The One Thing That Changed My Business

Hola gorgeous hearts!

One of the things that really inspired me (+ still does) when I’m down in the salt mines of my business, trying to work out the next step, is listening to the stories of other business women who’ve been where I am + have had an insight that’s helped them along.

With that in mind, I’ve asked a number of gorgeous, inspired, soulful business women to share their sacred AHA! moment – of the thing that changed their business.

Today’s insight is for anyone that sometimes finds themselves in the land of comparison…

May it give you the guidance you seek!

Lots of love,

Leonie

Your Only Job Is To Be You

Gather round, possums (a term-of-endearment I’ve learned from Leonie!), it’s time for story time honesty!

Five years ago there were two businesses, led by golden-haired maidens – one a painter and goddess, one a yarn-maker and explorer. These two maidens met in an online businessy forum and got to know each other. Over time, their businesses flourished. They both found themselves helping other women build their own dreams + businesses.

Yep, I’m the yarn-maker and Leonie is the artist. Over the years as I’ve watched her business flourish and expand expand expand (as her family has!) I’ve been blessed to get some behind-the-scenes peeks into how she works and thinks. And through it all I have been overwhelmingly happy for her. Overwhelmingly joyful at every bit of good fortune that comes her way.

But here’s the truth of the matter: I don’t feel unfettered happiness for every business I see flourishing. Sometimes I feel bad and lost and less-than. Sometimes I can’t help but compare myself to what they’ve accomplished, and find myself coming up short. Sometimes I compare marketing plans, platforms, websites and I feel like I’m just never going to be good enough.

I know you do, too. I get emails from brilliant, beaming, amazing explorers (just like you!) that say, “Shouldn’t I be farther? Should I be different? What if I’m doing it all wroooong?!”

These worries, even if you don’t realize it, are coming from comparison. You compare yourself to someone else (and their business) and you come to the conclusion that you should be something other than you are. You’re using other people as a measuring stick for your brilliance and sparkle.

But here’s the biggest, most powerful lesson I’ve learned from my friendship with Leonie:

You’re only job is to be YOU.

The reason I’ve maintained a comparison-free admiration for Leonie is that she makes it so clear, over and over, that all she’s doing is BEING LEONIE. And she reminds me (through her blog posts, the Academy, even Instagrams!) that my job in this world is NOT to have the best marketing plan, the best website or the biggest audience — my job is to BE TARA.

This is the secret to stop comparing yourself to (and feeling jealous of) others: Commit to Being You.

When you commit to being you, your world will open up with possibilities that are right for you. You’ll stop trying to do what everyone else is doing, and you’ll find the thing that only you can do. (Which pretty much guarantees you’ll be the best at it – you’ll be the only one doing it!) You’ll find the customers, clients or readers that really love what you’re doing, and don’t need to be convinced to buy. You’ll find the media that works for you, you’ll develop a marketing plan you can truly do (and not avoid!)

So take a moment, right now, to commit to being you.

  • Write it on your to do list.
  • Make it a part of everything you do.
  • Reaffirm your commitment every time you feel the first waves of jealousy or comparison.
  • Tattoo it on your arm.

Do whatever it takes, to remember your one job:

Be you.

TaraSwiger headshotTara Swiger is an author, maker and Starship Captain. She leads explorations into your mission, your enthusiasm and your self. Her book, Market Yourself, published by Cooperative Press in 2012, is a guide to sharing your handmade goodness with the world, while feeling great. You can start your exploration with her free mini-course, How to Explore You, here.

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