CwL Ep70: Purpose Friday

Hey. Welcome to another one of our Purpose Friday podcasts. You know what? I had something else planned for today’s episode, and I decided to change my mind, and here’s why. I was waiting for a really good time to record this podcast, a time where there would be quiet, a time where I wouldn’t get interrupted, a time where I might have washed my hair instead of just showing up with a whole load of dry shampoo. So what I discovered, as I’m listening to my children play outside my window, is that there is no perfect time.

There actually never is a perfect time to press go on things. Don’t you reckon? There can always be a reason why we stop. And so, I mean, a few things on the back of that. And one is that if you’ve experienced an extended period of lockdown and you’ve been trying to grow your business, show up to work, do those things, and there’s been children around, there has been a changed work situation, things that you might have been preparing to deliver in person that you are now doing online, everything’s felt kind of funky, you might be embarrassed at your backdrop or lack of, things just haven’t been ideal. And what I feel is the benefit of this is this new embracing of the whole of us at work, the whole of us in business. If I show up all the time here and talk outside the context of what is actually really going on, it’s of no service to anyone.

I listened to a podcast this morning in the 15-minute walk I had by myself and it was someone who I’ve followed a sort of on and off. She’s in the US. She’s a business coach and someone who helps people grow their businesses. She doesn’t do the same sort of thing that I do in my business. I’ve never worked with her, but I’m always interested in what she has to say. And she’s in the US and she was explaining that she’s getting her podcast back up and running. Her kids are going to be going back to school and she’s creating a bit more space. And I thought literally everyone has had to change things, has had to adapt and allow their real lives, their personal lives to seep into their businesses. And she said, “Look, you might hear kids in the background and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.” And I kind of reckon this is a great thing. The humanising of people you see online, whether they be leaders, or coaches, or experts. I mean, isn’t it just so freaking refreshing to hear that people are dealing with the same things that you are.

And I’m saying this because maybe your people are wanting that from you too. Maybe it’s not that the more you try to turn up as a brand that sort of sits outside any other form of reality, it almost puts a distance between you and the people that you’re trying to serve. Now, I’m not saying do things like I do them at all. I’m just saying there’s an opportunity… That’s my kids now trying to get inside. They’re letting each other in. That will humanise and potentially grow your business when people feel like you’re experiencing the same challenges that they’re experiencing.

I was actually interviewed on ABC radio earlier in the week and the journalist had seen the little snippet that I put on Instagram where my kids came in, the papier-mache incident. I don’t know if you remember it? I think it was the first Purpose Friday podcast I did and they wanted to talk about that and I got interrupted. And that actual snippet is on radio national now as the entry into a story about parents trying, who are kind of hoping that kids can get back to school eventually, to show the juggle and that nothing has to be done in the way that it’s always been done during these crazy times.

But it’s the humanness that I really want you to think about. Bringing yourself, your actual real life challenges, not necessarily… I mean, look, I’ve done a crying in the toilet Instastory or two over the years and whenever I do stuff like that people really respond. But I don’t do it just for the sake of doing it, I do it quite strategically to connect with the women who I aim to serve in my business, to say, “Hey, you’re normal, this happens, and this is our way through it.” Or because I talk specifically about moving through the stories that are keeping you stuck and I talk a lot, obviously, about grief and using a whole set of tools that have helped me get through particularly hard times or just experience life more to the full, it’s in context with my brand.

So I just wanted to pose that as a challenge for you as a business owner. Are you talking honestly? Are you connecting? Are you humanising your communications with people? Are you giving them something to feel an insight into you that might lead to that kind of know, like, trust factor?

But on the other side, can we celebrate what this is doing for families? What the home… I guess lockdowns and our changing life amongst COVID because we don’t know what it’s going to bring in the future. Do you feel it too? That there’s this wall’s coming down kind of vibe and that people are being seen in the context of their homes as we connect more and more via Zoom and things like that and what a gift that that can actually be to us. I know it’s also like I bet you wish you could just hop in the car, or on the train, or walk to work, or ride your bike to work, be there for eight hours, get some stuff done. I totally get that. I’m not saying that there’s not hardships involved in working from home, especially when children are there as well, but I don’t know.

I guess as I was waiting here for the perfect time to record, and I mean now they’re just come downstairs and they’ve put on something on the TV and I’ve got no idea what it is, and I’m just still here talking to you and humanising for you, that you don’t have to wait for the perfect time, for a perfect face of makeup or washed hair to be able to show up and serve people. Just show up and be helpful and get the things that you need to get done done, in the context that you’re currently living. Any kind of standard that you are holding to be able to get that stuff done is on you. You can lower those standards at any time. And let me assure you, the people around you, the people that you’re wanting to serve, the people who are seeking a connection with you and are seeking to understand who you are, so that they can trust that you’re the right person to help them, they’ll be breathing a sigh of relief. They’ll be cheering you on. They’ll be grateful that you’re showing them the way.

So, that’s it from me. That is our little Purpose Friday. I’d love to know if enjoying these little snippet podcast episodes. I know we’re really excited to be kicking off Momentum on Monday. Hey, I know that this launches on a Friday and we closed the doors yesterday, but if you’re struggling to make things happen in 2021 amongst all of the craziness, or you just want to work with someone and a crew for 90 days to get things done that might be on your to-do list and might’ve been on your to-do list for a long time, there’s actually an amazing group of women who have gathered together for this experience over the next three months. Just email us, email me, lisa@lisacorduff.com and I would be more than happy to sneak you in. But don’t leave it like… I mean, Friday. Come on, we’ve got it. We’re kicking off Monday with our first Momentum session, which I’m really, really looking forward to. So if you’ve missed any details about that, just email us and sneak you in. Bit cheeky. I shouldn’t be saying that. My team are probably like, “What is she doing?” Okay. Much love.