How badly do you want your business to succeed?
How badly do you want to make money?
How badly do you want to change lives?
Enough to work late into the evening?
Enough to put yourself out there — to be loved, to be criticized?
Enough to put the time in to really make it work?
Or do you prefer to distract yourself with other things?
Make excuses for why you’re not taking action?
Think about your business all day long, but at the end of the day do nothing?
Please tell me,
Do you really want it? I mean, really, really want it?
Because you can have it.
You can.
But you have to want it.
Badly.
Badly enough to put in the time.
To put in the effort.
To do the work.
To scare yourself a little.
To push your boundaries.
To tell people you can help them.
To ask for the sale.
To send that email.
To network.
To build your list.
To make that video.
To change lives.
Yes, you have to want that badly enough, too.
And I have a feeling you do.
Want it. Badly.
Really badly.
I know you will do what you have to do to make it work.
You will challenge yourself to do what you’ve never done before.
Make that video, send that email, build your list.
And make a difference.
Because that’s what you’re here to do.
And I know you will do it.
I know you will.
I know you will change the world.
*****
Care to comment? I’d love to hear what this stirred within you.
Oh Jenny I can’t tell you how much that was talking to me. I’m a new Bschooler this year, starting a business from scratch. I have been sitting here all evening working on my website, after a hard day at my ‘day job’.
It’s actually my first day back working on my business after having a few weeks off, and to be honest, I’d been starting to let some bad thoughts in, like ‘Will I ever be able to do this?’, ‘Who am I kidding to think anyone would want to pay me for this?’, feelings of overwhelm and despondency.
You spoke to me with this post and I know that if I continue to take daily steps, I will get there!!
You CAN do this, Christina. No one ever tells you how much grit and determination it will take to make it happen… because it does take those things and a whole lot more. But the good news is that if you keep at it, if you really want it, you can have it. In fact, keeping at it is what separates those who make it from those who don’t. You CAN do this!!! One day at a time, one step at a time, you can get there!
I’m there with you on the work front Christina. I recently took a forced break (got really sick) and now I’m just coming back and I’ve got bunch of deadlines just looming and leering at me and I have seriously questioning whether I can meet some important goals and it’s hard to get past that voice that *appears* to be citing fact.
I saw a quote the other day though that I really liked: Don’t ever let anyone tell you what you can’t do! (And I’d include yourself in that statement too!) With passion & drive anything is possible! <3 Can't wait to see your site 😀
I love this Jenny! What I also want to add is that I want to build my business (and write books) so badly that I’m prepared to take my time to get the right foundations in place, that I’m prepared to give myself time away to boost my creativity, that I’m prepared to let go of judgement over where I think I should be rather than where I am, that I’m prepared to bring as much authenticity into it all as possible, that I’m prepared to find out how I can make it fun and enjoy the journey and I’m prepared to trust that if I just keep taking one little step forward at a time I’ll get there in the end.
Excellent! Love those additions! Sounds like you are absolutely on the right track. Keep it up! And I think you’re definitely right in trusting that one step forward at a time will definitely get you there 🙂
Thank you for this, Jenny! I’m with Christina above (hey fellow BSchooler!) – after some time off from BSchool & biz work because of a trip back home, I’m finding digging back in now is bringing up lots of self doubt talk and your post today was EXACTLY what I needed. I do want it. I can make it happen. I just need to ‘keep swimming’.
Thanks!!
Yes! Keep at it. Businesses aren’t built overnight. They take time… and lots of effort at the beginning, but keeping going will definitely get you there!
Thank you, Jenny! The timing could not have been better. Think I’ll print and frame it!! (Seriously.)
You’re so very welcome, Angela!
Yay! I do want it BAD! This made me think of one of my cardinal rules that I’ve come up with for myself and my clients – If you want a rich life, you’re going to have to start acting like it.
Definitely going to share this. Thanks, Jenny!
Love that rule, Jenna!
“If you want a rich life, you’re going to have to start acting like it.” Absolutely!
Oh Jenny,
It’s like you’ve looked through the computer right into my life at the moment. I am fretting about money, stressing about autoresponders and other admin, dreaming about classes I could deliver or books I could write … but I am NOT actually doing anything! My husband comes home from work and I’m all stressed out but with nothing to show for it – no new contacts made (in fact, no people spoken to in the real world), no creative work completed, no structure. You SEE me don’t you??
Victoria x
I see you Victoria, because you’re not alone. You are not alone at all. I know many people who struggle just as you are. They’re frustrated and wondering if they can make it. And they, just like you, can make it. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time, bit by bit, ACTION followed by more ACTION, you will get there.
Get moving. Challenge yourself. Want it badly. And you can have it.
xo
I loved it so much that I printed it off. But I have to say that I have wanted something so bad, worked my butt off and like a horse with blinders went for my dream. It didn’t work. Now I have a new dream, a new career and everywhere I turn as of late, I run into a wall, maybe with a tiny window. I am discouraged. Lesslee
This road isn’t easy, Lesslee. If you want it badly (which I can feel you do), you keep moving forward. You scale the walls, go around them, or bust through. You find another way, another coach, or another resource to help you keep moving.
I struggled at making my coaching business work for a long time. I was DOING things but nothing was working. I stepped back, refocused my intention on creating something I LOVED, and then began again. I learned about marketing. I got honest with myself where I was making mistakes, wasting time, or working without a clear reason or objective. I adjusted course and kept going.
Some days are still tough. And if I want it badly enough (and boy oh boy do I ever), I know that I can surmount any challenge faced in my way.
At my desk I have a quote magnet my sister gave me when I quit my job 4 years ago. It says…
“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” –Christian D. Larson.
Let that be your reminder, too, Lesslee. Keep going for what you want. It may turn out to look differently than you imagine. Be open to possibilities. I believe in you.
Thank you for that great message. I know that you can not give up on your dreams and I won’t. Stepping back and taking a look from the outside in is what seems to be called for at this time. I am open to possiblities and not blocking myself in with just one avenue of access. Again, thank you for responding. Lesslee
Jenny, this is so important. I find it’s easy to want it and to believe in yourself when you start the process of building your online business. There were many hard parts of the process for me but the hardest was when I felt like giving up. I questioned if all the work and struggle was worth it, which led to me wondering if I “really wanted” this as bad as I originally believed. What I can say on the other side of that doubt is that I did really want it. I constantly told myself, “If I get knocked down 100 times, I WILL get up 101”, I sought the help of great friends, and business advice. The three things got me through those times when I wondered how bad I wanted this dream to succeed!
The middle is definitely the hardest part! We start out all gung ho ready to go and then hit the tough spot of making it work. Doubt sets in. We keep at it, getting up every time we fall, and eventually it works. It’s about keeping on keeping on to get to the “working” part 🙂
Thanks for sharing that here, Kendrick! I know you’ve been through the middle and to the other side, and it’s always helpful for people to hear that. xo
Thank you Jenny! I loved this. I feel like on one hand I have no doubt I want it badly. On the flip side, it is easy for me to get bogged down in the fear and not move forward as fast as I think I should be to build my business effectively.
Happy to say I did send out newsletters two weeks in a row. I am doing the work. I can do the work. Just need to surrender and trust myself more.
Let go of the fear of judgment.
Congrats on doing the work! A newsletter two weeks in a row is fantastic!
Can you just let go of a little fear of judgment? Just one tiny bit each time. For example, I was so nervous that you all would hate this blog post. There was fear for me. And, I let just a little bit go. Enough to send it anyway (albeit with butterflies). As you grow there will always be more room for fear of judgment — it never goes away. You just learn to step a little bit further out of the safety zone every time.
Pretty sure you were talking to me. Thank you for this!
You and thousands of other women who are ready to go for it!! You have proven that you definitely want it, Elsa!! xo
I think its important to say that in business you need to have a healthy dose of hope & reality. And not the kind of thing people like to call reality that is just pessimism or discouragement in disguise. For me I know I’m impatient and I want to see results *right now* but while I’m still changing things and I haven’t had a chance to promote my new changes and give people a chance to even see them, how can I expect to see a result yet?!
And often times it’s not really about whether you can at the core do something. More often than not you can, but you fool yourself into thinking you can’t or its not working because you really just need a different approach. Sometimes subtle tweaks make all the difference and you go from one version to another with a noticeable difference. Like they say in “Meet the Robinsons” – ‘Keeping moving forward!’ <3 to you all as you're building!
Nicely said, Aradia! A healthy, balanced dose of hope and reality is a great way to look at it. I totally agree!
Hi Jenny and others!
Well I’ve been ‘struggling’ along with my jewellery/arts business. It took me a while to realise I needed to focus on one thing because when I became self-employed it was about my arts, jewellery and graphic design. I realised after a few years (and this just happened gradually) that I had to choose and focus on one thing because my mind and energy were too spread out. I chose to carry on with the jewellery but never had formal (degree-like) training. I figured with my fine arts and graphics background that the short courses I took would be enough.
Well a couple of years on and I’m not making any money from my jewellery and thankfully a year ago I got a part time job (but this will come to an end at the end of the summer). I will need to find a replacement for it as this is what keeps me alive. I spent too many years feeling financially strangled and debilitated and now things are easier with this part-time work.
All this to say I often wondered ‘will I make it?’ ‘can I do this?’ ‘am I kidding myself’ (just as a few of you have said above). Well I just did a week-long jewellery selling exhibition and I didn’t sell a thing (this is a common recurrence). I’m not discouraged for some odd reason, I just want to step back and really see what I’m not doing right and then making the changes I need to make. I am trying to make an appointment with a great business advisor because I feel I need this outside sounding board and advice to take smart steps forward. I am just going to give myself another good solid chance and hope I turn this thing around. I do know it’s possible. I really have no idea how or what I’m going to do but I’ll hopefully find the solutions I need.
Sorry for such a long response!! It just feels good to get it off my chest and share it with others who understand! thanks everyone
Ilana – Sorry to hear about your struggles. It is definitely a common story and you’re among friends in sharing that. We can all identify with the challenge and work associated with business!
My friend Kendrick did a great video the other day on the topic of money. Maybe there are some insights for you that could help: http://kendrickshope.com/blog/money-money-money-oh-no/
Another resources is a meditation from Navjit Kandola: http://www.tenderlogic.com/how-to-make-friends-with-money/
Sometimes I see entrepreneurs struggling with their business for practical, nuts and bolts, marketing reasons. And sometimes there’s some “energetic clearing” that also needs to happen. Obviously from one blog comment I don’t know what your particular challenge is, but it may be worthwhile to look into this other realm if you’ve been focusing primarily on the practical… or vice versa! I’ve seen people do all energetic and no practical, and I wholeheartedly believe that both are required.
Sending you well wishes for finding the perfect new part time job and having that next breakthrough in your business. xo
Thanks JEnny! I think for me it’s both practical and energetic! for sure energetic and I’m working on that. but I can’t wait to look at the two links you sent! thanks!
really glad you mention the energetic stuff because most coaches don’t go there do they?! : )
Love that you’re looking at it from both angles. That will definitely help.
As far as coaches talking about energetics, some do and some don’t. Most business coaches don’t talk about it. They’re all practical. I haven’t much (on my blog), but I do with clients. My friends and clients have been saying I need to mention it more in public. Thanks to you, I took my first step! Love divine orchestration like that 🙂 Thank you!