CwL Ep66: Purpose Friday

Sydney, you’re obviously in your extended lockdown up there [inaudible]. Brisbane, you’ve just come out of one. South Australia, could happen to you any day. Same goes with you guys in WA, in Perth. But here’s the thing. If you’re watching this, this is specifically for people who are their own boss. We have a specific set of challenges. Everyone is challenged at this time. This is not easy. No one that I know is like, “Woo, best time ever,” like living it up. Well, if you are like that, I certainly don’t know you.

We have to motivate ourselves. We have to create our own momentum. It has to come from within us. And if you’ve been following along on my journey, you know that I’ve had to keep things going with this business through some pretty intense times. Like I thought launching my first e-course with two toddlers and a baby, like she was about 10 weeks old. What the hell? When I did my first ever 21-day whole foods challenge, I had a baby and two toddlers. It was nuts. I thought that was challenging. I thought moving interstate was challenging. I thought supporting my husband with his mental health and addiction issues was challenging. A marriage separation. I mean, that was challenging. There was a lot going on there.

Obviously then if you’ve also been following the story, his passing in September 2019, and through all of that, things kept going. There were a few really key reasons why, and I’m actually preparing a workshop that’s going to be happening on Monday 23rd August for people who are running their own business, where I’m going to go into this stuff in more detail. But for today, I just wanted to give you something. Like through all of that, it was almost easier than 2021, which has been harder, almost, than 2020. I’m sharing this because I know I’m not alone. And you might even be shocked to hear that, but I really want you to know that for people running their own business, this is really presenting a certain set of challenges.

Now, listen. I am speaking specifically to people, they’re providing services or products that you can deliver, sell online. For those of you who have physical stores and those sorts of things. My heart is honestly broken for you. I don’t know how you’re coping with all of this. I’m sending you all of my love. But here’s the thing. Here’s one thing that gets me motivated. One thing that I tell myself that gets me back into gear when this sort of stuff starts to go down. When I’m like, “Another seven days.” Another seven days with my three children home with me, and I’m trying to do home learning with them. I’m trying to run my business. I’m trying to do all the things. Wearing all the hats. Like so many of us are. What I truly feel, is that the fact that I run my own business is that, that right now is an extraordinary privilege.

I mean, it’s beyond, right? And the fact that I can run it online and that I can work it around my kids. it might not be happening in the easiest way, but I can do it. So what I say to myself, if this is helpful for you, is that I get to work on my business. Not, “How the fuck am I going to work on my business?” It’s like, I get to. I get to. How lucky am I? I am so, so privileged. So are you. You’ve also done some pretty hard yards to get to the place where you are either ready to create and sell, or you’re already in the zone of finding customers, creating experiences or products for them. And you might have a team. I really want you to acknowledge. I often need to come back and go like, “No, we’ve done hard things before. We’ve got ourselves to this point. Now what’s going to get us to the next?” Here’s what I come back to, time and time and time again, is I get to work on my business.

Which also leads to the other thing that I find hugely motivating when I need a little bit of a kick, is that you think about when you’re feeling like crap, what is one thing that makes you feel better no matter what? For me, what always makes me feel good better, is helping people. You know when you feel really bleh. But gee, I remember that that friend has a really busy weekend. So maybe I should just touch base and see if I can take their kid to soccer practise and take that thing off their list, to do. Or someone’s going through a really hard time and you make a double batch of your dinner and you can drop it off to them. And it makes you feel better.

It’s like a selfish thing to do sometimes, to help other people when you need a little hit of feeling good. So when I, in my business, am feeling that lethargy or that, “Oh God, I don’t even know how to show up.” I’ll be like, “Well, who can I help today? Who can I serve? Me getting out of my own way and showing up, how might that help someone? What have I got to share? What’s one thing I can do? How can I use this platform to put something good out into the world?” It helps every single time.

And it’s available to you. If if you have a platform, serve. What do you know that will help someone? Share it. Just share. Don’t overthink it, make it fancy and fit into a grid or anything like that. Just show up and help people because it’s going to give you a lift. And I very much think, if you look at frequency and our own internal vibration and that sort of stuff. When we start to creep it up and we’ve got to find ways to do it. And I’ll be sharing more of these on that workshop, I’m just literally gathering it all together right now. Not only do you shift, but other people start shifting around you. You can literally have a ripple effect just by showing up to serve, showing up to help. In whichever way, whichever context that is for your business. It matters.

So the last thing that I wanted to say, because I’m going to keep these short and sharp because… Whoa, there’s a child. Oh, amazing. So I’m recording this for you. Okay. Bring it in. So this is a podcast recording and I’m recording it to video and this is what we’re all dealing with right now. So this is a papier-mache balloon. We’re going to pop the balloon tomorrow when it dries and we’re creating a pinata.

Child: Yay.

Lisa: Okay. So come in here, say hello to everybody.

Child: Hi.

Lisa: Say hi on the podcast. I don’t think you guys have ever been on the podcast, but now that’s enough. And I need to finish it, because we’ve got to go to the dentist in 15 minutes.

Child: It looks like a beehive.

Lisa: It does look like a beehive. You’ve done a great job, I’m very proud of you.

Child: It really does.

Lisa: #businessin2021. And this is the thing. We’ve just got to go with the flow. So when it comes to strategy, here’s something that I want to leave you with today. When we’re pushed for time, when we’re really feeling pushed. Here’s what I ask myself when it comes to working in and on my business. Three different questions that I want you to take one action on. Any of these. Okay? I want you to think about one action that might help you create leads, find new customers for your business. What might that look like? It could look like creating a little checklist, an opt-in or something like that. And getting people onto your email list. It might look like creating a reel on Instagram. Oh my God. All the pointing. I can’t. It might look like reaching out to someone to ask them to be on their podcast. Right? So anything. Anything to get you in front of more people. How could you create more leads for your business?

Secondly, what could you do right now to serve your customers with a little bit extra? Give them a little bit of extra something. Make sure that their experience is enriched a little bit with you. Because they’ll be telling their friends, that they’ve got this thing or they’re a part of this thing or whatever. How can you love on your people right now?

And the third thing is how could you create a little value-add for past customers? Who could you get in touch with right now to check in with them and offer them something new? Is there a pool of people that you have, that have been your customers before, and might be really excited about something that you’ve got coming next, or a new product line that you’re about to launch, or you’re looking for testers, for something new. And these people have been amazing customers of your business before and would love to hear from you in that kind of way.

So create the leads, love on your current people and get in contact with those who have worked with you before. There’s three things you can do. Those three things have the potential to move the needle in your business. And they don’t necessarily have to take up too much of your time. Right? We have to create momentum where it matters. Stop faffing, do the things that move the needle. I’m going to be bringing more ideas like this to you if you need them. Because I know so many of you do.

Of course, if you’ve listened to this and there’s things that you want to hear from me in this sort of space, then let me know. Otherwise, keep your eye out for the announcement of the workshop. It’s going to be a Zoom call. You’re going to absolutely love it. I’m calling it a momentum session and it’s happening on a Monday morning. And it’s going to set your week up to feel very, very different. And it doesn’t matter what’s going on externally. We’re all professionals here and we all need to continue to keep things moving no matter what’s happening, all right? I’m practised at this. I can help you and I’ll make sure I do that very, very soon. Okay. See you guys.

Hey, I hope you enjoyed that session. Guess what? I’ve got more things coming for you. I have been contacted by so many people who were struggling with momentum, to drive the things that they’re passionate about forward in 2021, so stay tuned. I’ve got more coming for you. It’s not long. It’s just that I’m getting it organised amongst home learning, lock downs, all the things. I’ll be in touch with more very, very soon.