I was reading one evening in my yellow Ikea armchair, but I couldn’t concentrate at all! From the children’s room there was loud giggling so I couldn’t resist. I went to investigate.
They were laughing with Hubby about how they were talking at 1 1/2 and trying to repeat the stilted words they were saying then. They were most puzzled by our level of understanding, even though the same word defined several things. “How did you know what I was saying, Daddy?”
All this stuck in my mind and I kept thinking how different the kids were, ever since they were babies. Emily, at a year and a half had the ”impressive” vocabulary of 30 words defining various objects or actions. Andrei on the other hand, at the same age, only made sounds, mumbles, but even those mumbles made sense to us.
And we are just as different, and not just personality-wise, or just in abilities or character traits, that’s obvious. My point is to emphasizehow diffrent we are on the professional side.
No two businesses, are alike. Not even in the same theme/industry because …. SURPRISE… the people behind the business are not identical.
Looking back I realised that Andrei, although he wasn’t saying words, I knew exactly what he was referring to. From his gestures, his eyes, his tone. And if he was insisting on something specific, that too would be very clear from the intensity in his tone or the way he was elongating the sounds.
Just like with my kids, it happens with us too!
Although we all communicate with our customers on social media, we do it in very different ways. One will make a written post, and the other will do a video, or even a live. One stutters, while the other speaks confidently. One writes beautiful stories and the other only short posts. And the examples could go on.
My point is, that I work in coaching with a lot of awesome women who have their own business and oftentimes the biggest challenge is trusting their own voice, their uniqueness. And that confidence, while it doesn’t happen overnight, you can build it step by step, and the first step is to stop looking at your colleague! Just look at yourself!
Photo by Randalyn Hill on Unsplash
Anchor the reasons why you started doing what you do. Why was it important to you to start this business? Therein lies the “secret sauce” that will sustain you to keep doing what you’re doing even when you get stuck.
Look at what your superpowers really are and practice them every day! Wake up with them in mind and trust that they will support you in everything you do.
Make a list of all the things you do with ease. Even if at first glance you think they have nothing to do with your work. It’s sure to show up.
Look at all the challenges you’ve overcome so far and see what helped you overcome them?
Then, once you see all these gifts you have within you, practice them every day! Find the connection between each of these superpowers and the business you have, because I assure you, everything you need to succeed is within you!
Your game is about YOU, so stop looking at others!
p.s. if this article reaches you and I’ve managed to inspire you, write me in the comments how you want to use this inspiration? I’d love to hear the rest of your story.