Yesterday I was having a discussion with Mary who I know from a mother's group that I attend with my daughter Sammi. Through previous conversations I have determined that this woman is very talented in the areas of landscaping and interior design.
I couldn't help myself?As we talked, I asked her if she had thought about going into business for herself which would be a perfect way to do work she loves while making money. Her reply to me was, "It's really hard to make money at it. People aren't willing to pay."
Now if Mary were a client, my next question would have been, "So no one makes money doing landscaping and interior design?" Of course her response would have been, "Well some do." And my next response, "So why not you?"
The real reason Mary won't consider going into business has nothing to do with the industry she is interested in, it's that she isn't willing to see that SHE could make it happen.
In reality, she could have the best landscaping business in the area?if she believed she could!
Can you see yourself in Mary's example? How many business ideas have you shot down because you really don't believe you can pull it off?
Here is how a lot of my conversations with clients go?
Client: "I would love to do such and such, but I can't make money doing it."
Me: "Ok, well how much money can you make doing it?"
Client: "I really don't know."
Money is the excuse; your belief in yourself is the problem. So what do you do? In order to create what you want, you have to move beyond what is.
1. Suspend disbelief and envision yourself doing and making money doing, work you really love. The trick here is to think about what you want, not how you are going to get it. So in Mary's case that would be easy;
"I have created a very successful landscaping design business. I have exactly the right number of clients that generate plenty of revenue to support my business and myself. I love going to my clients and seeing how excited they are when I complete my design."
2. Now, list all of the excuses why this vision could never be a reality. This includes internal and external reasons:
External:
-The economy is bad.
-It's a tough industry.
-People won't pay for this service.
Internal:
-I don't know how to run a business
-I hate marketing.
-Why would anybody buy anything from me?
-I can't make money doing work I love.
List them all, I'm sure, like my clients, you have plenty.
3. Now test your belief in these excuses:
-The economy is bad.
"People are successful in so called "bad economies" all the time."
-It's a tough industry.
"If other people can figure it out, I certainly can."
-People won't pay for this service.
"People pay for this service all the time."
-I don't know how to run a business.
"I can learn how to run a business."
-I hate marketing.
"Maybe I can get someone to do my marketing for me."
-Why would anybody buy anything from me?
"I do have great ideas and examples of work I've already done."
-I can't make money doing work I love.
"I've never tried, so I don't really know if I can."
You just want to get past the disbelief in order to generate next steps.
Bottom line, if you're not willing to see the possibilities, you won't see the obstacles and therefore you won't be able to resolve them and move toward what you really want to do.
Unfortunately a lot of us live our lives according to beliefs, that once you break them down, aren't realities. This is truly the "big lie" and it's time we all started creating our own desired realities!
Doreen Banaszak is a career coach, teacher & founder of the "90-Day Get Your Career UnSlumped Challenge". Where do you want to be in 90 days? Register today to receive your free "GetUnSlumped Welcome Package" including an e-workbook, free tele-workshop and complementary coaching consultation. Register at http://www.getunslumped.com! Check out more articles by Doreen at the, GetUnSlumped Blog.