Why Haven’t You Done It Already?

If I could do a little spell, point my wand (I don’t actually have a wand but I wish I did since Hermione Granger is one of my heroes) and make something happen in your business right now (other than more sales because duh!), what would you choose?

Would you ask for more email subscribers that you can hopefully convert into customers?

Would you want a list of bloggers to pitch guest posts to so that you could get your expertise in front of more people?

Would you request your own CreativeLive course?

Take a moment to really consider this before you keep reading or else you’ll lose a little bit of the magic. (Yes…I’ve probably watched Harry Potter one too many times if you can’t tell.)

Now that you’ve thought about the one thing you’d ask for, I’ve got a question for you:

Why haven’t you gotten it already?

No, this isn’t a trick question.

I really want you to think about it.

If there’s something in your business that you want more than anything else, you should be doing everything that you can to obtain it, right?

So, what steps have you taken this week to get closer to that goal? Have you done anything today to achieve it—even if it was only a small step? (Or, have you flopped down in front of a Friends rerun because you’re tired and you’ll ‘do it tomorrow?’ If that’s the case, give up the ruse now. We both know that tomorrow really means weeks or months from now—if ever.)

Maybe you’ve made excuses for why you haven’t achieved it.

You’re going on day eight of the worst runny nose of your life (summer colds are pretty terrible!). You’re homeschooling two young children. Your day job sucks the life out of you, leaving little else besides the ability to zap dinner in the microwave and lose yourself in Monica and Chandler’s relationship drama.

I get it more than you might know.

But, I also know how to break free of this wretched pattern and take charge of your life and business.

You do it through retaking your product photos because they’re not quite right even though you’ve already spent 80 hours on them. Through taking an extra hour at the end of the day to read Fascinate by Sally Hogshead to learn more about marketing. Through sending out another guest post pitch when you’ve received three ‘no thank you’ emails in a row.

From the outside, many successful businesses look like everything happens easily, but from someone who’s seen the inside of lots of these same businesses, a brand’s Instagram feed or blog posts can be extremely deceiving.

Most businesses only share the shiny parts. But, the shiny parts often only come from many, many messy middles (as my friend, Mayi Carles likes to say).

If you feel like your running up against obstacle after obstacle, you’re not alone. That happens to all of us.

The entrepreneurs who get back up, dust off their rompers and try again are the ones who have all the shiny things to share.

If this is your dream, you can’t let anything or anyone stand in your way.

That sounds extremely corny and I’ve almost deleted this entire post a bunch of times (due to abnormal amounts of corniness), but we all need a wake up call every once in a while.

Ding ding ding. This is yours.

Let’s get back to that thing you want more than anything in your business right now.

How hard are you really working for it?

Are you willing to double or triple your efforts today?

When you get caught up in your daily routines, you often lie to yourself about how hard you’re working. You don’t do this on purpose. It’s human nature.

You tell yourself that you worked as hard as you could when you really spent an hour too long scanning Pinterest instead of using it to market your business. You tell yourself that you couldn’t possibly do anymore when you’ve marathoned every season of Gilmore Girls in less than a month. You gripe about not having enough ‘me time’ even though you hit the snooze button seven times every morning.

Often what’s holding us back is ourselves.

Instead of working as hard as you’ve been for the past six months, amp it up. That might be exactly what you need to actually achieve this goal.

Let’s say that you know you need to get more email subscribers. Most online businesses make the majority of their profits from their email list. It’s important stuff.

So…you know it’s important. What have you done lately to get more subscribers?

Have you used all of your social media platforms to drive more people to your opt-in? Have you pitched a bunch of guest posts, interviews and/or features? Have you created regular blog content that would make someone feel like they have to sign up to get your emails so they don’t miss out?

Have you thought about whether or not you’re using the right opt-in to get the right people on your list? Have you experimented with anything different?

Have you hosted a webinar or tried a giveaway or boosted some Facebook posts?

If not, you’re not trying hard enough.

I know that’s hard to hear.

And, you might be coming up with excuses as you’re reading this. Maybe you’re saying something like, “She doesn’t get my situation,” to yourself.

Stop whining. Stop complaining, And, for holy guacamole, stop making excuses.

This is your one life. It’s not a dress rehearsal. Do you really want to spend it miserable in a day job that you hate or underperforming and underachieving? Is that the legacy you want to leave?

Make a pact with me right now. Over the next month, triple your efforts to achieve that one thing you thought about when you started reading this post. See what happens.

You might just realize that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything. I know, I know…more corniness. But, it’s the truth and I want you to live your life on purpose, doing everything you can to make the most of every day.

So, what’s the one thing you’re going to triple your efforts in achieving this month? Leave it in the comments of this post so we can send you lots of positive vibes and cheer you on.