"Reimagining Success: The Intersection of Effort and Achievement"
How your money mindset is holding you back from freedom and success.
I grew up on a farm. So did my dad, and his dad, and his dad. It's in my blood. I have early memories of wielding a corn knife around, half the size of me, and helping my dad irrigate before dinner. Some of my fondest memories are coming back to Nebraska to help with harvest. Turning the tractor lights on as the sun sets, while pouring the last load of corn into the auger wagon gives me chills as I write this. I learned the importance of hard work. You EARN with your effort. I am grateful for the work ethic that has been instilled in me. When things need to get done, I have the ability to get shit DONE.
Sometimes this mindset can have its drawbacks. The constant need to stay busy, work tirelessly, and equate effort with earning money can sometimes prove counterproductive. I've come to realize that money can flow with relative ease, often without backbreaking effort. My mindset has since evolved towards the concept of smart work. What actions can I take today to bring me closer to my goals? I'll elaborate on this perspective from the standpoint of a parent, coach, and entrepreneur.
In my previous business with Annie, we ran a vacation rental cleaning company. We received a fixed rate for house/condo turnovers, and I put in substantial effort to make money. However, this mindset held our business back. The belief that we had to work relentlessly to achieve success hindered us from delegating work and allowing the business to grow more smoothly. In my current coaching business, I've adopted a different approach, focusing on strategies that truly move the needle in my business. Paradoxically, these tasks that genuinely push the business forward are often the ones we resist doing, causing us to fill our time with less meaningful "busy work" to distract us from putting ourselves out there.
Athletes and sports coaches can easily fall into a similar trap. Wrestling, a sport close to my heart, serves as an example. A wrestler might opt for conditioning or running instead of working on a technique where they struggle, such as getting out from the bottom. While it may be uncomfortable and challenging for the ego-and easier to distract ourselves with conditioning-working on the inefficiencies is the real hard work that leads to improvement. The same holds for coaches, who might opt for generic conditioning over individualized plans tailored to each athlete.
It's October. There are corn maize's, pumpkin walks, and all kinds of autumn related craft-children friendly mixers to fill your calendars. My three year old twins generally enjoy these, but you know what they enjoy more? When there dad pretends to be a monster and chases them across the park down the street. I can fill my calendar with activities to take my children too, on the go, loading and unloading, or we can take a bike ride down the street to a park with trails and pretend to be baby animals.
Whether you're a parent, coach, athlete, or entrepreneur, it's essential to ask yourself these questions: Am I genuinely busy, or am I productive? Is the work I'm doing merely a distraction from the real, productive work I'm avoiding? I've written an article on goal setting that you can refer to, which will help you refocus your efforts. Set three tasks a day that genuinely move the needle, and once you've completed them, grant yourself the time to relax and be present with your family. One hour of productive work or one meaningful conversation can surpass eight hours of unproductive, busy work. Take a moment today to reflect on your money mindset. What were you taught about money in your formative years? Money doesn't have to be elusive; it can be your ally.
Jen Sincero, a money mindset and success coach, advises her clients to write a love story to money. Was money hard to come by when you were growing up? Was it a taboo topic? Did you equate effort with money, like I did in my early years? Explore your money mindset and rewrite the narrative to one's that truly serves you and moves the needle in your business and life.