When you are creating something, where are you creating it FROM?
It can seem abstract to ask that question, but let me give you an example—
If I call you from an intention to “sell” you coaching, to convince you that you need me, I am guessing that will feel very different than if I call you from an intention to connect and get to know you better because I am genuinely interested in you and care about you and am happy to help you whether you hire me or not.
I am also guessing that you will FEEL that difference immediately.
When you are building a business, no matter how far along you are, there are at least two places you can come FROM.
Maximizing income or maximizing impact.
Coming from Maximizing Income
There are times when I really feel like I NEED to generate some income, fast.
And it feels AWFUL. I feel bad for the people on the other end of those conversations. I talk faster, my breathing is more shallow, and I am willing to say just about anything, to try just about anything, to get to the next stage of the conversation.
AND, it has the opposite impact that I intend. I almost never get new business when I am coming from this place.
I have a former client who was convinced that he had to be the low bidder for jobs that his company did. He found himself begging for work, tap dancing through every proposal, giving up his profit to get the work.
He was so worried about losing business that he had trouble winning the RIGHT business. He was so worried about losing people that he had trouble keeping the RIGHT people.
He was not willing to take a stand for the impact that he wanted to make, and for the customers and employees that made sense for him.
Because he did not stand for anything he also did not STAND OUT.
Most companies are like him. It feels awful and ironically does nothing to grow your income.
Coming from Maximizing Impact
But things can be different.
You can grow your business by being MORE TRUE to yourself and your vision.
I understand, for example, that I have a message that may not resonate with everyone.
That message, that we are living in a world of our own thinking and that when we see that we can create our results more consciously, is easy to get intellectually but hard to really FEEL.
I have to BE that message in order to have any kind of impact. It’s not about explanation or desperation or talking about a bunch of benefits.
It’s about my being.
If I come from my message, my ideal client FEELS that.
People may not be able to explain exactly WHY they want to work with me, but they WANT to work with me nevertheless.
No matter what your business or your message, the same is true for you.
I have a client who comes from a place of top quality and long term relationships. For him to proclaim that would probably undermine his business. But he is a stand for that in every conversation. He is almost never the low bidder. He talks long term. His current clients give him raving references.
And it has an amazing impact on his work. The RIGHT people, those who value his commitment and long term focus, are WILLING to pay more for that.
The wrong people, who are simply looking for the lowest price and really don’t care about quality, run the other way.
The same is true for his employees.
He has used his COME FROM to grow his business (and his people) the right way.
And now he has a business that is growing and that he feels good about.
He has a business that, more and more, is succeeding without him.
He has stepped into a powerful freedom to create more of that both in his business and his personal life.
Where Are You Creating From?
Are you willing to work with anyone? At any price?
How’s that going?
What if you got really clear on the IMPACT you want to have?
And what if, because of that, the right people came to YOU?
How to Go Deeper
If you are a founder wanting to scale and sell your company, there are three shifts in identity (thought) that can help you do so with twice the impact and half the stress. Take a look at this video.
If building a sustainable coaching business that will replace your corporate income is calling you, here’s a video where I share the top three mistakes I see coaches make when trying to build a sustainable business—
http://bit.ly/creatingextraordinarycoaches
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And when you’re ready to go even deeper, send me a private message or an email. I’m happy to help you in any way I can.