When was the last time you asked yourself if you really wanted to do what you are doing? Seriously, deep down inside where it matters most…are you really happy?
So often I come across entrepreneurs who are doing what they think they should be doing, but they don’t love their work. They feel trapped and unfulfilled. They started a business because they were good at something and never really asked themselves if the work was really what their heart wanted.
Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should do something.
I make a mean apple crisp, but that doesn’t mean I should open a bakery. However, in the entrepreneur space, that is the path that a lot of people follow.
Part of the process of building your personal brand is to take inventory of your heart and ask yourself some tough questions. The answers to these questions will shape the business you create and will become part of your personal brand.
Doing what you love isn’t just important because you will enjoy it more, but because people will know if you are faking it or not. There’s nothing more frustrating that engaging with someone who is ‘dialing it in’ or going through the motions and that is what happens when you are doing work you do not truly love.
About 18 months ago I began working with a client to develop her personal brand. As we explored her values, her WHY, and her passions, it became very clear that she was not excited about the direction she was going. I vividly remember reflecting back to her her obvious lack of enthusiasm. She admitted she was no longer enthusiastic about what she was doing.
It became apparent very quickly that she needed to shift her focus and trust her dream. We mapped out and blended her great passions of food and photography and without going into all of the details, within 12 months one of her delicious images was featured on USA today for National Ice Cream Day! She trusted her dream.
Do you need to trust your dream?
The business you are building may exhaust you at times, but it is a different kind of exhaustion than doing work you don’t feel fulfilled in doing.
Your business should build you up emotionally, not tear you down.
One of the number one indicators that you are in need of change is if you dread Monday’s. If you find yourself avoiding work or in constant procrastination, it is time to re-evaluate your dream.
Sometimes it is just plain ole burnout that pushes us to the edge.
I see exhaustion a lot with driven women entrepreneurs. One of the first things we tackle in building a personal brand is the idea of self-care and the need for regular attention to self-nurture.
Even when you love what you do, it can get the best of you, but it doesn’t have to. Self-care is as important for women entrepreneurs as getting new customers or increasing revenue. We often give of ourselves at the expense of our energy and our health, and we can’t build a business we love if we are always depleted.
Radiant energy attracts clients.
When was the last time someone told you that you were radiant?
When you are aligned with your purpose and doing what you love, people notice. Your energy attracts people who want to work with you or buy your products. That is the number one reason you need to ask yourself if you still love what you do.
The amount of energy you have to spend to attract a client when your energy is not radiating your passion is double that of when you are in alignment with your dreams.
So, do you need to have a deeper conversation with yourself? Is it time to be honest about what you are doing? Are you in burn out mode or is it time to re-align your dream with your business?
When you build a business around what you love, the business will lift you, not crush you. I’d love to hear what inspires you about YOUR business each day…share in the comments below.
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