I hear it all the time. I just can’t take the time away from my business to work “on” my business.
It is the ultimate double-edged sword.
However, I sometimes wonder if there’s not something else underneath all that chaos that is holding you back.
Perhaps mindset.
Some speakers are hot, hot, hot in the industry but know they are leaving money on the table, or are reducing their speaking lifespan by not diversifying their efforts.
Kindra Hall saw the writing on the wall. She knew that even at extremely high fees and fifty plus events a year (with two small children at home) she would need to figure out how to stop trading her time for money at some point. Or at least slow it down.
So what did she do?
She started writing her book and developed a really awesome course on storytelling.
Kindra is setting herself up to scale, and she is doing it fearlessly.
If Kindra wants to cherry pick large consulting contracts, that can also be a part of her offering mix.
Kindra could have easily said “I am too busy” to develop these ideas, but she is taking action because the writing is on the wall. It is challenging to maintain a high number of speaking engagements for decades. It wears you out.
There are others out there who should be taking some of the steps that Kindra is, but they are just too busy.
Translation. It is not important enough.
Alternate translation. I am too nervous or afraid to try something new.
Or perhaps it is something else.
If you see this type of thing happening to you, here are the steps to readying yourself for expansion.
3 Easy Steps to Blow Past Fear and Excuses to Scale Your Business
1. Commit to the Idea
We both know that without this step, there’s no point in even paying lip service to the idea of expanding.
2. Clear the Land
You must make room in your calendar (“but I am giving up paid bookings!”) Yes, you are in order to grow beyond those. If you do not make the time to move your business forward, you will never do it, and you will just keep making excuses. (This is me giving tough love.)
3. Break it Down
Create smaller action steps, so the task does not seem so daunting.
Let’s say you are a very busy speaker and want to write a book. You have committed to it happening, and you have set a “publish by” date. You carve out two months in the summer to write the book – no cheating and taking gigs, that will move you off your path. Then, you start bit by bit. First, create an outline, then move to each chapter. By tackling it in pieces, you will feel less stressed, and it will not feel like such a massive task to overcome.
When I decided to write my first book (I have five under my belt now) I went and got educated on how to write a book and carved out the time to do it. If you do not know how (whether it is writing a book or building an online course or whatever it is you want to use to scale), do not stop because you do not know how. Go and find out how. Check out Tammy Plunkett’s Big Sky Author Services.
Is there something you have wanted to do in the business that you have been “too busy” to take action on? If so, follow these three easy steps, blow past any fear that you may have of trying something new, drop the excuses, get educated and then start taking action.
See you soon Wealthy Speakers!
