Focus on Growing Your Own Business...Tree
Social media is a great tool to help us grow our business and following. But I know it can also be a huge detriment to my work if I don't handle it appropriately. How often do you get sidetracked by watching what others are doing in their businesses? I know I do several times a week and it can cause me to become discouraged in my own business.
I heard this quote from my pastor recently and it really struck a cord in all aspects of my life, but today we'll talk about how it applies to business -
"You can build a treehouse in a redwood tree, but you can't build it in a sapling." - Louie Giglio
Let's break it down several ways...
1. We can Build the Treehouse.
We see others building treehouses and think to ourselves "I want my treehouse (business) to be like that". And it can be very similar to theirs just with our own personal touches. Don't get down on yourself thinking there is no room for you in your industry, because there is plenty of room. You need to figure out your niche and individuality within your industry and go/grow from there.
2. Don't Build in Someone Else's Tree
I'm sure like me, there are so many people you look up to in life and business. Which is fantastic because there are times when it benefits to NOT reinvent the wheel. Heck, some leaders offer courses and services to help you do what they do. But you can't do it exactly like them. Don't try to climb their tree and put your treehouse in their tree. They won't see that as flattery, but of copycatting which is very unprofessional. They worked hard and long to grow their tree and then build their treehouse, don't forget that. And speaking of...
3. Trees Take Time to Grow
Have you ever planted a tree (or seen one planted) that was larger than a house? No, typically you purchase smaller trees and then they grow tall and wide over several decades. Some types of trees even have to be supported by ropes until their roots get deep enough to hold the tree upright without the support of the ropes.
Why is this important for your business? Because we all want the end product - a beautiful treehouse way up in the sky. But what if the roots are deep enough and the trunk isn't sturdy enough when you begin building your treehouse? The first storm that hits could knock the treehouse right out of the tree and snap its trunk in half. I don't say that to scare you, but to continue to push the point - you can't rush your business.
You have to know and grow your own business. Make sure you have stable roots and a solid trunk each time you're wanting to add something to your list of products or services. Ask yourself these questions:
- How will adding or subtracting this product/service impact my business?
- Will it add or take away a level of stress?
- What else needs to be added or taken away to improve quality of service and products?
- Will this really get me to where I want to go?
"How will adding this or that impact my current business?" (Tweet)
4. Wait to Build Your Treehouse
Can you imagine trying to hoist a fully built treehouse into place? Okay, maybe you could with some pulleys and leverages, but that's not ideal as you'd need a lot a people willing to help you lift it. I suggest again, to focus on your actual tree. You can gather supplies to eventually build your treehouse, but if you spend all of your time designing and building it on the ground, you'll forget to water and nurture your tree.
I know this is probably a really random thing to relate to businesses, but I always tell clients to do what feels right for them and not what they see others doing. That is how burnout and frustration can happen so very early on.
Are you struggling with wanting to have the business you see everyone else having, but don't even know where to start? Let's set up your Biz Boss Accountability session today, so that you can start watering your own business tree.