One time–as a kid–my mom said a prayer for me, asking God for me to be okay with enough. Like enough was something measurable.
I was 13 years old and I was shocked that enough was actually a thing. Was there ever enough? I didn’t think so, and I was baffled why my mom thought differently.
Once, while sitting in the passenger seat of my best friend’s minivan, her dad looked over at me and asked how I’d eat a hamburger. Huh, I wondered, what a weird question.
I responded, “I’d eat the burger the same way anyone else would: by eating half and saving the rest until I knew when my next meal would arrive.”
Newsflash: That’s not how most kids considered eating a hamburger.
From an early age, I simply thought in two ways: 1. Saving what I had; and 2. Getting more. In thinking this way, I focused solely on setting goals and figuring out a way to achieve them.
But what happened when I got stuck figuring out what my new goal was? Ahem, let me rephrase this: What happens when I get stuck figuring out what my new goal is?
(Present tense, baby.)
Whenever I get to these moments (defining a new goal without knowing what, exactly, it is), my mentor suggests answering the following three questions:
- Who do you want to help? Getting specific is key. In order to build a business, you must understand what the customer wants and finds valuable enough to pay for. The better you know these things, the faster the business grows.
- What expertise do you have? More specifically, what do people consider your expertise? When you can shape your expertise as a solution to a customer’s problem, you’ll have more opportunities to create value.
- What do I have fun doing in terms of Questions 1 and 2? The energy we inject into what we create makes a difference in what we offer, and how it’s received.
I’ve been working through these questions as I’m working on creating new goals. I’m sharing these questions with you in hopes that they’ll help you shape how you enter 2023.
I’m opening myself up to new opportunities, challenges, and adventures, but I will do so having prepared using these powerful questions to frame my journey. I hope you will, too.
To eating an entire hamburger in one sitting,
j*
P.S. Wondering if you’re on the right path? I recorded a 10-minute podcast entitled “Am I doing the right thing?” and the feedback has been incredible…I’d love for you to take a listen to avoid things stopping you from reaching your goals.
