Get your advent calendars out tonight ready for tomorrow – yes any excuse to eat chocolate in the morning if you’re into that. I have one that has little wooden ornaments you can hang around the display so that’s kinda nice, especially as I’ve not had time to go to the gym this week… #houseandanimalsittingforfriends
Yes it’s the first of December tomorrow and that’s a scary thought… where has the year gone? It feels like only about five months have gone past! As thoughts turn to Christmas (yes, I think it’s OK to say the C word now!), I’ve been thinking about what the year has taught me:
1. You’ve Got to Kiss A Lot of Frogs
I mean this in terms of when you are starting up a business; network groups seem a lot less “me, me” these days, but we all still come across that person who just wants to have that 1-2-1 on the off chance they can get you to buy into their busisness or even get some leads from you.
Just remember to buy lots of mouth wash (thank you to my colleague Paul for coming up with this – aircraft engineers always have a good sense of humour !)
2. You’ve Got To Believe in Yourself
Those first early days/months aren’t easy; from deciding whether to go limited company or solo to getting out and networking (this especially if you are a shy person or have anxiety issues – you know that moment is going to come when you’re going to have to tell people what you do and that can be scary. You’ve written a few words on the screen but is that going to seem wooden, etc). Given (1) above, it’s going to take time and people have to get to know you before they will trust; this is no reflection of you or your business, so please don’t take this as a negative!)
3. Smile When You Get Those Small Wins
Sometimes, progress isn’t measured in terms of money into your business account, but the very fact that someone has taken the time and trouble to link you with people they know who they feel may be helpful to you. Yes, some people out there do want others to succeed.
4. Others Have Hit the Same Closed Doors
Some of us have started what we do because we have seen the lack of response from other businesses and organisations for the need which we are providing. I have lost count of the nods I have seen when seeing people talk about an issue in a network group. We can see where sorting something a root level, like a weed stops it from growing and becoming a triffid in the future.
5. Being Vulnerable is a Sign of True Strength
This week, I heard someone I met a few months ago at a network group speaking openly about how they had experienced abuse as a child at school. I knew about this previously as he had shared this with me in confidence, but I recognise the strength of character it had taken for him to speak out about it. For anyone that wants to read about it, here is a post from LBC about his interview (with apologies if they eventually move it and the link doesn’t work).
Thank you Julian for your help and I truly appreciate the call you made to your former colleague for me 🙂
PS. Happy St Andrews Day to everyone celebrating!
