Dear Leaders, Entrepreneurs, Dreamers, and Creators of Great Things: I write these Love Letters each month with the hope of bringing you a little encouragement, some marketing help, and a few minutes of joy. Whether we are already friends or have yet to meet, I hope you’ll enjoy my stories from the road and some awesomely random takeaways, tools, tips, and updates.
Hogwash
As I started writing my book, We’re Gonna Need Cake, before I even began to outline chapters, I had to begin with my mindset.
I am going to let you in on a secret. I used to think mindset was a bunch of hogwash. I thought it was woo that some guru made up. But then, I committed to writing a book.
And oh boy, if that brain of mine didn’t immediately start telling me that I wasn’t good enough, smart enough, experienced enough, or whatever enough to do it. (Our brains can be a real pain in the youknowwhat.)
It turned out that I had to DO the thing
in order to change my brain.
That is how I learned that mindset is not you telling your brain to think differently. It’s DOING things differently despite your brain screaming at you. We can’t just change the way we think… we have to do the thing we think we cannot do.
Turns out, EVERYONE experiences this.
CEOS. Presidents. Leaders. Fancy People.
Everyone.
We are all just doing the thing, despite our brains.
Whatever you are facing today, friends, chances are good at some point your brain will tell you something mean.
DO. THE. THING. ANYWAY.
Do it loudly.
Fail.
Get up.
Try again.
This is the only way we do anything.
Help
I have realized lately that I am at my best when I wear comfortable shoes, when I am laughing, and when I ask for help.
Recently, I was struggling with a framing project. I had the art, I had the frame, but for some reason, the two weren’t fitting together. I Googled and Youtubed and I still couldn’t figure it out. I needed a person who could explain to me, and show me, what I was doing wrong.
I knew exactly who would be able to help. Patricia, the lady who does custom framing at my local Michaels store. She’s been working there for twenty years and she’s a genius when it comes to framing. But I felt stupid asking her, because I hadn’t bought the frame at Michaels. But, I finally sucked it up and went in to ask.
Patricia LIT UP when I asked her. She didn’t judge me for getting the frame somewhere else. She grabbed the pieces from her showroom and patiently explained in detail how I was supposed to assemble them and attach the canvas stretcher to the frame. She was excited to teach me something that she is passionate about. I asked her a couple extra questions while I was there because she was just so fun to talk to – her excitement was contagious.
I have asked for a lot of help this year. I have worked with realtors and movers and contractors and electricians and plumbers and repairpersons. I had to find a new petsitter and a new doctor and a new dentist and about a hundred other people to help me with some questions that felt big and scary to me.
And I have been thinking that every one of those people probably worry about marketing to their customers too much. They probably wonder if they are being too much by talking about the service they provide. They probably stress about if people have already heard from them too often. Just like I worry sometimes. (And maybe you do, too?)
But here I am, feeling stupid when I ask them a question. Ah, the irony.
You solve problems that feel big and scary to others. Your business exists to answer their questions. You are there because they need you. And they, like me, are probably at their best when they get help.
Talk about the problems you solve, friends.
I guarantee you, no matter what you feel like, you probably don’t talk about them enough.
Someone out there needs exactly what it is that lights you up.
(Here is an example of how I did this recently.)
This is where I share the good stuff.
… the latest websites, books, & tools that are inspiring me, the people who are making me smile, and the stuff I have been writing on sticky notes.
One of the most profound things I have read lately. This post reassured me that my non-beige, crazy colorful self is exactly what I need to be.
A reminder that fun and play can be found wherever we look for it. And this is just plain adorable.
You need to watch this. Trust me. It’s a few seconds that will warm you up. More of this, please.
I talk all the time about the power of storytelling. Stories change us. They make us sit up, pay attention, and listen. They are memorable. And they make us feel. This does all that and more. Proof that even the most boring of things can be made incredible with story.
And a tiny, beautiful story you might have missed.
Have you bought my book yet?
If not – what are you waiting for? You can find the links here. If you have ordered it – thank you! Also, please take a few minutes to leave a review on the site you ordered from. It means the world to me, so thank you!
Thanks for reading, friends! If you want to get these in your inbox every month, be sure to get on the mailing list. And if you are looking for a speaker who will motivate your organization to get up, get moving, and face change head-on, I would love to chat.
