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It’s my job as a life coach … and a human being … to manage what’s going on inside me … to manage how I’m feeling.  A large part of that involves sitting with and ultimately transforming any negative feelings and inner dialogue I’ve conjured up into something more positive … the very best I can.  

Some people do this really well.  They’re generally optimistic and naturally don’t have to work that hard to see the brighter side of life.  Others don’t do this work at all … or do very little of it … and you can tell by what it’s like to be around them!

I do this fairly well, because I’m consistent.  But I didn’t come out of the womb a generally happy, optimistic person.  I’ve chosen to work at it.  We’ve talked about many of the tools I use in these newsletters over the years … writing a gratitude list, refreshing my mind and body with a midday meditation, doing EFT (tapping) when something’s really bothering me, etc.

Today, I want to share a story … and a tool that’s very easy to use and brings such a positive punch to your life!

As a business coach, I work with both start-ups and established enterprises.  Their needs are different, and, this month, I have a bit of specific advice for each.

There are times when we’re in physical, mental/emotional, and behavioral states that aren’t doing us any good or, at the very least, are suboptimal.  As a life coach, a big part of my job is helping people improve their physical and emotional state and behave more advantageously, so they can be happier, more productive, and simply get more of what they want out of life.

That process involves change.  And change doesn’t come about without two things … a recognition that change is needed and the willingness to actually do what’s necessary to effect it.

Imagine this.  The growth / success of your business is represented by a line on a graph going from lower left to upper right.  Are you picturing a straight line?  If so, I get it.  That would be natural.  But, as a business coach and a business owner myself, I’m here to tell ya, there’s no such thing as a straight line when it comes to growing your business or the pace at which business comes in.

Regardless of whether you’re doing quite well or kinda struggling to get things rolling, progress usually looks more irregular, with peaks and valleys … like a sine wave … only maybe less smooth.

It’s a pattern you see over and over in nature, as well as in human affairs.

The bottom line is this.  There are ups and downs.

You might be saying, well duh, tell me something I don’t know.

And yet, I’ve worked with a lot of folks who are thrown off their game by the dips, as if they weren’t ever gonna occur.  They seem taken aback by the disappointments and the outright smackdowns that are bound to come their way from time to time.

In life, there are things you simply HAVE to do.  And they take away from the things you GET to do.  So, what’s your HAVE TO / GET TO ratio?  As a life coach, I’m always encouraging clients, audience members, and readers to do more of the things that bring them joy and satisfaction … and to structure their lives so they’re able to do more of the things they really like doing.

I’ll often ask something like, “What would you like to do that would make you really happy and energized?“

It’s usually not enough to just be good at what you do.  This is a belief I’ve held and passed along to clients and audience members since my earliest days as a business coach.

You have to do the work necessary to connect in a meaningful and personal way with the people who need you and want what you have to offer if you want to start and maintain a successful business.

Otherwise, you’re like the thousands of brilliant writers out there who never get read.  You’re like the sweetest, most perfect gift that doesn’t get opened.

It’s a belief I recently had reinforced by listening to an energy expert, of all people, talking in passing about what has made the subscription services his team offers so incredibly successful … so unbelievably fast.

Has she called yet?  Is the technician scheduled to come out?  I gave her the guy’s number a couple of days ago.  I’m left waiting and wondering.   And while I wait, it’s making me think about two cardinal themes of life coaching … tolerations and personal integrity. 

Ya want to get rid of the first … and you want to do everything possible to uphold the second.

My specialty as a business coach is working with small businesses, typically solopreneurs, to set them up for success, so they build their visibility … their client base … and their income.  

We’ve all seen the statistics on how many small businesses fail.  It’s alarming!  The odds seem to be stacked against you.  And unfortunately, I think the solopreneur or micro-business faces even greater challenges.

So, why is that?  And if that’s you … what can you do about it?

As I’m working with my life and business coaching clients, I often see themes … re-occurring issues, challenges, or opportunities that several of them are dealing with at about the same time.  It’s often something I’m dealing with as well.  And that’s part of the beauty of being a life coach.  

I’m subject to the same issues and challenges and I can’t exempt myself from following the advice I give folks. 

I have to “walk the talk” alongside my clients.

A theme I’ve been noticing lately is how much our self-righteousness gets in the way of what we want … both at work and in our relationships.

I mentioned in our latest business newsletter that I’ve been doing more executive coaching in the last couple of years.

Here are the things that have struck me when it comes to interacting with these folks.  I believe my takeaways will provide insight for the folks I write this letter for … small business owners … solopreneurs … service professionals.