Is Your Business Good Enough?
What does good enough look like in your business?
As a recovering perfectionist, “good enough” has always seemed like settling, mediocrity. Just the thought of being seen as mediocre makes my stomach turn. But what if “good enough” wasn’t actually a bad thing?
Recently, my coach asked me what my next big goal was, and I immediately spouted off the answer that was expected… a million dollar business.
She paused and looked at me, and her question blew my mind.
“Is that what you really want?”
I was speechless, because what other answer was I supposed to give? The longer I sat with that question, though, I realized that that doesn’t have to be the next big goal. It forced me to really think about what I actually wanted… or what was “good enough” in my business in a new way.
Over the last few months we have spent a lot of time talking about strategy and structure and ensuring you’re working to plan. I’ve offered 9 reasons you need a business strategy, a simple approach to strategic planning - the S.T.R.A.T.E.G.Y. method, and a deep dive on effective business models, how to know if your business is actually working for you, and the importance of setting simpler, kinder goals. With that as the backdrop, I encourage you to ask yourself what “good enough” looks like for you and your business in 2023.
We are inundated with hustle culture. There’s an intense pressure to constantly be doing more, achieving more, and making more, because I never want to seem mediocre. But the challenge with this mindset is that it forces you to work harder, work longer hours, and to constantly be striving… and not in a good way. This constant go-go-go and do-do-do is not serving us. While we may see results - and I have - it’s not sustainable. And let’s be real - it’s not even fun.
Over the last few years, especially this year, I've seen countless female business owners throw in the towel, and I don't blame them. I've experienced periods where I was MAXED out in my old job and in business. When I left corporate life, I wanted more time freedom. I didn't want to spend all my time tetris-ing (yes, that's a word) my life, hoping and praying nothing would pop up that would send me crashing.
The same is true as an entrepreneur. I don't want to run a business that forces me to constantly keep all the balls in the air in order to serve clients, do work I love, and make money. I don't want or need to spend hours on the content creation hamster wheel or on social media. I want to do business on my terms. I mean, that's the whole point, isn't it?
That's why we have to break up with hustle culture and examine what success looks like… or maybe even better, what “good enough” really means for us. I didn't start my business to be more exhausted or burned out. I didn't - and don't - want to grind every day. Hustle culture is utterly toxic, and it does not serve us at all.
But, how will my business grow if I'm not working all the time?
That’s the million dollar question. Here's what I've found to be true for my business and the women I support through private coaching and in my group program, Client Attraction 100.
Redefine what success looks like for YOU! This is my favorite part of being a business owner because it's all about what you need and want. It doesn't have to be massive, rapid growth that keeps you spiraling. It could be gradual, focused effort that allows you to serve your clients really well while you do the work you're really passionate about. You get to decide what that looks like!
Closely connected to that question is the one I asked earlier, “What does good enough look like?” We’ve been conditioned to think this means lackluster results, but oftentimes, the 80% solution IS actually good enough, and we don’t need to break our backs and lose sleep over the last 20%.
Have a real strategy. I know the S-word can sometimes be overwhelming, but honestly, I think it's WAY more exhausting to wing it. When you know what you're trying to accomplish, the impact you want to have, and you build a plan to do it, it takes away all the guesswork. You can focus your time, energy, and efforts on the things that will actually get you to the finish line... on your timeline.
Strategic planning is a powerful opportunity to stop the hustle and get a clear plan of attack, so you’re not just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks. You get to say no to all the shiny things you’ve been saying yes to out of FOMO or kneeling at the altar thinking a hope and prayer strategy will work.
Build a real client attraction system. I know I sound like a broken record about having a client attraction system, but part of hustle culture comes from frantically looking for clients... and feeling like you need to have A LOT of them.
When you have a robust client attraction system that’s rooted in your strategy, you know WHO you're looking for, WHAT they need, and HOW MANY you need to meet your financial goals. It allows you to tailor all your efforts and your messaging to meet potential clients where they are, knowing exactly how many people you really need to connect with. And the beauty is... it's usually less than you think!
Know your boundaries. As women, this is a struggle area. We're used to doing all the things for everyone, but I encourage you to think about what you need in place to say yes to you. That could be more time for your health or friendships. It could be dedicated work hours. It could be better guardrails on your day and how you interact with clients. It's not easy, I'll be the first to admit that, but having strong boundaries is essential to build a thriving life and business.
As you really begin thinking about what the new year will bring, I encourage you to pause and reflect on what “good enough” looks like for you and what you need to do in order to break up with hustle culture.
Let’s step into 2023 with a different perspective on what we need to do in order to be successful. How amazing would it be if “good enough” was actually good enough?
