Nov 17, 2021
Have you noticed how every year, it seems like our society moves things along at a faster and faster pace? I mean, my Halloween candy hasn’t even been eaten, and yet All Things Christmas are already exploding from every storefront.
I see the same thing happening in the businesses of my fellow entrepreneurs. People suddenly want to reach their 12 month goals in 10 month’s time. But here’s the thing: Your business is not Amazon Prime, and no one’s results are delivered overnight.
There’s still time. You CAN still finish this year strong (because it’s not over yet, despite what the holiday decor will lead you to believe!). And as you start your 2022 planning, know that it IS possible to approach it from a place of grace - for yourself, and for your business.
Read on to find out why I think sometimes slow is the best way to grow.
NEWSFLASH: 2021 is NOT over yet.
Because the stores have been decorated with Christmas stuff for a month now already, and because Black Friday deals have been being promoted over a week in advance, it’s got people thinking the year is over. And as a business owner, that can lead to panic and disappointment at potentially having not hit the goals you set for yourself this year.
I’ve got good news for you: 2021 is not over yet. You still have weeks left to rally and meet your goals. Don’t give up simply because Santa decided to pop in on November 1st. You made goals for January through the end of December, so see them through to the end.
People are still buying and still doing business. Their financial focus is not entirely on Christmas gifts, I promise you. They will still spend money on themselves, their own development, and their own business needs if the value is communicated to them in an irresistible way. And if you’ve been doing your sales training with me in my coaching programs, this podcast, and beyond, I KNOW you have what it takes to make your offers irresistibly valuable!
Setting your foundation for 2022 - with grace.
As you begin your planning for the new year ahead, I’d like to offer some advice that you might initially feel some resistance to. But hear me out.
Start by asking yourself, “What do I need to do to set the foundation for myself in 2022? What seeds do I need to plant in order for them to blossom over the course of next year?”
Then, give yourself permission to grow at a pace that may be slower than you’re accustomed to. We’ve all come to expect our businesses to be like Amazon Prime, delivered within the hour. But your business is not Amazon Prime, and results do not happen overnight.
When you see someone who's a success, you might think, Oh my gosh, she blew up, like, yesterday. Suddenly, she has a million followers and her business is through the roof! But I promise you - I’ve seen it again and again - she did not simply arrive to her wild success overnight. She's where she is because she set the foundation for her own growth. She did the work, likely got the support she needed through coaches, masterminds, and networking, and she made shit happen, probably way slower than you think.
I don't know anyone who will tell you they're really an overnight success - and I know a lot of incredibly successful people. They will all tell you that their success was 5, 10, even 20 years in the making, even today, with the accelerated growth that’s possible through our modern media channels.
You will hopefully not need 20 years to reach the level of success you’re dreaming of, but I share this to encourage you to give yourself some grace. The foundation you’re currently “standing on” is probably far better than the one you were on in your business the previous year. And if you give yourself the time and love to properly set the foundation for your business’ next tier of growth, this will end up helping you get there in a sustainable way. Things don't always happen overnight. And that's okay.
Your successes arrive right on time.
Last year, when I was building up my mastermind, I had the goal of having 10-12 members. But the truth is, in retrospect, if I had actually reached my goal, I probably wouldn't have been ready to support so many new people all at once with the systems I had in place in my business at the time.
What ended up happening is 4 women initially signed on, then a couple more joined. There are now 6 women in our mastermind group who are all renewing and heading into 2022 with me. In starting a bit slower than I’d planned this year, I was able to serve these women to the best of my capabilities. Can you imagine if I’d started with the 10+ I’d thought were right for me? I worry that I’d have disappointed my members for lack of resources.
Now, as I head into 2022, I have an even stronger foundation in place. I’m no longer starting from zero when I didn’t even know what I would need until I needed it. I now have the systems, processes, staff, and resources available to truly take on the additional new members and deliver an experience that exceeds their expectations on every level. I’m so glad I trusted in the wisdom and timing of the Universe - she knew exactly what was best for me to be at my most successful this year.
Going slow as you grow isn’t a bad thing.
Are you currently trying to grow many things in your life and business at the same time?
I feel you. I, too, have a mind racing with many, many ideas. I like everything to be fast-paced, and want things to arrive in a New York Minute. My patience is something I’m constantly working on. But I’m finding more and more, slow can be the answer.
We’re so used to viewing slow as something bad in our society. But slow isn’t no, slow isn’t go-go-go, slow is just slow. It’s not a bad thing. Slow can be an intentional, mindful choice. What if, as you map out your 2022, you give yourself grace by setting an intention that slow is okay, and that everything is happening for you in just the right time. Can you work on growing one thing at a time, rather than all the things at once?
This is your friendly reminder that you don't need to be like Amazon Prime. Just because it's become a standard in our society for people to want instant gratification - messages responded to immediately, products delivered within a day, etc. - it doesn’t mean you have to operate that way in order to be successful. You get to create the boundaries that best serve you. You get to choose how quickly your business grows in a way that allows your life to thrive alongside it.
When you detach from the outcome and look at the bigger picture, little by little, day by day, you’re growing and building a better foundation than the one you’re standing on today. From there, you can continue to plant in that rich soil so you and your business will be nourished and given the space to blossom.