As I reflect back on my business in 2018, the areas that created the biggest challenges for me all involve one thing: not showing up.
I now realize that I have a nasty habit of starting something during the peak of excitement, only to let that motivation fizzle out within a week or two. And then, when I don’t see results, I chalk it up to that thing not working and I look for the next strategy to get me to where I think I should be. Key word: THINK.
Consistency: The Big Secret
What if…
What if the secret is plain, old, boring, consistency?
Consistent blog posts. Consistent social media updates. Consistent learning. Consistent personal growth. Consistent relationship building.
It’s not sexy. And it’s definitely not complicated.
But it is hard.
In this instant gratification world we live in, it’s challenging to show up day-in and day-out for yourself and your business. It’s a million times easier to make an excuse, that will eventually lead to another excuse and before you know it, a month has gone by and you haven’t emailed your list, haven’t written a new blog post and your community is starting to develop abandonment issues. And of course, you don’t realize this until it’s time to start clamoring for more email subscribers, clients or customers and your next communication to them is asking for business.
To put it into perspective, I always like to envision myself in a community member’s shoes. What would I do if I joined this amazing community with a kickass leader who all of a sudden stopped trying? I knew how amazing they were and was craving more from them but they just ghosted. Eff that. I’ll go find someone else who gives a shit and can show up.
We are creatures of habit and when you break that habit, things go haywire. Your audience is counting on you. Who knows, maybe they were only one blog post or email or Facebook Live away from taking that next step in your customer journey. Maybe they were ready to pull the trigger and then you all of a sudden stopped because you didn’t think anything was working. That would suck big time, huh?!
What Showing Up Looks Like For My Business
A phrase is nice and I do have it written out and stuck on my wall as a constant reminder. But my Type A personality likes a little more guidelines than two words.
So, what does ‘Show Up’ really mean when it comes to my business?
- Create a realistic content calendar and stick to it. After three years of blogging, I have a fairly good idea of what I can handle and what constitutes as a little overambitious. I’d rather put something together that gets done versus something that only looks good on paper.
- Regularly engage with my community. I’m usually a ‘post and ghost’ type person and that’s something I really, really want to work on this year. As someone who believes whole heartedly in the power of community, I know I need to begin with my own.
- Never stop learning. The first year of business is chalk full of growing opportunities and while it was a little overwhelming at times, I loved it. I want to continue that growth into 2019 and never stop enjoying that journey.
- But make sure to implement. I love reading and listening to business podcasts; I have no problem consuming but struggle with the actual implementation. I want to show up in my follow through.
- Invest in business development. I am a lot better at sticking to deadlines and showing up when someone else is holding me accountable. Hiring a coach last year was the single best decision I made for my business and it’s something I want to continue to do as my business and I grow. New level, new devil, right?!
Showing Up Elsewhere
The lines between personal life and business tend to blur more often than not, which is why this phrase isn’t just for business. It can (and will) easily extend into my personal life.
- Showing up for myself means practicing self care, consistently. Exercising, journaling, meditating, eating healthy; it all fits.
- Showing up for my marriage means taking time for my husband and our relationship. Our future is, after all, one of the main driving forces behind this business.
- Showing up for my family and friends means actively pursuing time to spend together and catch up.
Do you have a word or phrase you’re channeling for 2019? I’d love to hear!
