Today I’m sharing a confession, and the lesson that came out of it that I still use today.
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In 2013, I was seriously out of shape.
For starters, I was working way too much on my businesses. And when I say plural “businessES”, it’s because my then-business partner and I were running three separate companies.
And we were traveling all the time, dividing our time between Berlin, San Francisco, and New York. I was working out once a month (and that was a good month).
I hadn’t always been this way. In a previous life, I was a huge cyclist. I rode my bike from San Francisco to Los Angeles twice, and I did hundred-mile rides on weekends. But those days were long gone.
One day in SF, as I struggled through what should have been an easy bike ride, I realized the truth. I was out of shape.
I decided something had to change.
This was around the time when I was teaching myself how to get new clients. I was reading everything I could get my hands on (in the end, it would turn out to be 65 books). And something I read spoke to me:
“If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.”
I decided to make that my workout mantra.
So I wasn’t going to try to lose 10 pounds, or get down to a % bodyweight, or lift a certain amount. Those were results-based goals.
Instead, I was going to focus on change, and build the HABIT of working out. So my entire goal became 6 words:
Two days on, one day off.
That’s how I was going to get back into shape.
It took a few months, but I got into the best shape of my life. I was strong. I felt great. And I finally had an outlet to clear my head and get zen about my business.
And yes, I got results. I dropped weight, my clothes fit better, and I looked pretty good too. 🙂 And I’ve kept up my fitness over the years.
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That phrase has become my personal mantra. I even mentioned it on the Soulful MBA podcast interview.
It applies to much more than fitness; it applies to selling too. In selling, as in life, “If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.”
So now I’m asking you: Are you focusing on results? Or are you focusing on change?
Results-based goals sound like this:
- I want to get 5 clients (then I can stop getting clients for a while)
- I want to make $XX money this year
- I want the one big client who will sustain me (in sales terms, we call that a “whale”)
Change-based goals sound like this:
- I want to have a full sales pipeline, so I’m not scrambling at the end of a project
- I want spend 20 minutes a day doing outreach
- I want to learn how to sell, so I can close new clients with ease
Where are you focusing? On results, or on change?
You know which one I’d recommend. And I promise that if you focus on change, you will get results.
To your success,
Leah
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you.
- Join the free Smart Gets Paid Group and connect with women entrepreneurs who are learning how to get clients too. This is my new Facebook community where badass women like you learn how to get the clients they want, without feeling salesy. Click here to join.
- Learn how to get new clients without feeling salesy, in 10 weeks
If getting new clients is on your to-do list, but you’re not sure where to start, I can help. You’ll learn step-by-step how to get the clients you want, without feeling salesy. And you’ll get the support you need to put learning into practice in your business.Just email me and put “Clients” in the subject line and I’ll get you the details.
- Work with me privately
If you’d like to work directly with me to learn how to sell, get paid more, and get the clients you really want, just email me and put “Private” in the subject line. Tell me a little about your business and what you’re struggling with when it comes to selling, and I’ll get you all the details.
