Life on Your Terms
Episode 010
SCRIPT
Welcome to the Plan for Wonder Podcast. I’m Crystal, the talking head, founder, and creator of myLife Planners dot CA.
A heads up: I wander down a rabbit hole of reflecting on why building or being part of a ‘calm business’ is part of aligning your own life path.
This ramble began when a podcast listener tagged me in a long post by Susan Boles on Linked In talking about creating a calm business. In a world of chaos around every corner, it isn’t surprising that self-employed people like myself would want to create a business that serves their need to create a safe space of calm and positivity, which she labelled a calm business.
When I think of what can and sometimes does derail me from creating a calm business, is this assumption that just because the opportunity is offered to me, I should feel appreciative and say yes and basically build my business on my prospect’s vision and needs, not necessarily my own.
It’s issues like this when hearing someone say, like Anna Przy does in her book, “Keep it up, cutie,” “Your productivity is not a measure of your value. Your size is not a measure of your value. Your finances are not a measure of your value. You’re already valuable…”
It’s so important to know your OWN values. What are YOUR priorities? Keep these in mind at all times so when you are in a situation to work on a new project, it isn't just about the income; it also has to balance with your own vision for how you want to experience the world.
To quote Susan: “…when we replicate someone else's decisions, instead of making choices based on our own values and priorities, we end up building businesses that we hate. Sure, they're technically "correct," according to what these successful business owners told us would work.“
She goes on to outline how this path is based on making choices because they have worked for someone else, which misses the point. Their choices were based on their values and priorities. And if you even know what they are, maybe you could then affirm it also works for you, but we don’t have that kind of mind-reading skillset. Do you want to focus on your own needs or build someone else’s success?
For self-employed people like myself who want to create a calm business, our current grind culture pushes a narrative that to succeed; one simply needs to work harder and longer. But this doesn’t work for those of us who want a business that provides ‘enough’ income and experiences.
After a creative career that has been 27 years in the making, I know from experience that putting in 16-hour days never actually makes me happy. I know that there is always more to do, regardless of what I have accomplished. These days, I value time away from business so much more. Not just for relaxation but also because I know that when I get a good time away from designing, I can come back to the desk with energy and inspiration.
We are inundated with messaging everywhere that makes us feel like we need to do everything to succeed when the reality is that focusing on tasks and projects that will make bigger impacts will actually move us forward. Instead of being the hamster on the wheel, be the mouse in a maze who finds the cheese. Gawd, I do love a good metaphor.
When I look back at my own creative business, I’ve tried many of the hacks out there making promises of success. I tried all the apps, courses, coaching, and trending business growth tactics. I’d find myself in a multi-tasking loop, juggling all the balls at once, and no shocker, I never experienced the promised growth once I completed a page of tasks all nicely checked off. It’s been a journey to learn how to get into a creative flow, required for the design work I specialize in.
And a big one that is so tied to how much we value ourselves and others is compensation. What are you charging and/or being paid for your efforts? Penny pinching is tied to a scarcity mindset that isn’t sustainable and never benefits everyone who is part of building success. I am wary now of prospects who sound like they think they are doing me a favour by offering me a chance to work with them, it usually is paired with a limited budget and promises of more work down the road.
I think they don’t seem to understand that no one dreams of working until they croak. More work is more work, not necessarily success. And yeah, their definition of success is going to be different than yours.
In a similar vein, the same vision is applicable to those who are employed.
Each job is unique, but looking for, or even better advocating for, a culture that doesn’t punish staff for taking advantage of holidays regardless of when, and even more importantly, promotes the use of employee benefits like vacation and sick days. Trusting staff to put their health and wellbeing first creates a safe space at work and translates into a culture of staff who are wholly invested in the success of the business they work at.
And when it comes to your job's day-to-day, the company's mission and goals should be shared to get buy-in from employees. Do you have opportunities to not just produce what is requested but also provide your own feedback on best practices and their impacts on outcomes?
And when it comes to salary, especially when you know the impact of the work you do, feel confident to advocate for equitable compensation. It’s a challenge in a world that values shareholders over employees, and that needs to change. We saw the degradation of local economies in the pursuit of global corporate profits around us every day.
So where does that leave you and I?
Your vision and values you base your life on need to be front and centre so you can include them in your decisions. Whether it’s a sticky note on your desk, a vision board on your way, or write them down in a myLife tool. The best thing about checking in with your vision daily or weekly is you can tweak and adjust as you go. It’s a way to stop getting stuck in yesterday so you can freshen up your outlook so it aligns with the world you are living in now.
I feel in my gut that trends or advice from the past are always worth knowing, but more so to learn from. An even bigger thing is we are not the same person we were yesterday in so many ways.
I was raised in a generation that was based on competition, and success comes from doing it all on your own, chasing the rabbit of success and needing to prove I could do it all on my own. But this is all based on a scarcity mindset pitting me against others, and it isn’t sustainable in the long haul. Today, when I look around, I am leaning into an abundance mindset, which finds me collaborating with like-minded visionaries who know that my success can be their success, so we can lift each other up. This is the energy that is sustainable and can grow.
I feel like I have been rambling, and my 19-year-old daughter just explained to me that it’s okay. That is the point of a podcast: creative expression without boundaries. And I kinda like that.
And with that, my friend, thank you so much for listening.
The space you take up in the world matters, not just to me, but even more importantly, if you need reminding, you matter the most in your own life.
