As small business owners and practitioners – we often need support and advice to grow and evolve both ourselves and our businesses.
So how can we do this in a way that ensures we choose the ‘right’ kind of support?
How do we avoid signing up to things simply because of ‘shiny object syndrome’ or comparisonitis? How can we ensure we are signing up to the right things for the ‘right’ reasons?
These are questions I have asked myself often over the past 11 years, and ones my clients often ask too. In fact, if you ask any small business owner – discerning what you truly need and who is the best person to support you at any given time of growth can be quite the experience!
I have personally invested thousands of dollars in personal and professional development and support over the years.
While I have gained so much from many of those investments, not all of them turned out to deliver what I expected. This is due in part to some shady online practices, and also some choices I made when I wasn’t in my own personal alignment.
Bad Purchase – Or Misaligned Self…?
I remember a few years ago I felt really lost around the direction of my business. I was desperate to find someone to help me find ‘the best way’ to evolve it to the next level I was seeking.
I signed up to work with an amazing well-known coach, but found myself feeling frustrated that she wasn’t giving me ‘what I needed’ (magic bullet/solution?!). Why couldn’t she ‘fix’ what was wrong with my business.
When I reflected upon our work together, I realised the information and support she was giving me, was based on what I was TELLING her I wanted and needed – and yet it wasn’t TRULY what I wanted at all. So of course it didn’t feel like good advice or support! It was in direct opposition to my true (and at that point, hidden) purpose.
I hadn’t given myself permission to really identify and acknowledge what my true vision was. I was terrified of moving away from the work I had always done (and still loved) and clients I loved, to the work that was deeply calling me!
Until I had that moment of clarity there was nothing that anyone could say that was ever going to ‘move me forward’. I needed first to own my own truth. I’ve had others share similar experiences with me over the years too.
Following this realisation, came the ‘messy process’ of giving myself permission to follow this new path, working through letting go of the expectations of others, of myself, and re-defining my new vision and version of success. Lots of inner work!
When I returned to work with this coach again once I was in full alignment – the shifts began easily and in earnest.
It was a powerful reminder that OUR energy, personal responsibility, intention and participation have a LOT to do with the outcomes we get from our investments!
Do I need a space to learn or a space to implement right now?
As a lifelong learner myself – I have learnt that the final aspect to be really clear on when choosing your next level of support, is whether you need more information – or simply the support to integrate and implement all that you have gathered and learned to this time.
This gap that often exists between learning and inspired action, is one of the reasons I started running Masterminds in addition to classes (my Mastermind is a group container that creates space for learning, healing, support AND implementation).
I found so many of my clients had invested in so many programs, teachings and information – but they had never actually had the energetic support, mentoring or community to navigate the implementation part.
So the knowledge and learning was not getting done after the money was spent. This lack of action was not because of any lack of desire or drive, or capability! Or necessarily even an issue with the training delivered.
Most often this lack of action occurs because navigating change is hard.
Doing new things is hard! And boy can it bring up all the personal sabotages and self limiting beliefs! When these aspects are addressed as they arise, implementation is easy. New patterns, habits and outcomes flow. Things get done.
Three things to remember
It can be powerful to take these three aspects into consideration when seeking support for your next level of growth:
- Ensure YOUR vision is aligned and true.
- Reflect on what type of support has worked and not worked for you in the past – and why.
- Discern whether we need more knowledge or implementation of the knowledge you already have.
From here, when you do invest in products and services for support, you are more likely to make powerfully aligned and intuitive decisions. Less likely to spend money on things that are not aligned. And more likely to reach that next level of success you are seeking with more ease and grace.
I hope this helps give you the confidence you need to find the right support as you and your business continue to grow and evolve.
How do I work out what I need?
These journal questions are some great ones to help you work out exactly what support you need, and discern who or what might be the best to support you.
- What kind of support has worked in the past and what hasn’t? Why?
- How do I want to FEEL when I reach this goal/vision?
- What do I want the financial outcomes to be?
- What steps do I need to take to begin the journey?
- Where are the gaps in my knowledge that I may need to seek information or support for?
- What do I need to heal within myself to allow myself to succeed?
- Am I looking for someone to ‘fix me’?
- Am I wanting distraction from the true steps I need to take to take my business to the next level?
- Have I researched the product/provider to ensure the integrity of the product/service and that it aligns with my values?
If you would like to create simple, sacred spaces to support your money energy in your business, you can get access to my Money Rituals Toolkit here.
