THIS mindset will cost you. Here's what to do instead…
A few years ago, I encountered a particularly challenging rough patch in my entrepreneurship journey. I remember after having trudged through a frustrating afternoon of a program launch review, I looked up from my computer feeling completely exhausted and said, “I don’t know why I’m even doing this anymore…” I was feeling really burnt out in my business.
I was working like crazy, trying to find something that would finally “click” and get me to where I thought I wanted to be. I was sacrificing healthy habits, my own boundaries, and time with people I loved. I told myself it was only temporary, that once I finally got to where I wanted to be, I could change that. Then, I’d have even more time to spend doing things I loved.
However, nothing felt like it was working and I wondered if I had what it took to be successful. I was frustrated and felt like I had hit a wall I couldn't break through.
Thankfully, I took a step back to truly assess the situation. I hate admitting this, but in a brutal moment of honesty, I realized that instead of focusing on improving and innovating in my business, I just wanted to find the quickest way to success so I could finally relax. I was chasing the wrong things, while not meeting my needs in the process. My mindset was nowhere close to where it needed to be, and somewhere along the way I’d lost sight of my love for my work and replaced it with this idea of finally “arriving.”
If you were to be brutally honest with yourself, have you ever felt like you just wanted to arrive? Maybe you’ve wondered when everything will finally click for you and you’ll finally be able to relax. Or maybe you’ve already achieved quite a bit of success, but instead of enjoying it, you’re afraid that if you take your foot off the gas, you’ll lose everything. So you keep grinding, waiting for it to click like you thought it would.
This fallacy of arriving can be a costly one. In fact, it’s why I would make a safe bet that no one is currently reading this email on a Blackberry.
Mike Lazaridis was responsible for one of the most popular technological devices that drastically changed the landscape for smart phones. In fact, the Blackberry accounted for about half of the U.S. smart phone market in 2009. He created an incredible product that brought them a lot of success. You could say he had “arrived.”
As the iPhone and Android were up and coming, Mike was often asked what he thought about their capabilities. In one of his responses he's quoted saying, “As nice as the Apple iPhone is, it poses a real challenge to its users. Try typing a web key on a touchscreen on an Apple iPhone, that's a real challenge. You cannot see what you type.”
They were convinced they had the premier product and rather than adjusting and innovating to the ever changing landscape of technology, they stuck with what had worked so far. As a result, their company suffered an annual loss of 5.8 billion in 2014. They have yet to make much of a comeback.
So what can we learn from Mike?
“Arriving” doesn't equate to long-term success. Don’t get so caught up in seeking comfort that you miss opportunities to innovate and serve your clients and customers even better.
Instead of complaining about the Instagram algorithm (which I’ll admit being guilty of), what if you looked at its never-ending changes as opportunities to innovate?
Instead of applying so much pressure to “arrive” in your work, why don’t you work in such a way that allows you to enjoy the process of creating something that matters and makes a difference?
Instead of beating yourself up when your launch doesn’t go as planned, why not take the lessons learned to improve your strategy in the next one?
I'm thankful I got that wake up call years ago. That moment allowed me to redefine success, reimplement healthy boundaries, add play and joy back into my life, and eventually find a path in my work that not only clicked, but lit me up in so many ways. It took time and a big mindset overhaul, but I am so thankful it led me to where I am now.
I’m no longer concerned with arriving because I know that’s never going to happen. I hope I'm always excited about a goal no matter my age or experience.
Now, my goals are more about mastering my craft, creating things that light me up, and serving others in meaningful ways. Because of that, I rest and play in the process of creating it instead of waiting.
I’ll admit, in order to do any of the above, you have to have a strong belief that you’re capable of creating and sustaining success. You also have to meet your basic needs in the process (i.e. rest, play, and taking care of your health).
So if your primary goal for working right now is to “arrive” so you no longer have to strive so much, I’d strongly reconsider that motivation and strategy.
The most successful entrepreneurs I’ve had the opportunity to know are excited by the idea of innovating. They face the challenges head on with a can-do attitude. Ultimately, they enjoy the process. Most importantly, they believe in themselves and take care of themselves.
What will allow you to enjoy the process and innovate for years to come?
INTERESTED IN WORKING TOGETHER?
If you're ready to take your life and business to the next level, without stress and burnout, it's time for you to seriously prioritize your mindset. Let's work together on that! Click the link below and apply for a call where you and I can talk through all the details to see if it would be a good fit. I'm so excited to see the growth that's ahead of you!