When You Give, You Receive

I not only HEARD that expression a lot in the past week, but I LIVED it. When is the last time you GAVE first or are you stuck in the scarcity mentality? It’s the old ‘I can’t because……….” The experiences I had last week stretched me in many ways. Like many entrepreneurs, I strive to achieve and succeed. I am singularly focused much of the time. That’s ok. I do what it takes to get where I want to go. But there is life beyond business and a combination of both is a beautiful thing. While I was at my mastermind meeting in South Carolina last week and, after 4 long days and nights of learning, I was given the opportunity to participate in building a house for Habitat for Humanity. There were some powerful lessons in all of this and I want to share some of them with you. 1) It’s always way more fun (is that proper English, LOL?) when you’re with a group. Many entrepreneurs (and I count me in this) operate as lone rangers. “I can do it myself” becomes the mantra. Let me enlighten you – NO, you can’t. You shouldn’t. We, as individuals, do not have all the answers. We do not have all the competencies. We do not have all the skills. We do not have all the time it takes to do everything by our self. How does that relate to the way you are doing business? One thing I know for sure – I’m goal-setting to have more fun beginning today! The pay-off is incredible. 2) We all have something to offer. I started out at one area on the job site, pounding nails to the best of my ability – and soon realized that I was making little progress and, therefore, little contribution to the whole project. I was not at the right working station for my height, quite frankly. I quickly realized my challenge (It took me 62 hits to get the nail in the board!! Melonie and I had a bit of a challenge going on………and I was not winning!) Time to move on to where I could make a difference. So I moved over to the framing area where they needed someone to pound the nails from ground level. Ah, now you’re talking! This went smoothly and quickly and was rewarding in the process. How does this apply to your business? Where are you losing traction because you are working in areas of your business that you should have outsourced or delegated? Time to take a look at that – time is money! 3) It was hard work, sweat and blisters! Did you think that starting your own business was going to be a party? No one ever really talks about how much hard work is involved. Most of the marketing is the ‘how-to make a million in 6 months’ quick and easy pitch. Well, being an entrepreneur is really hard work – with lots of sweat and tears. I know I’ve shed my fair share. While I was really delighted to see the walls to the house coming together, and being lifted, I did sweat buckets and came away with a number of blisters on my ‘computer soft’ hands, LOL. Are you working hard in your business? Are you giving it your all? Or, are you treating it more like a hobby and wondering why you’re not getting any results. Time to hunker down and give it everything you’ve got – people need you! 4) The feeling of giving and contributing was the very best part! This is what really struck me when we were finished and driving away. We got to meet the woman and her son for whom this house was being built. There’s no feeling like it! It really is the balance in life – work hard at my business and give back by way of the physical labor. Because I can! How satisfied are you with the work you are doing right now? Do you have ideal clients? Are you making a difference? If you are beating your head against the wall, it’s time to take a closer look at what you’re doing, for whom and the ‘why’. One of the major take-aways for me was to be able to work side by side with my business coach, her partner and their partner on this build for Habitat. It’s good to see people in a different environment and to learn from them in a different way. I am so grateful to my business coach, Suzanne Evans, for all that she sees in me and for all the opportunities presented to me. I lean in to the ‘yes’. Are you doing that in your business? Whoever would have thought that a trip to Myrtle Beach to learn how to grow my business and make more money over the span of a week would have led to such memorable and rewarding experiences? You just never know…….and that’s a good thing!