Remember the movie “Romancing the Stone”? Whether you do or not is fine because this is not a blog post about the movie. This post is meant to be a metaphor of this phrase jewelers use to refer to a step to prepare a gem for use in jewelry.
How do we romance our business to turn our unique, maybe unimposing stone into some more attractive and significant jewel?
No matter what model or size your work or business is, it might be the time to cut or polish a stone into a jewel.
#Romanceawarenessmonth How to love or fall in love again with your work, or business
Here’s how I spell ROMANCE for work or business:
R Know the results you want. Revisit or revise them. Results are part of the why of your business. If you’re stuck, like I’ve been, discover or rediscover what is it you offer and why do you do it?
I follow Don Purdum, who regularly blogs and talks about his process for helping to turn our business gem into a jewel. It’s a 5 step process if you have interest.
O Challenge yourself with new opportunities. For me, it’s an assumption but I believe if you follow my blog or somehow find it resonates with you, you might be like me: regularly in need of a challenge. It’s like polishing the gem as you turn it into that necklace or bracelet or whatever jewelry you’re creating.
Somehow I attract new business directions in line with my introvert focus pretty regularly. When they come my way, I look at them through a turning crystal. It’s about looking at an opportunity from different angles.
Lynn Scheurell, one of my coaches, comes to mind if you need a little help with this.
M Mastermind. At various times during one to one coaching a mastermind opportunity would show up on my radar. These are typically small groups, usually no more than seven people. Every member’s participation is key.
In my second group, one member disappeared after two meetings. He was never at a meeting again. For another four to six weeks we continued meeting, usually asking where the guy was, and often complaining.
One day, growing tired of wondering, I asked if someone who knew him better than I did could call him so we could stop guessing. When she came back with the report, we had to fire him.
The relief of it allowed all of us to re-experience the positive effects again. The complaining stopped and we fell in love with our process all over again. Each of us began to stretch out of our comfort zones, expand our actions and experience more success.
A Take action. Boy, we introverts do like to turn things over, and think them through. There comes a point it’s time to act on your findings.
A few years ago I retired. Nah, it didn’t last long at all.
One of my favorite clients, since deceased encouraged me to spread my message in another way that would reinvigorate me. My husband said it differently, “You’re too young to retire.”
Supposedly, retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I doubt my husband would agree since his recent retirement!
It was about a year into that early retirement that was about as short as a sneeze, when I became reacquainted with Thomas Leonard, affectionately called “The Father of Coaching.” Coaching is most often a one to one kind of business life being highly attractive to most introverts. I fell in love again.
N Practice non-attachment to outcomes. Let go! This is one way to more easily stay in the flow. Rather than invest most of your energy to a particular goal, or in my case (maybe you can relate?) a particular intention, find happiness in what comes your way.
Two years ago a publisher approached me to write my most recent book, Communication Toolkit for Introverts. This possibility seemed like it came from nowhere since it never crossed my mind, to either write such a book or find a publisher. Knowing their built-in audience of 25,000 +/- people would find value in knowing how to get their voice heard helped me to say yes.
It makes me wonder, did my non-attachment to a specific goal bring it to me?
C Help your clients love you. Business is after all about customers. Customers are about relationships. In this fast paced world, out of nowhere you can find another competitor, so we want to reenergize our brand.
My friend Jeannette Paladino knows all about and writes about branding. If you need some tips or ideas, take a look at her thriving blog.
How do you make your clients love you? For me, it’s a lot about making sure my delivery in whatever means it is, gives people value to make them and their life better. I do my best to do this by listening, and regularly moving the connection further along.
E Minimize, work toward, elimination of those bright shiny objects. Often I’ll get so excited about a new process, or system, or social media trend, I find myself chip chip chipping away at new things. Maybe you do too? This kind of zig zag action does little to reveal the business gem.
I hate thinking of how many courses, books or coaching sessions I invested in that quickly lost their luster. What’s funny is I can help others more quickly break up that chasing love affair for themselves than I could for myself.
Do you think that’s a full package of romance?
How do you romance your work or business?
What do you have to cut or polish to turn your business into more fun and profit?
Three ways I can help you romance your way to what you want:
My most recent book, for you: Communication Toolkit for Introverts https://bit.ly/CTIonPackt
Just 3 – minute daily video lessons for 30 days, Introverts: The Secrets to Workplace Success
Expert guidance to easily create new habits, in community and private text/chat coaching, from free to fee:
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I’m in this process as we speak. Since getting divorced, I’ve joined quite a number of mastermind groups. It’s amazing how easy it is to connect with fellow professionals, though how often we don’t take the necessary steps to do so. Great things always result. I’m most excited about the new regional chapters of the Nonfiction Authors Association that have started. Boise was the first regional chapter to meet, and I was truly impressed.
Jeri it sounds indeed like you are in the romance stage! And that you are moving in the right direction as you are recognizing results!
Patricia, as I sit back and think over the last 25 years, I don’t have enough pockets to hold all the gems that have lost their luster. I am currently working hard to stay the course on my new goal but it’s hard to resist something shiny.
My gems value might start a separate retirement fund Kire! I get that. Thanks.
Patricia — first, thanks for the shout-out, my friend. This post struck a chord. Many years ago i used a film company (I know, everything is digital now) to make a film about my then organization. When we went to his studio to view the first cut, he had it set up as a movie theater. The curtain opened and the film rolled. I later mentioned to him that it was a nice touch and made us feel special. He told me something I never forgot and use til this day, “Remember to put it on a black velvet cushion.” What he was referring to is the practice of jewelers of placing a piece you’re considering buying on a black velvet cushion to show off the jewelry in the best light. When you are presenting to a client, your boss or new business prospect, treat the presentation like a gem — polish it and put it on a velvet cushion, making it the best it can be.
That’s beautiful Jeannette. I’m taking that line too – “Remember to put it on a black velvet cushion.” And you’ve reminded me of a similar sales story related to gems. I’ll save it for an upcoming blog post.
Excellent article, Patricia. It’s so essential in life to be determined, take action and persevere. Without that we will fail so falling in love with our work or business on and off is a must. Non-attachment to outcome is also fundamental. If not, we will give up every time we fail
By the way, I can’t imagine you retiring:-)
Thanks for adding non-attachment to an outcome Catarina. You can tell one of my “unromantic” ideas! Retire – oh yeah some day for sure. Imagine!
What a great post!
Absolutely agree that you must have a passion for your business. You must believe in the product and service you are are selling.
I too can get carried away with new shiny things and end up yoyoing from one thing to another. For example, I enjoy listening to specific leaders on YouTube but often I jump from speaker to speaker rather than listening to one or two.
Shiny things and yoyoing – what another great phrase Phoenicia – yoyoing. Hope you’re back to romancing your business!
Nice comments.Excellent article, Patricia. It’s so essential in life to be determined, take action and persevere. Without that we will fail so falling in love with our work or business on and off is a must. Non-attachment to outcome is also fundamental. If not, we will give up every time we fail
Non-attachment is key as you say. In business, life and romance!