09 Dec OTHER SIDE OF THE MIC
I’ve spent the last two years interviewing incredible entrepreneurs for The Green Couch Project™. I’ve learned so much listening to their stories, their advice, their high highs and low lows, and it brings me great joy to share their stories with others. I fully admit that I am an inspiration junkie.
Earlier this summer, I contacted Entrepreneur On Fire, a daily podcast that interviews inspiring and successful entrepreneurs. I love connecting with other inspirational leaders, people who are carving out a unique path, living their dreams and lifting people along the way. I took a risk and filled out their online form, inquiring if they’d be interested in hearing my story. This podcast is rated one of the best on iTunes; John Lee Dumas is the man. I sent the form not anticipating hearing anything back.
Then it happened. The request to interview me, email. I almost fell off my chair. Me? From Greencastle, PA? How and why? I quickly accepted the offer and was given my recording date. Yesterday was that day, and I’ve been floating on cloud 9 ever since.
The interview lasted about 25 minutes. John was seriously one of the easiest people to talk to. He asked questions like how we generate revenue, my strengths, and weaknesses as an entrepreneur and my personal habits that contribute to my success. The two questions that got me were:
Share your worst entrepreneurial moment and share your ah-ha moment…
Before the interview, I spent some time reliving these moments. Remembering how I felt, what my business looked like at the time and how far I’ve come since then. I was forced to reflect, something I’m not the best at. The end of the year is always a good time to reflect on the months prior, how you’ve evolved and what milestones you’ve hit. However, reflection doesn’t have to fall on a holiday or in a season; it’s something that we as entrepreneurs should practice on a regular basis.
I often get hung up on how things are not going fast enough or what the next goal is. But when I take the time to reflect, I realize just how quickly those goals have come to life. It’s kind of like being a parent. Your child grows up right in front of you, and it’s not until you flip back through the photo album to realize just how much they’ve grown.
Relive your story – Relive your worst entrepreneurial moment and how you overcame it. How are you better because of that moment? How has it changed your life for the positive? In the moment, these things can seem devastating, but we later are able to see beyond the fog and understand the lesson that was being taught.
List your accomplishments – Grab a cup of coffee, a big fluffy chair, and a notepad and write down everything you’ve ever accomplished. These could be small wins or huge milestones. Let every accomplishment count! I would bet you’ll be turning the pages a few times!
What have you learned? – What valuable lessons have you learned along the way? What advice would you give another entrepreneur? Time and experience make you wise. Relive those moments. How can you apply them to something you’re working through right now?
Set new goals – Now that you’ve looked back, peek into the future. What would you like to accomplish in 2016? Knowing that you’re capable, can you stretch your goals a little further to push yourself in a healthy way?
I encourage you to make reflection part of your regular routine. Give yourself that much deserved pat on the back. You’ve worked hard this year. You’ve worked hard for many years! Every step you’ve taken has led you to this moment.
My podcast on www.EOFire.com will launch on March 1st. Until then, tune in to listen to other incredible entrepreneurs who are makin’ shit happen!