Don’t be your own worst client

DON’T BE YOUR OWN WORST CLIENT

I’m a raving fan of business coaches. I’ve worked with some phenomenal teachers over the years, and I could go on and on about how, as business owner, there’s no better investment than getting high-level, experienced support and guidance. There’s nothing like working with someone with expertise in finance, operations, team-building and leadership whose job it is to “show you the way.”

But, the truth is, sometimes the best thing they can do is holler at you.

For years, I’ve been filling notebooks with ideas and plans and strategies that will change the world. Never-ending lists of projects that would have me excitedly jumping out of bed in the morning, and are constant reminders as to why I choose to do what I do. A living, breathing blueprint that guides me in being true to my purpose and committed my craft, and ways to bring amazing people into my world to do amazing things and achieve amazing goals.

In a recent fit of frustration, I admitted to my business coach that I’ve been neglecting my prized notebooks. They’ve been gathering dust for more than a year. I was whining that I’ve been too buried in the day-to-day of growing our company, and I was tired and discouraged because it didn’t seem “worth it” to even pull those notebooks out because I never seemed to have the time to pursue any of those ideas. To make matters worse, every time a fun new idea floated to the top of my head, I squashed it with the excuse-of-all-excuses … I just didn’t have the time. In my mind, I couldn’t justify chasing something fun or risky or forward-thinking when the only thing I was worried about was getting through everything on my list today.

I think I even squeezed out a tear as I was talking.

However, instead of sympathy, my business coach yelled at me. I mean, she hollered.

It was the verbal slap in the face I needed to snap me out of my self-imposed pity party.

She accused me of being my own worst client, and she wasn’t wrong. Our entire purpose here at Rescue Desk is to take on regularly scheduled operational or marketing projects for our clients so they have time and space to focus on their own respective idea notebooks. Our whole job is to talk to each client every week and ask three questions: What’s on your to-do list this week? What can we take off your plate? What system or procedure can we create to keep this going for you?

We do this because we know how invaluable those idea notebooks are to entrepreneurs. It’s what drives them to grow, to improve, to take risks, to recover from failure, to take the next step, to build something great.

And here I was … not practicing what I constantly preach. I was, in effect, my own worst client.

Which brings me to today.

Writing gets a lot of love in my idea notebooks. I love to share my story and the things I see and learn with the hope that someone might relate. I love reading others’ stories. I love how words are used to connect and inspire and teach and motivate and make people laugh or roll their eyes.

This blog has been maintained in fits in starts over the years, but it’s high time I take my own advice and make it a more regular part of my world. It’s time to dust off my idea notebooks, highlight all my beloved writing projects, and make it a priority once again.