What’s your business pace?

As a runner, I have taken part in a few races and a couple of triathlons, and the biggest skill in training (apart from putting one foot in front of the other!) is getting to know your pace. It’s knowing how many minutes it takes to cover a km or mile, and it’s crucial when doing any distance running (especially the longer ones like half and full marathons) so you don’t go too quickly at the beginning and leave nothing in reserve for the middle or end. In a race, it’s so easy to go too fast as the people around you roar off, but holding to your pace is what’s going to get you to the end.

But what has this got to do with business? As a business owner, it’s important to know your ‘pace’, this isn’t about timing or distance but how you want your business to grow (or not – in some cases, maintaining is the best thing to do). It’s about finding your groove, and it’s really hard not to look over your shoulder at what everyone else is doing, to feel the the need to speed up or do what they’re doing.

You might have seen the plethora of videos on social media (predominantly from US marketing ‘gurus’) about how you can create a marketing funnel, how you can scale your business up, how you can premium package, how you can live in Thailand/Bali/Timbuktu and work 2 days a month, how you can make millions all by automating and building a virtual programme.

Or you might have direct competitors who seem to be going great guns, gaining clients and building their business while you’re struggling.

But these business models might not be for you. You might feel the pressure to speed up (back to my running analogy) but does that really work for you and your business, will that ensure your longevity or is it a quick sprint which sees you burning out?

In my own business I love engaging with real people, I love delivering my workshops and I love making a difference.

I do look over my shoulder at what other people are doing, but I try to stay in my lane which means holding true to my goals and believing that what I deliver is valuable (and this is reinforced by feedback from clients). It’s an important part of keeping anxiety at the door, because if we are always worrying whether we’re doing the right thing, whether we’re making the right choices, whether we’re working hard enough, it’s going to take a toll on our mental health – that is stress in the workplace in action.

And it doesn’t mean that I don’t learn from others or have any flexibility, it would be unwise not to keep an eye on what’s happening in the world, but I stick to my pace because I know in the long run that’s what going to get me to the finish line.

And that pace may well change, as we become fitter and stronger, our pace will inevitably change too but it is important that we don’t force it.

So, do you know your pace?

If you would like help addressing stress in the workplace, please contact me to discuss how I can help – it all starts with a conversation geraldine@questhypnotherapy.co.uk or tel. 01798 344879

Mind Your Business – because when you look after your people, they look after your business

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