I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
If and When
At the end of 1999, I left my job, family, and all that was known and familiar to me to travel alone to Taiwan, the first stop on a 6-month mostly solo journey along the Pacific rim.
When friends and family asked me why I would do such a thing, I said, "I don't want to wait til I'm 65 to travel the way I'd like to and see parts of the world a week or two of vacation doesn't allow me to do."
It's almost a quarter of century since then (I can't believe it!!) and boy am I glad I had the presence of mind to follow that desire, because I really couldn't travel like that now and I'm not sure I'll be able to when I actually do turn 65.
Believe me when I tell you it was scary. It was also exhilarating.
And, it was a HUGE mindset shift.
Up until then, I was like a lot of people I knew and still know, living in the future—for the weekend, for my upcoming vacation, for when I could afford to do, go, be something other than what I was in the present.
These days, I have clients who say things like:
"When I hit this revenue goal, then I'll finally be successful and will reward myself with [fill in the blank]."
"If I can just close this deal or publish this book or launch this offer, then I'll be able to [fill in the blank]."
Or some variation thereof.
I call this living in the future tense and I actively encourage you to cut it out even though I know how tempting it is to do.
Obviously, as a strategy person, I want you to plan for the future and take concrete steps to achieve the goals you've outlined for yourself and your business.
What I don't want you to do is delay your life, your joy, your sense of accomplishment in the here and now for a future that is not guaranteed.
In the immortal words of John Lennon, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans."
Please don't sacrifice your life to the If/Whens.
The challenge I give to my clients who are living too much in the future tense is to flip the script from If/When to X/Y.
X/Y looks like this: "Because I want X in the future, I'm doing Y now."
In this way, rather than hoping for one day when, you're actively acknowledging how your present is working toward your desired future.
Here's a real life example from one of my clients.
Future State Thinking: "When I hit two consecutive years of $200,000+ revenue, then I'll invest in operational support so I can spend more time with my family."
Flipped X/Y /Script: "Because I want to spend more time with my family while achieving consistent 6-figure revenue, I'm investing in a virtual assistant now so I can focus more on business-building activities."
Hiring a virtual assistant was a very big decision for this client and flipping that script really relieved a lot of anxiety and stress around it while also clarifying why it was necessary to do it today rather than wait for some point in the future.
So here's my proposal:
Instead of living for the future, let's get busy enjoying the journey that'll get us there!
Deal?!
And, if you need some help designing your roadmap to your desired future, I'm here to help.
Until next time,
PS – Last week, I explained why Ignorance Isn't Bliss for customers.
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Easily Said & Done
I help entrepreneurs leapfrog over the typical potholes that derail most small businesses with inspiration, motivation, education, and support across a wide range of business topics drawn from over a decade of running my own business, teaching entrepreneurship for the City of New York, and coaching and consulting privately with dozens of women and minority small business owners. Honestly, why go it alone when help is an email away?
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