This week I had the absolute pleasure and privilege to interview Laura from Orgjunkie.com. It was a wonderful interview and yet… I found myself feeling discouraged and frustrated in the days that followed.
Luckily I have great friends and accountability partners to help me get back on track. You’d think I would figure this out and just jump to it every time I get in this space… because it’s almost always the culprit for me feeling frustrated and discouraged in my business.
Lack of Clarity
Yep… as I was talking to Laura, she was so CLEAR about what she was doing, who she was doing it for, why she was doing it… I was a little jealous because since I started this new site I really don’t have that kind of clarity.
Lack of clarity, for me, leads to frustration and discouragement which are not really compatible with success… so it was time to get some clarity. (again)
1. What am I doing?
This is a really important question, because it affects everything. What you post, what you talk about, who you interview, where you guest post. If you’re not clear on what you’re doing it can be easy to get frustrated and give up. (which I thought about last week a couple times lol)
When I think about “what am I doing” it shifts to what do I want to accomplish with my blog and my blog posts, my connections with others. What do I want to happen when people walk away from an interaction with me (or my blog).
After some serious deliberation and a lot of teeth gnashing it dawned on me… I’m feeling frustrated with this site because I’m just “talking”… I feel most alive and excited, and inspired when I’m helping others, when I’m giving people tools and ideas that will help them move forward in their lives and businesses. I haven’t really been doing that here… I’ve just been talking about stuff.
In our interview Laura repeatedly mentioned that she wants people to leave her site with something they can do right then… something that will help them solve whatever problem they’re having.
BANG… that’s it exactly.
Here’s what I came up with:
Does this post help my reader become a more successful wahm?
This is what I’m now asking myself when I think about topics, and what to write.
What does my reader take away from this post they can use right now, today?
This is the question I’m now answering as I write my posts.
2. Who am I talking to?
This whole figuring out who my “right people” are has been the bane of my existence for this site. There’s so many people I’d like to reach, and I totally understand that when you try to talk to everyone you talk to no one at all. I read a post from Catherine Caine this morning (who is awesome btw) about this topic and it truly cleared things up for me. (at least for today… can’t guarantee tomorrow).
Are you a work at home mom trying to juggle your responsibilities without dropping the ball?
This is the question I’m asking myself when I go in search of people to connect with. When I’m wondering if I’m going to be a good fit for what you need, if you’re going to find something helpful, useful, inspiring on my site… I’m asking myself this question.
So who gives a rats ass about clarity?
Here’s what I’ve discovered… and quite by accident (if you believe in accidents). The clearer you get the bolder, brighter, louder, more focused you can share your message. When you are absolutely clear on who you’re talking to, and what you’re trying to say your message becomes ELECTRIC.
Seriously.
I’ve had a couple personal examples of that this week… where the message was so clear, and I could so clearly see I was who they were talking to I had to take action. I had to get my mess figured out. I had to buy something they were selling because it spoke to me in a way that didn’t allow me to walk away.
When you have clarity ~ it allows you to shine.
And the light you shine is what attracts other people to you… and that’s what grows your business.
So… what about you? How are you doing in the clarity department? Do you know who you’re talking to? Do you know the reason you’re writing? Do you know what you want people to feel/take with them when they leave your site? Do you know who your very best people are?
If not… I’d invite you to look at how you’re feeling about your business, and the level of success you’re experiencing. I personally think there is a serious correlation between feeling good and creating success and the depth of your clarity.
The good news is… finding clarity can be relatively simple, and doesn’t have to take too long. 🙂 Especially if you have good friends and accountability partners ~ people to bounce ideas off of, and test theories on, and to get a good kick in the pants when needed. That’s really important.
I’d love to hear what’s going on with you… please, share your clarity (or lack thereof) in the comments section!
Thanks to JasmineJennyJen for the perfect image for this post.
Here’s the deal with this partner stuff – partners are just that – partners. We help and support each other. We pick up the ball when the other can’t. Thank you Jackie for being my partner!
“The clearer you get the bolder, brighter, louder, more focused you can share your message.” YES – YES – YES! Shout this from the friggin’ mountaintop because it is so true.
I’d like to add one point about clarity, action and commitment.
Clarity (in my book) is something sacred because it comes from without to within. That Without deserves to be honored with the commitment to carry out the clarity. No second guessing. No this or that, now or then, forward or back. It deserves that kind of commitment that says – get the hell out of the way – I’m clear and coming through!
My 2.5 cents worth 🙂
Good stuff Jackie.I am glad Frank FINALLY shared your site with me!
I would like to respond to your #2 in particular. When I write, the people I want to connect with are people like me. People that have the same interests in what my site is all about.. and for me, that is Indie Movies. When I talk to/with the individuals that share my interests, my voice is me, not the voice of who I think they want to hear, but my own loud, nasally, east coast voice.
Next, I am the Yang to Franks’ Yin. For me, my clarity comes from within. If I have to “search” for my clarity or passion, then it is not true passion, for me. Forced passion sucks for me and forced passion sucks for others to try and follow. It just will not flow freely. It is too contrived and extremely transparent. I do what pleases me and hope that it may please someone else, if it only pleases me and no one else, I am still true to my self. For my passion gives me clarity.
I hope that made some semblance of sense.
I look forward to more visits on your site and to read more of your voice. Thank you Jackie…
RA
Thanks for stopping by RuthAnn. I think it’s really easy, especially as women to grow up with the idea/feeling we have to please people, have to be what people expect you to be. I think that’s sometimes where I get in my own way.
Even something as small as the post that I’m publishing tomorrow’s title ~ and talking about being a workaholic wahm… wahms are supposed to… fill in the blank, but (in my crazy brain) it isn’t people who work 16 hours a day and let their kids watch tv if you know what I mean. So being able to write the post from my true self, and not the self I think others expect I “should” be…
yeah. anyway. It’s all definitely a work in progress. I’m really glad you stopped by. 🙂
“This whole figuring out who my “right people” are has been the bane of my existence for this site. ”
Amen. I never really wanted to make my site about “Peruvian food” per se – but that seems to be what it is. And it happened because I’m lazy! It was easier to post recipes than it was to really write about things. Well, now I’ve pretty much come to the end of my recipes, so it’s time to start branching out.
And I’m still not sure who my right people are.