As a solopreneur, my business success or failure really comes down to just me. One of the things I’ve learned, and continue to work on mastering, is focusing on the big impact parts of my work that take me to the next level. To help me stay focused I’ve found the more visible I am, the more accountability I have, and the more efficiently I work.
For example, I had a 3-month period booked with a lot of speaking gigs at groups that are highly active on social media. I felt very visible.
I sold out my first full-day workshop in San Diego, the largest event I’ve ever done, at fifty women. We had people on a waitlist, and it was the first time I had to turn people away because we had reached capacity. I felt pretty visible.
I participated in a 1-week productivity challenge with a business community I belong to where we had to accomplish three goals in one week. You can bet I was focused on the high priority goals I set and didn’t get as sidetracked, because I felt visible.
Are you starting to see how this works? When all eyes are on me, I am motivated to deliver the absolute best I can.
Compare this to another time in my business when I just finished a really big event and there was nothing on my calendar for a few months. I was still working and teaching my regular classes. I was focused on my regular work, but I wasn’t pushing myself to take on any new work nor was I putting myself out there and booking events. I was definitely much less visible during this period.
Without a set date on the near horizon where I was showing up and being seen, it was easier to get sidetracked. What I was doing was important, but it wasn’t necessarily going to lead to the kind of growth I knew in my heart was possible.
So for me, to really grow and achieve the best I can, I need to make public commitments and set dates for events that take me outside of my comfort zone and challenge me a bit.
Do you find yourself hiding from the spotlight? Are you more comfortable relying on email to share your work instead of picking up the phone or scheduling a SKYPE call where you can really make a connection? Do you participate in a networking group but shy away from giving a presentation because you are trying to write the perfect speech? Do you avoid taking on a leadership role because you feel you have to master every part of a job?
Increasing your visibility can feel pretty uncomfortable at first. But the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in your work that comes from stepping forward is the real reward. Facing challenges head on and finding a way to get things done means you won’t feel that dim sense of disappointment and regret that you have when you don’t do the things that you know are the most important.
If you want to give a great speech, get the booking once you figure out the title and main points. If you want to use videos to promote your services, hire a videographer once you identify the key concepts. The details will get filled in because the visibility from committing to a date lights the fire to get it done.
I encourage you to commit to a courageous action that you have been putting off. Once you do that, replace the second-guessing with celebrating yourself and the fact that you made that commitment. Harness the power of a well-known brand’s tagline, “just do it”, and everything else will fall into place.
I feel so empowered by what I achieve when I am visible. I am here to share what I have learned and support you in increasing your visibility and showing up at your very best. Join me for our 1-Day Present With Confidence: Maximize Your Message workshop this Saturday, July 25. You’ll learn valuable tools on how to increase your power and presence when all eyes are on you. You’ll walk away with personalized practices that will leave you feeling confident in knowing you’re putting your best foot forward. Just click on the link, scroll down, and fill out the registration form and I’ll see you soon!
Warmly,
Cassie