When you try to reinvent the wheel or, like, burn everything to the ground, sometimes that is, like, your way of avoiding developing grit. I'm Ashton Smith. And I'm Jordan Long. And we're coming in hot. We're 7thgeneration entrepreneurs with a passion for fusing creative expression and business fundamentals to help entrepreneurs powerfully expand their companies. Legacy Creator is a show for creatives, big thinkers, and visionaries who are doing business differently. Together, we unpack topics to help you embody your creative identity, develop as a leader, and powerfully grow your business. In a nutshell, we're calling you out and calling you higher. Recording is in session. Recording is in session. That sounds creepy. Creepy melody. Can I do the whole podcast episode with my sunnies on? Jordan has her black sunglasses on and her black shirt. Ah! She's in her goth era. I'm, we're, we are doing, like, chic goth today, you guys. If you're an audio-only listener, I'm sorry, but you're missing out. Go to YouTube. You're missing it. I got a black, uh, Stevie Nicks-inspired outfit on. Ashton's got a black, um, chic, you know, feminine-goth vibe. I don't know. I'm gonna be unwell this whole episode. I can'tMy whole, my throat's already sore from laughing. I don't think, I don't think I can actually have these sunglasses on the whole time 'cause I'm gonna laugh. Yeah, you can't, but you need to - Wait, I need to, like- We need to kick off this episode with a quote in a British accent with you wearing this outfit. No, not the accent. I have to do the accent? No. Do I sh- should I read the quote? All right, you guys, here, we, we have a quote from The Count of Monte Cristo that is going to set the tone for today, all right?" Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome." There's a freaking leaving it, it's fine. Me too. It's just gonna exist over there. Is there more to that quote? Is that where it ends? Maybe. But yeah, that, that is setting the, the tone for today, you guys, so let's, we're, we're really getting into it now. Honestly, we're laughing because of the delivery-of this, but, like, that's such a solid quote. That is the best part of that movie. I don't even know if that quote is exactly, like, in the book. Mm-hmm. I haven't read the book. I don't know. We should read the book. But that is a good moment in the movie, and if you've never seen The Count of Monte Cristo, y'all better watch it. Yeah, y'all better go watch that, like, now. That's, like, the anthem of my whole life. That's, like, the anthem of, like, our family. Like, we watched The Count of Monte Cristo so many times w- when we were younger and just growing up. Mm-hmm. And just, yeah. Yeah. I did, like, a report on that movie in college. Oh, yeah. So honestly - On a serious note. On a serious note, today, we are talking about developing grit as an entrepreneur, being a business owner. Like, that's just something you have to have. Like, honestly, it's unacceptable if you don't have grit. You're just not gonna last. You're just not gonna be here for very long. And, like, that's coming from someone who entered into the business space, entrepreneurship, not having a lot of grit.Like, there was a lot of tears. There was a lot of stress. There was a lot of fear. I feel like that's also there was fear. I was afraid. But I do actually feel like those things are normal to experience, even if you are, like, super experienced in the business world. Like, if you've been in it for decades, yeah, you're gonna experience those things, but again, it's like, what do you do in those seasons of business where things just, like, are hard, where things aren't working, where business feels slow, when you do feel afraid, when you're questioning everything?And that's a huge part of being in business, and I think that a lot of people see that as a bad sign.Like, when you see that things are slower, when you feel like you have to adapt and you have to change course again, you feel like that's somehow bad and that makes you not equipped to be a business owner.Like, you somehow are, like, in the wrong place at the wrong time, like you did something wrong, but actually, all of these things are just a part of business.And I feel like we have to, like, really, I know people say it all the time, like, "Let's normalize this."Including myself.Let's normalize this.But we really do have to normalize this, like, part of being in business, because I do think anything online is over-glamorized, and, um, you tend to look at all of the exciting parts and the fun parts and what's gonna be great, what's gonna be fun for you, whatever, whatever it is.But there's also a lot of, like, sacrifice, I think, that goes into being in business, and there's a lot of adapting needed.There's slow seasons, and I think that that's something a lot of business owners have experienced over the last 6 to 12 months.They've seen ebbs and flows.They've seen maybe a dip in leads, in sales, in growth, um, and I think a lot of that is just, there's a lot of factors contributing to that, which we'll touch on later.But what do you do when things slow down?And what do you do when things aren't working?That's where you do have to, like, have that grit.You have to have the ability to keep moving, to keep going.Um, I feel like what really does make you, uhisn't just what you do when things are exciting and easy and fun, but it's what you do when things are hard.It's what you do when things feel impossible.Are you going to just quit?Are we gonna walk away?Or are you gonna keep going?And I think that if you are one of those people that's bought into what you're doing and you're gonna keep going, you have to have grit to do that.That's, like, what it means to be an entrepreneur, what it means to be in business for yourself.So, I think a lot of us, ourselves included, like, we go into business for the pretty vision.Like, some of the reasons that we're in business is not just what we're building.Of course, like, we love what we're building and we're so bought into it, but we love the quality of life.Like, quality of life is something I feel like people have rediscovered over the last couple years with, like, everything that happened with COVID.Going back home, you're kind of questioning your life decisions, you're questioning your job, your career, the path that you're on and how you're spending your time.And so a lot of people, you know, we go into business for things like being able to travel, um, have freedom, being able to do what you love, work from home, um, or maybe it's like the infamous depiction of, like, you're sipping a margarita, like, on the beach and we've got sales coming in, which, you know, some people do have that 'cause they've worked towards that and built that. But with the beautiful side of business comes responsibility, sacrifice, and there's going to be lows. Like, we have to know that going into business. And I think that some of us, especially when you're newer, we're a little bit more small-minded, and I'm, like, categorizing myself as that too. Like, when I started, I was a little bit small-minded and, you know, you kind of have this, like, subconscious belief that business is always gonna be, like, this upward trajectory and you're always gonna be getting better and better and better and it's gonna be more and more and more. But, like, that's just not how business works. Even, like, the biggest companies in the world, like, that are on a totally different playing field than us, there's still ebbs and flows in their business. They have seasons that are really successful and, like, things are moving, then they also have really slow seasons. And so we have to not just be prepared to, like, ride the highs, which are, like, the fun seasons, you have to be prepared to ride the lows too.I've shared this in a past podcast episode, but in case you didn't hear that one, I feel like a lot of people in our community started their business in a boom, right around COVID, and it was, it was easier to have people coming to you, inquiring, wanting to just, like, throw their money at you. It was such a different time. And for the first time, a lot of people are experiencing a slower season. And I just wanna open this episode by saying that, like, that doesn't mean that, like, you're not cut out for this. That doesn't mean that you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. It just simply means that this is a part of running a business. And so today we wanna talk about, like, how do you navigate those slow seasons? And we're gonna come at that from the perspective of, like, here are some tactical things, but also, I think the most important thing is you've got to have grit. Like, you have got to be able to have some resolve and some determination, because business isn't always going to feel good or easy, so you have to have that too. Mm-hmm. So we're gonna touch on that. Our clients are hitting big milestones in their businesses, milestones like hitting their first $400,000 year, landing 6figure contracts, going from $700 per month clients to $3,000 per month clients, paid-for 3month maternity leave, more vacations and time off booked than ever, partners retired from their full-time jobs, becoming debt-free, and establishing savings for the first time. And now we're diving deep into these results and sharing real stories from real people so you can get a glimpse into how the heck we made it happen. This is The Archives, a backstage pass to see our clients' stories, experiences, and transformations up close and personal. Simply visit myawakening.co/archives to download your copy today. That's myawakening.co/archives to get your copy today. Now, back to the episode. You have to take control of what you can, get in the driver's seat of what you can control, but, like, also accept the fact that there are- there are some things outside of your control that are going to affect you and your business. Um, but I think it's a, like, I wanted to cover a few things on what you can do when business is slowing down. Um, more practical advice, things that might be helpful for you. Just to, like, kick this off, I wanted to talk about the- the importance of retention, and we talk about that a lot. Um, retaining clients and also leaning into your existing network/community. Like, that is one thing that is super important to keep in mind. When business is slow, who do you have in front of you already? Like, in your- in your audience, in your followers, in your, uh, existing community, what current clients, um, do you have already that you could maybe, like, re-sign for, like, a new contract? You know, like, really leaning into your existing network that you already have, even if it's seemingly small. Like, that is the best way to go about it in slower seasons, because during times like these, I feel like it is harder to get more and more new people. Um, and like we've talked about, buyers are a little bit more skeptical right now, um, and maybe even a bit more critical. So it's like, lean into what, like, the community you already have right in front of you, you know? Mm-hmm. Yeah, absolutely. I feel like when things slow down, the tendency is to get, like, frantic- Yeah and, like, spiral, and typically that comes along with this, like, frantic energy to, like, land a whole bunch of new clients. And although we're never going to advocate for not trying to acquire new clientele, we are big advocates for, like, focusing on the people in front of you. And that's in slow seasons and in, like, really incredible seasons of business, because I just think it's something that is, by and large, neglected, and that's a whole other topic in itself. Like, if you will focus on providing quality support and service to your existing clients, like, yeah, they're going to potentially re-sign with you, but the level of word of mouth, the reputation that that creates for your brand, it does create this ripple effect. And word of mouth is free unless you have, like, a referral program where you're paying people, which is also a great idea. But word of mouth, by and large, is a free way to grow your business. And again, like Jordyn said, re-signing, retaining the clients that you have right now, that's going to be much less of an uphill battle than it is to acquire new clientele. It's a proven fact that it costs less to retain an existing client than it does to acquire a new one. That's a pretty, you know, well-known, uh, concept. But I do find that people, especially in the online space, because it is this go, go, go, more, more, more mentality all the time, like, we forget that. Mm-hmm. And so think about ways that you can retain your clients. And if your business model doesn't allow you to retain clients because maybe you're working on a project-by-project basis, we gotta go back to ground in terms of the way that you've structured your business model. And that's something I do wanna mention at the top here. It's like, your business model needs to be designed to not only thrive when the economy is great, when leads are just, like, coming at you left and right. Your business model needs to be designed so you can thrive in slow seasons, in these downturns, and a big portion of that is having recurring contracts and business, having longstanding clients and relationships. You wanna have that solid book of business that brings stability to your company, because if we're working on a project-by-project basis, you always have to hustle for new leads and sales to sustain the business. And you're gonna be able to do that a lot easier in an incredible season where everyone's buying, but you're not gonna be able to do that in the same way in a slow season when that behavior is changing and when people are taking more time to invest. So that's something you really wanna consider. That's one of the first things that we work on with all of our private clients. Like, let's look at the stability of your company. Um, and if we're working on a project-by-project basis right now, like, that's the first thing that we work on. Like, we gotta get some recurring business through the door. So retention is a big one. I think another one to kind of, like, extend off of that is assessing ways that you can increase the scope of work with your current clients. Um, or this could even be with past clients. This is a- a really easy thing to do if you are in a done-for-you business model. So let's just say that you are a social media manager, you're helping a client with their presence on Instagram. Well, what if you offer to increase the frequency of posting on that platform? Um, what if you offer to support them with another platform? There's always going to be additional ways that you can support your clients. Um, there might even be some, like, secret menu items or some things that you offer behind the scenes. We have a couple of those things that we don't offer to the public, but we'll offer to our longstanding clients additional ways that we can support them to increase the scope of our work together, to first and foremost, like, give them the support that they need. But also, that's going to increase your revenue and you're doing that in a way that's a lot easier than having to go out and acquire, you know, a brand new client. Yeah. One of the best things you can do when you're in a slower season is just get scrappy with it. I think that, like, you know, that point of, like, trying to expand your scope of work with clients, like, that's a way of, like, getting scrappy and, like, you know, leaning into your existing community and trying to extend that, um, ex- extend a contract, et cetera. Um, but ultimately, like, you have to get scrappy, be willing to get scrappy with it. I was thinking about the, like, common phrase, like, desperate times call for desperate measures. And like-I d- not saying that we need to be desperate or, like, in a striving sort of energy, but when you have desperate times, like, you gotta just, like, get scrappy with it, you know? Like, don't just sit on the sidelines and, like, hope that things are gonna work out. Like, you gotta get scrappy, you gotta get proactive, and you gotta just start doing what you can. You know? Mm-hmm. Um, I was thinking about, like, for us, for instance, one way that we've been a little bit, like, scrappy, I guess, is, like, custom packages that we've been, like, doing kind of behind the scenes. Like, for example, we've done branding for, like, um, one client. We're working on branding for another client right now. And like, that's not something we offer necessarily. That's not something that we're putting out there, like, "We do branding. "But, like, it just kind of happened that way. Um, and because that's kind of in my wheelhouse, like, I do some graphic design and things like that, um, although I was a little bit nervous at first, I was like, "Yeah, like, let's do it. "Like, "I can at least try and, like, we'll see if I- we'll see if I like to do this. We'll see how it works. "Like, "Let's just do it. "You know?'Cause we had one client that, um, was wanting to get branding done and we were like, "Let's go for it. "So, like, if something is in your, um, line of expertise or if it- if it's in your wheelhouse and someone, like maybe a client, like, needs that, m- maybe, like, create a custom package for them- Mm-hmm. if- if you feel like you can do that. Um, another way to get scrappy is, like, custom payment plans. You know? Um, people, people really like to utilize payment plans, for sure. So, like, trying to just, like, customize the experience for them and make it as easy as possible for them. Yeah. Just ultimately, like, say yes to opportunities that are knocking at your door. You know, if you have someone reaching out for a specific need and you feel like you can fulfill that need, why not say yes and, like, try and do it and, and help support them in that way? Mm-hmm. Yeah. I feel like so many people approach their, like, services and packages as being 100% set in stone, like they are unwilling to, to tweak it or to potentially pull back on the scope so you can accommodate a lower budget or introduce some sort of custom payment plan. But those things are going to help you get sales through the door. So really, you have to weigh the, um, pros and cons and like, what option do you wanna go with? Do we want to not acquire this sale because you will only acquire them for this price at this package? Or are we willing to customize this a little bit to maybe remove some things, remove some line items so that you can, um, accommodate a lower budget, introduce a payment plan that has a lower monthly cost to it? Like, we do this all the time. I always tell people like, "Hey, pretty much everything is negotiable," and I'm very flexible when it comes to our payment plans. So yes, we have our set packages, and I will be honest in saying that most people for our private coaching, they go with a set package. But we'll create sometimes, like, a custom payment plan for them. However, sometimes I will work off of the packages we have and create something custom, scale it back, make it a smaller package, and then we get to acquire that sale and we get to support that person. And a lot of times, they end up re-signing with us, so they end up spending what they would have in the first place. But so many people are unwilling to do those types of things, almost like they feel like they're above some of this stuff. even when it comes to like proactively reaching out to- to pitch and sell their services. It's like some people just operate under this mentality of like, "Well, I- I'm at this place in business," or, "I should be at this place in business where, you know, my leads come to me, they apply through my application, and this is the set way you work with me. "And that's okay. You know, if you have a lot of demand, like we have some clients that have so much demand that they don't really need to be doing all of this kind of like customizing, and sometimes they still do. But you can make that choice, I feel like, at that level. Whereas if you really need business, why are we gonna be like, hard A. I'm not gonna curse -about it. You know, like why are we gonna be so strict about it? So, be willing to get scrappy is really like the point we're trying to make here. Like, be willing to do that. Uh, and again, it's like weighing, do you want the sale or not? Do you want the cash flow or not? Mm-hmm. At the end of the day. So- Yeah.be willing to get scrappy, get creative with how you're selling, with who you're selling to, with what you're selling, um, and you will be able to acquire more sales or retain more clients that way. And then another thing we wanted to mention is maybe it's just simply a matter of staying the course. Maybe like that's what you do when business slows down. I think there's a time and a place to adapt your strategy, and I think that there's always an element of that.But I think, by and large, what a lot of people need to hear is like, you need to stay the course. Like, I know when we talk to our dad, he always, you know, refers back to slower seasons in business where like he was wondering if he was gonna be a- able to pay his like 70 plus employees, um, or, you know, if this contract was gonna go through, if whatever, you know? And you have to just keep your head down and you have to keep going. You have to keep moving. And the tendency is to actually feel like you wanna burn your business down, um, or you wanna reinvent absolutely everything. We see this in the online space a lot, and I think it's because a lot of times you don't have to have the same type of infrastructure that you would have if you had a brick and mortar. So, you can't like burn that down overnight. But with an online business, like you can kind of like recreate at any time, but there's a lot of disadvantages to doing that, because you've laid such a foundation with what you've been building with your brand, with your marketing over time with your clients and your community, and every time you burn it down and rebuild it, you're creating confusion. And a lot of times, that's not actually what's going to create the momentum and success that you're seeking in a slow season. It's just going to create more distraction and it adds more tasks to your plate, so you feel like you're being productive and you feel like you have more in your control. And I feel like this is honestly why so many people do this. It's like, so much feels outside of your control in a slower season, and instead of putting yourself out there and potentially being rejected, you just kinda go into the business and you like reinvent everything, and then you feel busy, so you feel productive and you feel kind of like you get that boost of like, "Yeah. "Mm-hmm."Like, I feel good about this. "Um, but that's not really creating any meaningful momentum for the company, especially from like a cash flow perspective. And I will just add a caveat and say sometimes it is time to reinvent. Like, we've worked with clients that have pivoted their business, and you'll know, like you're the one who knows your business the most, but don't just reinvent for the sake of reinventing because you have nothing else to do and you think that that's gonna solve everything, because it, most of the time, is not the answer. Yeah. And I also feel like when you try to reinvent the wheel or like burn everything to the ground, sometimes that is like your way of avoiding developing grit. Mm-hmm. Like, you don't want 'Cause developing grit is not an easy thing, and it's like almost like you're putting armor on, you know? Mm-hmm. Um, I- I always think of the quote that our dad always says, "Have tough skin, but a soft heart. "So, in business, when you're developing that grit, you're putting the armor on and you're like, you're getting stronger. But that- that process doesn't always feel good. Actually, most of the time, it probably doesn't feel good. And I feel like when you're trying to reinvent the wheel, it's like, "Oh, this is starting to get hard. I'm feeling friction and like I- I can't do this, so I'm gonna reinvent the wheel and I'm going to like burn it all to the ground and start something new, because then- then it'll feel good. "Mm-hmm. Yeah. So, it's like our- our way of like avoiding it. That's some tea. Yeah. I agree. I feel like there's a lot of avoidance happening there, because when things are slow, uh, I think too, you know, we take things so personal- Yeah.in business, and you feel like something's wrong with you. Or, um, again, like we were saying earlier, you feel like you're just at the wrong place at the wrong time and like you're not equipped for this. Um, and it makes you feel really small, i- it makes you feel like you're not really motivated to put yourself out there and go like, go for that sale or like ask for this partnership, because it's a lot more likely at that time that they might say no. And you have to kind of like look yourself in the mirror and you have to disconnect those- those 2 things, because that doesn't, uh, that doesn't play a central role in like your value and your worth. And I think that's so much easier said than done, 'cause you're so close to your business. But it's easy to wanna avoid those things, because we take them so personally. And so, a way to avoid that is to busy yourself with all of these things, to reinvent your business, to go and optimize this thing, when in actuality, you know that you really should be putting yourself out there to go and expand your network, um, go to in-person networking events, put yourself out there for that job, ask for the sale, host the sales ca- whatever it is. Those things are a little more vulnerable than being in the business and- and like-reworking your systems or your content or even your services. Mm-hmm. So, I think that's a good checkpoint for, for you to ask yourself. Like, a- am I trying to avoid the things I really need to be doing, or is this actually what needs to happen to move the business forward? So, like I said at the beginning, we wanted to give you some of that kind of tactical, proactive information that you could use to create momentum for your business in this season. But, I think the more important conversation that we wanna get to is, how do you actually develop that grit? Because that's the thing that's going to carry you, that's going to sustain you, um, and help you not just ride those highs in your business, but also ride the lows. And so, one of the most important things that we have to do is we have to become obsessed with what we're building. We have to seriously be so bought into our vision that we can see being at this for years and years and years and years, and still have that motivation, that dedication, that commitment to keep going. And I think this is something people don't often think about because we think in such small increments of time in our space. In the online business world, we tend to think very small picture. But if you are wanting to build something big, impactful, meaningful, you have to be so obsessed with what you're building. I think that even goes for people that are like, "Yeah, one day I wanna sell my business. "Well, in order to get to that point, you still have to be so bought in, and you have to be the first one to buy into it. Like, most of us, by and large, like, we start our companies by ourselves. We're not really starting with a team. A lot of us aren't starting with funding. And so, it's just you as, like, that solopreneur and you're figuring it out. And I know that was me, like, all alone, trying to figure out, "What am I good at and what can I contribute and how do I do all of the things? "And then you get to the point where you're juggling everything. And it's a sacrifice. I mean, there's a lot of times where I've worked late nights, weekends, on vacations, while we're traveling. But when you're so bought into what you're building, like, all of that becomes worth it and it gives you that. It gives you the ability to keep going. It gives you the stamina to keep moving forward. So you have to be obsessed with what you're building, and you have to be the first one to buy in. Because until you buy in, other people aren't gonna buy in. Whether that's a team or that's a community or, or customers. Yeah, there was this quote from Elon Musk that I really liked. He said, "In the beginning, there will be few people who believe in you or what you're doing. But over time as you make progress, the evidence will build and more and more people will believe in what you're doing. "And if that ain't the truth, like-at the very start, I mean, your business, if it's just you, or even if you're a small team, it's kinda like a little seed, you know? And you're, like, watering and, uh, providing nutrients for the seed to, like, grow. You have to believe that that seed is gonna grow. You have to believe in it, you have to pour your heart and soul into it, and, and do your darnedest to, like, get it off the ground and, and get it to grow. But, like, you have to be the first one to buy into it and to believe in it. And then along the way, other people will as well. I also love this other quote from Elon Musk. He said, "If you don't love it, don't expect others will either. "Mm. And, yeah, it's like, become obsessed with what you're doing, but maybe, like Obsession is such an intense word, but I would say, like, love what you're doing. Like, love what you're building, and be so passionate about it that, like, other people inevitably buy into it, you know? Yeah. I mean, I think about someone who's definitely obsessed with what they're doing would be an Elon Musk. You know, some of these bigger named people that build these wild companies, like they- it is an obsession. And, you know, it kinda depends on your personality and also what you wanna build, because some people, they don't want to be that obsessed with what they're building. They don't wanna have to sleep on the floor, uh, in their garage where they're building their, you know, company or their startup. Like, that's not for everyone. And that's okay. Like, that's why you have to know, like, what's your vision?Because some people just want, like, a comfortable, stable level of income and they care more about the freedom and- and the space to do whatever they want with their family. That's just as important as someone who's like, "I wanna build multiple, like, multimillion or billion dollar companies and I wanna be an investor and I wanna do all of these things. "I think sometimes we feel like, you know, we kinda need to make our vision bigger or make it something else because that's what other people are doing and that's what makes it important. But at the end of the day, none of that matters. What matters is, like, what are you building? What's your vision? And it really does have to be yours, because that's what leads you to be in love with it.Mm-hmm. And when you're in love with it, then you will always find that grit inside of you to keep going. Like, even when you're questioning everything, bowing out won't really be an option. It's like it's not even on your radar, you know? You will be so consumed by what you're building, you'll be so passionate about what you're building that, like, you'll always have that attitude of like, everything's figure outable. Like, this sucks. Whatever this is, you know, sucks, but I'm gonna get through it.And like, everything's figureoutable and that's truly the mentality that you have to have when you're building a business and when you are navigating those slower lower seasons.Yeah.feel like another really good thing to do when you are navigating a slower season and trying to develop that grit is just putting your blinders on and, like, getting to work on the things that you can work on. Man, dude, I feel like I- I have, like, so much personal, uh, experience with this, of like struggling to, um, struggling to just, like, do the things that are right in front of me because I am worried about the bigger picture or, like, stressed about, like, down the road or- or whatnot, if that makes sense .Like, I think one of the best things you can do is just focus on the short-term goals that you have that lead to the bigger goals that you have for your- your life and you business. But, like, focus on the short-term goals first. Focus on the things that are right in front of you. Focus on the work that you're doing day over day, every single day. Just keep showing up because if you start to get over into that other territory of, like, thinking way too much about all the things that are going wrong or thi- worrying about the things that are outside of your control, it can, like, totally lead into, like, this mental tailspin, and I feel like I am, like, raising my hand at that, 'cause that is so me sometimes. There are some times where I am able to just, like, hone in and, like, just get to work. And I feel like when I am able to do that, I feel good 'cause I- I'm accomplishing, like, the small goals that are right in front of me and I'm just doing what I can, and that feels good to me. But then sometimes I do get caught up in that zone of, like, I- I'm just worrying about everything, I'm worrying about all the things outside of my control, I'm worrying about, you know, where we're going to be, like, 5, 10 years from now and, like, I just have to, like, slow down and, like, reel it back in and give myself a little bit of perspective. Mm-hmm. Um, but I- I really do think that's one of the greatest ways, uh, that you can develop grit, is just putting your blinders on and working on the things that you can work on, doing the things that you can do, and- and don't worry so much about all of those things that are outside of your control. Mm-hmm. Or, like, what other people are doing or You know, I think comparison is another big thing that can come in. But it's like, you need to fiercely protect your focus, because where you focus, that's where your energy is gonna go, and so what do you wanna be focusing? Where do you want your energy to be going? Like, entertaining all of these, like, what if scenarios is just, like, so counterproductive because we don't- you don't actually know if those things are going to take place. I think it's one thing to- to aim to be prepared, but when you're in that tailspin of what if this and what if that and you're overthinking, like And you're honing in on things that are outside of your control, it's like, honestly, what's the point? Like, it's just not productive for anybody. So focus on where you're going, focus on what is in your control today, how are you moving the business forward today, tomorrow. Um, and then there is absolutely a time and a place to think bigger picture and to think, you know, across multiple years, but I think especially when you are prone to being in a tailspin and you are in a season where, like, things feel like they're out of your control, focus on what is in your control every single day. How are you moving the business forward every single day?And then the final thing that I wanted to mention here is just don't be ruled by your feelings. We have a whole podcast episode on that, but I do think that especially as women in business, like We are typically more emotional. We have, you know, a lot of feelings that we tend to navigate depending on, like, even where we're at in our cycle. Like, Jordan and I, we, um, talk about this a lot and we try to, like, work with that as much as possible. Um, but I always tell my clients, especially when they are making, like, big decisions in the business, like, don't go into making a big decision when you're, like, raw, when you've got, like, all the feels going on, um, because your feelings are fickle and you're not always going to feel good or feel like doing certain things in your business. You're not always going to feel motivated or inspired. And I think sometimes we take that feedback as, "Oh, well, I'm on the wrong path 'cause I don't feel inspired and I don't feel motivated, so something's wrong with me. "Well, I- I feel like if you've had a couple of years where you're feeling disconnected from your business, that might be something to, to look at. But if you have, like, a random Monday morning where you aren't feeling motivated, that is not, like, a crisis of, do we need to, like, redirect in the business? That is just, like, you're a human. And like, you know, sometimes on a Monday morning, even when you love what you do, sometimes you might not feel like working. Mm-hmm. I mean, like, we love what we do and there are days where I'm just like, "I don't feel like" "I do not feel like going to this client call. I do not feel like doing this presentation. I do not feel like doing this interview. "Um, but does that mean that I allow that to dictate whether or not I show up for that thing? No, because I've already made the commitment and I'm gonna do it. And again, when you're making those bigger decisions too, like, don't, don't let that come solely from a place of feeling, um, especially when you're, like, in your raw, kind of like processing or you just know you're in a bad mental state. Do not make big decisions in your business in a season like that. Um, and ultimately, just, just don't allow your feelings to dictate the moves that you're making day over day. Um, we have to go into some of those decisions with a sound mind, and your feelings are not always going to be reliable in that way. Yeah, and like, in a slow season of business, your feelings are gonna be probably a little bit like, "Womp, womp. "Like, you might feel- Yeah, a lot of doubt or fear or anxiety. You might feel the, like, the struggle is real, you know? You might feel all of these things and you might feel, uh, the weight of the world on your shoulders, you know? Like, you're just gonna be crushed by it. But like, remember that Count of Monte Cristo quote? Mm-hmm. "The storm "I- I don't have it pulled up right now, but, "The storm will come, but it matters what you do when that storm comes. "And like, when the storm is in front of you, are you going to allow your doubt and fear and anxiety to, like, control you? Or are you gonna, like, stand up to that storm and be like, "I am, I am a steadfast force to be reckoned with. "You know? Like, don't allow those short-term feelings, because they are short-term and they will change because you're, like you just said, feelings are fickle. Or whatever you said, 'cause that was good. Mm-hmm. Um, your feelings will change. So, these, uh, feelings that you're experiencing during a slower season of business, they are short-term and they will shift at some point. So, you don't wanna always give into those, those short-term feelings. Mm-hmm. I have this thing for myself, like, with most things in my life, but especially in business, like, I have committed to myself that I'm never gonna quit while I'm down. Because I feel like when you're down and when things aren't working, like, you're not really looking at things with a sound mind, and a lot of times you're making decisions based out of fear, anxiety, worry, and that's not really where I wanna make my decisions from. And, you know, some of the best things in life and some of the best things in your business are going to get really hard. They're gonna get really tough and you're gonna question everything. But do you really wanna quit while you're down or do you wanna make that decision when you are coming from more of a sound mind and you have more of a realistic, uh, grounded perspective? And I know for me, like, that's where I wanna make my decisions from. I don't wanna make them from my feelings in the moment. So, that's another little tidbit for you. Dang. That was fire. That was fire right there. Fire. Oh, the sunglasses are back. Sunglasses are back, for our audio-only listeners-that you can't see.my God, it's so good. You're just putting the blinders on 'cause I'm throwing shade. Yeah. Yep. I'm putting my, you know, I'm putting my blinders on. Actually, these aren't blinders. You know what I mean? Yeah. You know what I mean? We're trying to make the connection. Yeah, it's not working. All right, you guys. That's it for this episode. We hope that this left you feeling inspired and encouraged. Um, if things feel hard, if things feel slow, like, that is not a sign that y- you're not equipped for this path. Like, if you're here and you're committed and you're dedicated to your vision, like, you are equipped for this path. Um, and as you continue to show up through these seasons that feel hard, you're going to develop that grit and that's gonna sustain you, it's gonna keep you moving forward. Um, and we just want you to know that your work matters. And don't quit while you're down. Like, keep going, keep showing up. And we promise you, like, after every downturn, there's always an upswing. Like, there's always growth to come. Like, there's always more opportunities to come. It's an ebb and a flow, and that's coming for you. We believe that. And thank you for your time today. We will catch you in the next episode.
