It’s one of the first things we learn growing up: The Golden Rule.
You remember it, right? “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.”
And for most situations in our lives, it provides a tremendously helpful guidepost of how we should act.
That’s why I’d like to use it as a guide for a NEW type of Golden Rule. This time for entrepreneurs.
“Do for yourself what you’re doing for others.”
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How many of us do incredible work for our clients, but we don’t do that same incredible work for ourselves? If you’re smiling right now, you’re not alone.
Here’s how a few of my clients describe it:
“When I think about my PR business, it’s not that I don’t have confidence that I can do a great job. But when it comes to talking about myself, I just feel… it’s so hard to talk about yourself when… I mean I can do it for other people a million times over. But to talk about myself? It feels so… uncomfortable.”
“I’m not really clear on my messaging, which really totally kills me because I literally help my clients with theirs.”
My friend Courtney is an incredible web designer. The last time I asked her for her website, she said, “Ugh, I just can’t seem to put it together.”
Entrepreneurs are the ultimate cobblers’ kids.
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Why do we do such amazing work for our clients, but we don’t — or really, we can’t — do that same work on our own businesses?
It’s not because we don’t have the ability. Every entrepreneur I know is a freaking badass at what they do.
And it’s not because we don’t want to. How many times have you stared at your own stuff trying to WILL it to be better?
No, it’s not either of those.
It’s because of our blind spots.
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Blind spots are areas where vision is hindered. You might know that something is there, but you can’t exactly see it.
And why is it a blind spot, at least in an entrepreneur’s world? Because we’re too close.
About 6 months ago, I discovered a huge blind spot.
I was about to launch my program SIGNED. I had the program all mapped out. I had the sales page ready. I was so excited about getting it out there.
All I had to do was write the emails to announce it. That’s when things came to a screeching halt.
I was looking at a blank sheet of paper thinking, “What do I even say?” And I’m someone who writes one email a week! But I had nothing.
I was too close.
I kept staring at that blank sheet of paper. I stared at it for 6 weeks.
That’s when I decided that this was ridiculous. I was done being stuck.
I reached out to a business coach I knew and set up our first session. In that call and the ones that followed, he identified why I was stuck, offered a different way of approaching my launch, and gave me a plan and some homework.
When I sat down again to write my launch emails, it was totally different. The words just flowed.
All because I had gotten coaching through my blind spot.
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I’ve written before about getting support to get you where you want to go. It’s just as important to get support to dissolve the things that are holding you back. Your blind spots.
And it doesn’t have to be me, either. I’m all about support, wherever you find it. Connect with a mentor, join a mastermind, start a group.
But if you think I can provide you the support you need for your business, and you’ve been thinking about working with me, now is the time. SIGNED is open now – If you’d like to work with me, you can find it here.
Don’t take it from me – here’s what one of my clients had to say:
“Leah coaches me in my business blind spots. Before working with her, I’d heard my share of catchphrases for small businesses. The practices and principles Leah has taught me encourage me to “lead with my chest” and embrace “a millionaire’s mindset” as I take LEADright to “the next level” of business growth and development. These once-empty catchphrases now resonate with deep personalized meaning.
Leah has helped me tell my story and that of my consulting firm in a clear relatable way. The time we have spent crafting messages is a worthy investment. It is great that I am making this investment now as I build my pipeline and attract more clients.”
So here’s what you can do now.
First, take stock of your blind spots. Where do you wish your business could improve, but you just can’t get there because you’re too close?
Second, find a coach, resource, or group to help you move past your blind spots.
Third, if you’d like to work with me, sign up for SIGNED. Check out FAQ, and if it sounds like a good fit, sign up.
Let’s see if we can make this new Golden Rule a reality:
“Do for yourself what you’re doing for others.”
To your success,
Leah
