Let’s Get Real
I’m going to get real with you. Despite the podcasts, the LinkedIn posts, the networking, and the speaking engagements I’ve been doing, my business is not generating as much revenue as I’d like. There. I said it. And I didn’t melt or disappear. I’m still here.
When people ask how my business is going, I usually say, “It’s going well!” And truthfully, it is going well. I love what I do. I have great clients and I’m making a difference. But, if I’m being transparent, I also thought I’d be further along in terms of revenue generation by now. That part doesn’t feel as “good” as I would like it to.
What makes me feel worse is going to networking events where everyone else seems to have it all together. They speak so confidently about their wins, their growth, and their big projects. I find myself smiling and nodding along, then walking away thinking, “Wow, they’re all so much more successful than I am.”
But are they, really, or are they just doing the same thing I’ve been doing? Maybe their sales are off due to customer concerns about the economy. Maybe a major contract was cancelled due to the cancellation of a grant. Maybe payroll expense is up due to a tight labor market. Do these problems sound familiar to you?
Why is it so difficult to be more authentic with one another, especially when things aren’t quite matching the glossy version we present to the world? Why do we default to a cheerful, polished “all good!” rather than sharing something a bit more real?
I think, at the heart of it, it’s fear. Fear that if we admit we’re not quite where we want to be, people will assume we’re failing. That maybe we’re not as capable as we claim to be. That we don’t really know how to run a business. Or that our services and products aren’t worth what we’re charging; otherwise, more people would buy them.
I am challenging all of us to be more authentic. We all belong to groups where we should be able to share how our business, or our lives, for that matter, are going. I can think of three networking groups I belong to where it would be appropriate and welcome if members were more real, more authentic. If people knew where I was from a revenue generation perspective, maybe they would double down on helping me grow my top line. If I knew that their sales were lagging, maybe I could connect them with businesses that might fill that gap.
So today, I’m choosing to be real. And I invite you to do the same. Where can you be more authentic? What person or group can you open up to about your real situation that will help you move forward? If you are already being authentic, how can you foster authenticity in others? Let’s build something stronger, together, by letting go of the polished version of success and embracing the somewhat messy path we’re actually on.
Let’s get real. It might just be the most powerful thing we can do. I welcome any discussion on this topic and encourage you to book a free session via my website if you want to continue this conversation.