I had a conversation with a friend this week. She's a consultant with her own business, and she wanted to understand how I help people. So I started asking questions.
I asked her what her biggest challenge was right now. She told me she hadn't been able to consistently take time for her long morning runs the last few weeks.
I asked why.
Her client was behind on their work, which compressed her timeline, which meant she had to work during her regularly scheduled morning run. And some version of this had happened at least a couple of times in the past few weeks.
So I kept going. What would need to be true for her to say “no, I’m not available at that time, but I do have availability tomorrow.”? She said she'd need to know they wouldn't fire her. Now first of all, that’s pretty big leap, but its common for your brain to go to worst case scenario, so I asked what happens if they do. She said she'd lose necessary revenue.
I asked if she had other clients.
She laughed. Funny I should ask. She'd just signed a new one the day before and was in conversations with another. She's also one of the most well-connected people in her industry. She smiled when I pointed that out. She knows it.
Then I asked her what happens if she keeps skipping her morning run. She said she'd be grumpy and resentment would build. Which, as she acknowledged, is not the environment where she does her best work.
(And before you roll your eyes, listen, everyone has something. I have a permanently broken back. If I don't walk 8,000 steps a day, consistently, I can't sit at a desk. Running is her thing. Whatever it is for you, it's not a luxury. It's what allows you to show up and do your best work. Protecting what helps you thrive is good for business.)
For a lot of people, saying no is a muscle they rarely use. I help people build that muscle, because saying no give you space for the thing that are for you. It's not about being difficult or rigid. It's about being intentional and building something you actually want to show up for.
Hi! I’m Carrie. I believe doing good work and living the life you want are not in conflict. If you’re ready to build that way, reply to this email or see how we can work together.
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