“The day you plant the seed is NOT the day you eat the fruit. Don’t worry, don’t get frustrated, be persistent. It’s on its way to you.”
That’s a thought that always stays with me in taking my business (or one of my clients’ businesses) to the very next level. Thing is, we’re conditioned through the media that everything is supposed to happen miraculously quickly in our lives:
“Thinner thighs in 30 days”
“Quit smoking in 2 hours”
“Build your list to 30,000 people in 4 months”
“Sell $100,000 worth of products in 2 hours”
Whoa. Slow down for a second!
Yes, I guess these can be done…by those who’ve been at it for years. But what I see is that, for most people, this sets up unrealistic expectations of what we’re capable of.
When our initial efforts don’t meet those grandiose, self-imposed expectations quickly, we can go into a place of doubt, worry, fear and then inevitably, resentment and anger, wanting to throw the baby out with the bath water.
As solo entrepreneurs begin to implement BIG steps in their marketing, they often see immediate results, which can be comforting. But, as they stretch beyond their comfort zone and tackle bigger projects that require more time and effort, it often takes longer to see results.
And taking all of these steps can take a lot out of them.
Once all the work’s done, some entrepreneurs turn around and say “So, where are all the results? I mean, I’ve been working my butt off over here! Where are the millions of dollars? I expected to see results instantaneously!” I know I’ve felt that sometimes too, on big projects that I’d never tackled before.
Here’s the process that sometimes occurs:
1. Doubt begins to creep in
2. Then Worry
3. Followed by Fear
4. And then irrational Anger (at themselves, at others, at anything)
In addition to going into a place of self-doubt mode (or worse, blaming others!), many deflect any sort of responsibility and become angry at the world, making irrational conclusions. Instead, all it takes is a little patience and perseverance, sometimes correcting the course they’re on. No big deal.
Here’s the thing to remember as you’re charting new territory in your business:
Understand that it can take time for the seeds you’ve planted to grow roots, sprout, grow and bear fruit that you can eat. That’s why you have to be diligent about planting them quickly and doing whatever it takes to foster them. It’s also important to plant as many seeds as possible, so that you have different things cropping up, and you’re not relying on just one thing in your business to bring you money.
Instead of being in a place of resentment (which will NEVER attract quickly what you want), remember to keep yourself in a place of Positive Expectation. Here’s a mantra I created for myself that hangs above my computer in my office:
“I am positively expecting great results, no matter what I see in front of me. The Universe is rearranging itself for my best interest right now.”
If ever I get caught up in “Why isn’t this happening fast enough?”, getting into a place of self-doubt or blaming the process, I remind myself of this, and things seem to just work themselves out rather quickly. That’s the Mindset part of the equation. Then, a sign shows up, the project advances and the results start coming in, quicker than I imagined. But if I stay in that place of doubt, worry or worse, blame, it surely gets worse.
You are ultimately responsible for your own successes, your actions, and most importantly how you see your own progress and success. YOU create your future and your results, based on how you choose to see the world and the way you react to life. A person coming from a VICTIM point of view will always see fault in the process. That’s Universal Law. A person coming from a VICTORIOUS point of view will always see opportunity, no matter what’s in front of them.
How do YOU see what’s in front of you? From a victim perspective or a victorious position?
Your Work Ahead
If you realize that you can have anything you want, then ask yourself, what DO you want in this coming year? Understand that the seeds you plant take time to grow. Just as you wouldn’t rush Mother Nature and expect a tree to grow in one day, you already know that blaming the process of nature for being too slow is unrealistic.
Tend to your marketing seeds. Understand that different plants sprout at different paces, do everything that’s required of you, and then get yourself in a place of POSITIVE EXPECTATION.
Miraculously, that’s when the results happen, quicker than you think. You’ll see!
If you want to hear about how staying in positive expectation has created miraculous results for others, be sure to join us for our last ever UK/European virtual Mindset Retreat Livestream happening this coming Tuesday.
It’s all possible for you too. xo
