This has been a year of exploration for The Funky Little Chair, and I know I’m not the only one.
Hindsight may be 20/20, but foresight is impossibly fuzzy. It’s really hard to tell the difference between an opportunity and a distraction. If time and energy are limited commodities, where should I invest them?
It’s no simple thing.
But of course, you know this.
We are all challenged with the task of building our future, particularly those who are self-employed. We all receive an avalanche of input from the world around us – do this! Don’t do that! Look here! Listen up!! You should try this thing! The other thing! ALL the things!!!!!!
Listening to the whisper of our own inner voice is anything but easy.
There is no end to the shelf-helpery available to help you with this messy. task, but in case you’re looking for a recommendation, here are two, direct from me to you.
(and also from me to me)
Go big . . .
If Simon Sinek doesn’t get you fired up to change the world, I’m not sure who will. He looks at history makers like Martin Luther King, Steve Jobs and. the Wright Brothers, hypothesizing that their success at inspiring change began with a deep and sincere WHY.
Not what we do – why we do it.
But it’s also a great look at identifying your own WHY and then choosing opportunities that are in alignment.
And just as important: PASSING on opportunities that are NOT.
If you prefer a visual version, there is a TedTalk as well, brilliant as TedTalks always are:
How Great Leaders Inspire Action
Think small . . .
Of course, nobody said you have to think big.
And the point isn’t to see how much you can do: the point is to choose goals and paths that are authentic to your own WHY.
If you have one hour for a truly thought provoking podcast, I’d recommend episode 2 of the Sew Much More Podcast’s, “Opportunity Thinking” Series.
To Grow or not to Grow
It is a beautifully honest discussion with a real shop owner (Vita Vygovska of Vitalia, Inc) who is struggling at the crossroads of whether to scale up.
I think you’ll recognize some of her reservations and dilemmas, and Vita has a GREAT sounding board in the person of Jeanelle Dech, owner of The Workroom Channel and truly one of favorite smart, inspiring women.
One reason I love this episode is because Jeanelle points out that purposely scaling back IS growth, even though we may not frame it that way.
Thoughtfully choosing our own path is ALWAYS growth. Remember that, now.
I actually had the opportunity to mind map with Jeanelle recently. What a rare and appreciated experience.
Among the many strengths and weaknesses we discussed together, one has really stuck in my brain.
As Jeanelle phrased and circled it, “You feel, ‘Compelled to improve.'”
And I do.
I’d never thought in those terms, but Jeanelle sussed it out perfectly. The thought that wakes me daily: “Surely, we can do better”
I used to think every year, ‘next year, NEXT year, I’ll have figured it out. NEXT year, things will be simpler. . .’
But isn’t there ALWAYS room to improve???
It’s a potentially endless mobius strip of challenges.
I’m not sure what to do with this new information. There are decisions to make, options to weigh, priorities to define. . . It’s a lot to think about.
Yes, this has been a year of exploration for The Funky Little Chair, but at least I know I’m not alone.
(And neither are you <3)
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