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You know how it’s a bit sucky to do everything by yourself, right? Sometimes it can be great to have alone time – especially those of us that are 50/50 introvert and extrovert. It can also be great for the ego to think that you can do everything yourself all the time. Problem is, your business will never grow like this. You will get stressed out and at some stage probably start resenting your business. The very thing you want to be growing!!
When you start out, it’s ok to do everything yourself, in fact it’s probably the best way to start. It helps you to really know what needs to be done in your business, what you love or loathe doing and what your true Zone of Genius is. All fundamental things to learn to grow your business.
It’s funny, they say ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and I truly believe the same of business. Yet, we try and be strong and show the world that we were not morons when we decided to start this business. That we can actually do it all.
Can I admit that I have totally sucked at doing this over the years. In business and life. To me asking for help was like admitting I was a total failure. I ‘should’ be able to do it all myself. Bullshit. I remember when I had my daughter, as a single mum times could be tough – one day I said to a friend of mine, ‘I don’t understand why so and so gets all this help, and I don’t’. His reply was ‘because you never ask and you always manage everything’. So my independence had screwed me. Lesson learnt. Did I get better at asking for help? No. Sometimes it takes being hit over the head with a message about a gazillion times before the penny drops.
My biggest message to you, is to bring people into your business world (even for the smallest tasks) before the shit hits the fan. Before you are crying on the floor because you don’t give a rats about the latest WordPress update, yet you know you’re meant to do it. Before you get audited by the ATO and all you have a boxes full of faded receipts. Before you don’t send out a newsletter because you need to get to sleep. Before you spend 18hrs trying to master Photoshop, when Pictionary is a stretch for you artistically. Think you are above all that? You may be now, but believe me, you simply cannot do it all yourself all of the time.
The challenge for you is to admit you need to bring people in, then to start doing it. Even if it’s just a small job on Fiverr.
I work a lot with my one on one clients about who they need on their team and where to find them.
I also encourage you to start asking the question. What do I love and what do I loathe in my business? This question is so powerful. To stop focusing on your skills and actually talk about what floats your boat – a much nicer way to work.