What to do when things aren’t working…

Do you ever feel like running your own business is a bit like riding a rollercoaster?

When you’re getting clients, growing your list, lining up speaking gigs and finding referral partners life feels good! You’re able to help people and make an impact. You can see your vision come to reality, and you sense that anything’s possible.

But then you hit a bump in the road.

Maybe you’re finding it difficult to get people to opt-in to your list or generate interest in your programs.  Maybe you’re having trouble closing the deal, or people aren’t showing up for your speaking gigs. Or, you’re simply not meeting your revenue goals for the month – even though you’re working hard.

In my experience, these bumps in the road are unavoidable. As your business grows, things will certainly get easier, but there will always be the occasional set-back.

It’s never fun, but it does get easier. And, once you’ve gone through a couple of set-backs, you’ll find that there’s a gift in each one. (I’ll share more on this later, so keep reading. :)

How can you get over these humps and to the other side, so you can continue to build a profitable and fun business?

First things first…

Give yourself permission to stomp your feet!

If things aren’t going the way you’d like, it’s understandable that you’re feeling frustrated. Allow yourself to feel it. Cry, vent, stomp your feet!

Next, give yourself some love.

Let’s be real here. Even though you’re a health coach, if you’ve been working hard, you may not be taking great care of yourself. It’s ok; you’re human.

Give yourself some extra love for one week straight and …

• get to sleep by 10pm
• feed yourself the foods you know nourish you
• get some movement (whatever feels invigorating to you)
• give yourself some extra time outside of work to be with friends, family, and yourself

I know I’m preaching to the choir, but doing all of these things is vital to the success of your business and, ultimately, your happiness. You don’t have to restructure your whole life to make things happen.  Just find small ways to care for yourself. Don’t skip this step :).

Then, look within and listen.

I want you to listen, and I mean really listen, to the little voice in your head.

What is it telling you?

Earlier I mentioned that there’s a gift in every set-back you experience. Every time I’ve hit a stumbling block, it has resulted in huge breakthroughs.

After I’ve stomped my feet, gotten some sleep, and listened to the voice in my head, this is when I’ve come up with some of my best ideas. So, welcome these hurdles with open arms and use them as an opportunity for reflection, brainstorming, and solutions! Trust me on this one.

When things aren’t working, it’s often a clue that one or more of these things is happening…

• You aren’t clear about who you want to serve.
• You’re marketing to an audience you thought you wanted to serve, but you’re no longer feeling like it’s the right fit.
• You’re offering services that aren’t in line with what you really want to be doing.
• You’re offering services that don’t address your audience’s biggest needs.
• Your services are perfect, but your marketing message isn’t hitting the mark and isn’t resonating with you or your audience.
• You’re holding back from hustling (maybe hiding behind your computer?) and getting out there in a way that feels good.
• You’re spending time in areas that aren’t helping you build your business.

Ask yourself these questions…

Who do you truly want to serve?

What services do you want offer? What do you want to be doing and putting out into the world?

What do your ideal clients desperately want from you?

How can you strengthen your marketing message?

What else can you do to hustle and get out there in a way that feels good?

What do you know you should be doing, but aren’t?

Where are you wasting time and energy?

As you answer the questions above, try to think outside the box. Get creative and connect with what’s in your heart. If this is challenging, you may find it beneficial to have someone with an outside perspective help you with this process. This can be a friend, colleague, or a coach.

Get into action.

Sometimes I resist listening to the voice in my head because it often means putting more work on my plate. Or, it may mean scrapping something I worked really hard on.

If you’re like me, you might ignore that voice the first couple of times. It’s ok to be a little patient with yourself, but don’t wait to too long to take action. We want you to continue to build momentum.

Thank the voice in your head for the wisdom it has to share, and start putting a new (or revised) plan in place.

Now I’d love to hear from you.
Have you ever hit a stumbling block and used it as an opportunity to come up with new and brilliant ideas? Share your experience below.