“You can make money or you can make excuses. Your choice.”
- John Addison (1920-1998), composer
Doesn’t that just say it all? It’s good to be reminded that determination and persistence (and a healthy dose of dreaming) are the keys to living my goals & yours, too.
Today, I feel wrung out like an old washcloth, very low energy which is soooo unusual for me. Now, I could complain. After all, last week was a doozy. Here’s what was on deck:
- Preparing for Brandi’s really useful call on creating winning Facebook ads
- prepping my talk for the New England chapter of ABC
- Crafting a blog series on difficult clients for a guest blog appearance on Sage Wedding Pros
- Approved the beginnings of a re-design for PositivelyWed
- Writing an 1800 word article to be featured on the second issue of Wedlock, Wedding Marketing Journal
And, that’s on top of the usual work that keeps Positively Wed humming along. Add to that getting ready for ‘prom’ with my son, Handsome (I promised not to use his name on the blog-boys!) I’d like to whine. In fact, I did complain a little today. But honestly, it feels ingeniousness to complain for a couple of reasons.
First, I really enjoyed each of those projects. I love writing. It’s fun to share ideas and it only gets difficult when I worry too much about what others will think. Do you do that?
Get over yourself and write more for your site, other blogs or article banks. Your site traffic will leap up. You have a legitimate point of view that needs sharing, whether it’s about why film photography beats digital or how late a bride can safely start tanning for her big day. There is someone waiting to hear what only you can say. Yeah, it can be scary, especially if it feels like no one is reading you or someone decides to publicly disagree.
But, and here’s the important part, those are just excuses that keep you stuck where you are. Which would you rather make: money or excuses?
Second reason I can’t complain- finishing that pile of work to my high standards allows me to feel accomplished and move so much closer to my dreams. My real dreams. You know, I like making money. I’m no different than anyone else. But I LOVE having experiences like traveling with my family, renovating an old home or trying new cuisines or adventures. (I’m saving for a cruise from Venice to Barcelona- ah, the food, the sights!) That’s what I work for. The money simply pays for that lifestyle.
Money is never just money. It can represent many other intangible ideas like love, freedom, security, self-worth, revenge, control and probably a whole lot more. As I tell my coaching clients who have uh, frugal, brides, ‘It’s always about the money; it’s never about the money. Look beyond.’ Arguing about money is culturally acceptable, relatively speaking, and safer than talking about feelings or fears. If you can figure out what the money stands for, you can usually figure out a way to meet that need. Ask me about the airline pilot sometime.
Same is true for you, right? Making money in your business represents something else for you. Which would you rather make: experiences, memories (you fill in the blank) or excuses? (I’m hoping this post stirs something inside you and that you’ll share your thoughts below.)
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Great point! Money ALWAYS means something else, something emotional. To ‘look beyond’ for your clients, though, you have to know what money means to you first. (For me, money=security.) Then realize that it may not be the same thing for your clients. When you open yourself to this, it’s much easier to connect with what your clients need.
–Thea
Thanks, Thea, for sharing. Money used to mean security to me, but lately it’s all about creating options. More $$=more choices. Which may or may not be a good thing. LOL