I spend a lot of my time helping people get clear about things what they want to do, who they want to work with, their goals, their business strategy … right down to the specifics of something like writing an effective web page. The list is endless.
I’ve noticed that some people enjoy the process. They like the journey of discovery, the insights along the way and, of course, the outcome because clarity brings certainty, focus, and direction.
Others though get frustrated and fed up mainly because the clarity they are seeking fails to arrive easily, in an instant.
In my experience, clarity – the clarity on which to build solid foundations – rarely comes in a flash.
It evolves as we think, observe and discuss. It comes through raising our own awareness of any given situation.
Inspiration and intuition arrive as if by magic. Indeed, we often have to stop and capture them in the moment. But over arching clarity has a slower burn. It requires our time and attention.
And, because everything around us and within us is changing all the time, gaining clarity is an ongoing process.
So, here’s two things that I’ve learnt from running my own business:
- There’s nothing wrong with you if you feel cast adrift or overwhelmed from time to time and feel the need to look at your fears and revisit you hopes and desires. Successful businesses evolve and grow. They are seldom the result of five minutes of thinking and very little effort.
- Sometimes a relatively small event can cause a big sense of disruption. You start to wonder if you’ve lost the plot and want to take time out to regain your true sense of direction. The trigger could be anything from a member of your team moving on and having to review how you allocate responsibilities to writing the brief for your new website and having to take a fresh look at the way you package your services. Events like this often make us stop and think about how and why we do things. And there’s nothing wrong with that either.
