PAUSE – 13.12 – Are You Still Tormenting Yourself?
Reflection: I’m deep in the throes of redefining my business focus …. yet again! It’s a challenge that never goes away.
If I were to wager a bet, I’d guess you may have one or two of those sticky, rebound issues in your life, too – the kind that never really disappear! They fade into the background from time to time, only to raise their heads a mile or a month further down the road.
For 27 years now, I’ve faced the task of trying to describe what I offer in ways that makes sense to those who may have a need or an interest. Even though I’m a pretty decent communicator, I still find it a daunting task. Maybe that’s because I cannot resist editing, re-editing and editing yet again. What looked great yesterday, seems to always pale in the morning light.
Part of the challenge is that I’m working with a moving target. As I grow and learn, and work with clients, my understanding of problems deepens and my approaches shift. Whatever is expressed on the website or in program descriptions then becomes a reflection of what was – not what is now.
For a while, I wondered if the perfect expression lay just beyond my reach, and that perhaps my subconscious held the answer. I even tucked an index card under my pillow at one point that read, “In search of the perfect tag line!” No luck!
I recall a few years ago speaking with a wise and experienced colleague about my frustration. He laughed and asked, “Are you still tormenting yourself with that?” His point was this. You create your best description at the moment, put it out there, and get busy doing the work. Your clients and your community will know you by what you do – not by what you say you do!
Sigh! Could it really be that easy? Perhaps!
Action: I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person on the planet tormenting myself on a semi-regular basis! You probably have your own pet ‘toaster’ problems that keep popping up over and over again.
The issues will differ, but the outcomes are the same: a deep frustration with a seeming lack of progress and a dizziness caused by going in circles.
As for useful strategies, here are a few that have helped me move things along over the years:
- Own the question and the process. No one else will fix it for you.
- Search out advice from those ‘in the know’. Be prepared for conflicting opinions.
- Stop insisting on the perfect answer. Some things will never be perfectly resolved.
- Set a time limit on your machinations.
- When it’s time to proceed, move ahead with your best guess.
- Stay tuned and see what happens. If the past predicts the future, you will have more chances to go at this again!
Wishing you the best of luck with your challenges! Send a bit of luck my way if you have any to spare!
And PS – BTW, if you have the perfect tag line that describes what I offer the world, I’m all ears!
Quotes Of The Week: There is no such uncertainty as a sure thing. – Robert Burns
Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Live in the question. – Rainer Maria
Resource Of The Week: Here’s an interesting article by Jonathon Fields on ‘Uncertainty, Innovation & The Alchemy of Fear.’
Readers Write: I love hearing from you Pause readers any time. This recent message from RS really topped my tank: I subscribed to your excellent Pause newsletter a number of years ago, after attending your presentation in Thunder Bay. Without exaggeration, I have read, and continue to read, every one of your newsletters as soon as they appear in my Inbox. Without exception, they’re all well-written, informative, entertaining, relevant, and inspiring. Keep up the great work!
Tags: attitude, burnout, communication, focus, learning, overload, overwhelm, Pat Katz, Patricia Katz, pause, perspective, purpose, Saskatoon, speaker, stress, success