what I do and I want to do more of it. I don’t want to do things that I’m capable of doing but that pulls on my energy and keeps me from spending more and more time on what I love. …And hey, there is someone else that loves to do that work so let them do it (I am!). Consider when you would get help with that thing that is draining you. It might be sooner than you think. Just because we can do a piece of work doesn’t mean we should. Get creative. Find someone. Spend more time in your zone of genius.

A peewee pep talk to my party people

It’s easy as a business owner or earlier as an entrepreneur-to-be to feel guilt about not doing all the things. Many businesses start and take off because the idea is GREAT. You are not an anomaly that your business took off despite not having it all figured out. Businesses take off everyday that do NOT have a complete business plan or because all the marketing and operations are figured out. The core of who you are and what you started was enough that the business took off. As the business has grown, things like marketing, finances, operational efficiencies and more were dabbled with and improved. Kinda logical, right…

Yet ideas of what a ‘good’ business owner looks like remain - that all parts of the business need to be great before being a good business owner. This guilt clouds one’s ability to see the path.

I have seen many businesses and all are strong in a few areas. Growing, learning and improving comes in stages. Just like crawling to walking to running to finishing a marathon, progress happens in stages. Being better than yesterday means knowing today’s stage. It means knowing which part of the business needs extra focus right now and working consistently at that.

We all know this however the little guilt from ideas formed years ago, lingers on. I share this 1:1 with people and I share it here for you. You are killing it! Don’t wait to think of yourself as a good business owner until all the things are figured out. You already are. The things that helped you get this far, will remain. Leaning into a new area can feel off-balance. Lean in to the growth and learning of it. It’s a new stage that you are ready for and you need to grow your business.