Learning Curves - Self employment as a self development journey
Being self employed has been a huge, ongoing learning curve in so many different ways, although the process of learning feels more like a cycle or a spiral to me. Often I learn & realise things I used to believe in new ways & my understandings evolve & shift.
Some of the learning journeys I spiral with are:
While your business comes from a personal place, it is not YOU. Try not to equate your personal self worth with how booked up you are (whether it’s a quiet or a busy time!). There are things you can do to change this situation of course, in time. But also, sometimes things just don’t go to plan in the way you think they will, and that’s just how it goes sometimes.
Listen deeply to your clients. Listen deeply to your intuition. Practice asking questions that sensitively get to the heart of things, with yourself & with your peeps & you’ll build confidence to ‘go there’, build real relationships & truly understand your clients needs. You don’t need to have the answers for anyone else, but by asking good questions that come from the heart, you’ll learn so much about your people & how to best serve them.
Be clear in your own mind about how much work you actually have space for. In REALITY tho. Don’t overcommit yourself or make promises that are going to stress you the fuck out when it comes time to follow through! Keep reviewing your boundaries & be honest with yourself about how things feel. It MUST be possible for you to run a biz in a way that works for you, because this is your life. & u don’t have to do this biz.
Ask for help, remember you don’t have to do everything on your own. Keep working with a coach who you vibe with (from time to time, or all the time!). Be held accountable.
In the society we currently inhabit, we need money to live. In order to be able to offer the services you offer, it’s okay for you to charge at a price point that fairly equates to the exchange you are making with your clients so that you can actually do the work you do, make the positive difference that it makes, live well, AND have a personal life outside of working and marketing your services!
What are some of the learning spirals you journey around?