Switching out of holiday mode is hard, time to rip the band-aid off, make a rather large (and strong) cup of coffee, settle in and get started. But like most things in life, that actual step to getting started can feel incredibly overwhelming.
Its fraught with concern and worry often before thoughts of positivity begin to leak in. It often feels like every new year brings a new, fresh start - even if that wasn’t what the plan was. The brief lull in momentum while you take a moment to relax is often not-so-rewarded with concerns of hampered efforts, stillness and pause.
Why is this? Why is the hustle filled with such… hassle. My brand and website design business will reach its tenth birthday this year so why is the first day back often like the first days in a new job or school, even though you’ve done it all before? Why does it seem like everyone else didn’t take a break? (I can tell you, they did). Has the news got us in such a state of analysis paralysis that all we can think of is the rising cost of living and how can anything we do ever be enough?
It’s time for a pep talk that moves beyond goal setting - this is as much for me as it is for you:
You CAN do this
You’ve done it before, you can do it again as long as the love and passion is there. Intrinsic motivation is important - be proud of what you can do. Which leads to the next point…
You CAN do great things
We never stop learning, and the landscape is constantly changing. In order to challenge ourselves we need to dig a bit deeper - that may be as simple as finding some new blogs to read, a new podcast or engaging in short courses (but don’t get sucked into an endless stream of $17 magic solutions).
There IS work out there
Somewhere… in the digital landscape we are seeing this somewhat overwhelming AI beast popping up everywhere. But there is no replacement for the human brain thinking and reacting in real time with compassion and understanding.
You can have flexibility
Often this is the reason why business owners do what they do - to have those options around planning your schedule. You can balance your wants and needs with your professional skills. Hit the gym, play a sport, read a book at on your lunch break (away form your desk, please) and schedule those appointments. It is always a good thing to take time for yourself - even if you have to put a reminder in your calendar.
Your people are listening - and new ones will find you
Its the listeners that ultimately take action. They’re thoughtful decision-makers, watching and waiting for the right time to make the connection. The thing is, you often don’t know they're there until that message comes through, so keep talking to them in the meantime.
Slogging it out on social media is NOT a solution
This is my biggest bug bear, the time suck, the motivation killer and creativity zapper. It is okay that your clients are NOT on Instagram, so don’t spend hours creating (and stressing about) content that is not going to bring in your next favourite client.
NO. You do not. If you set one now will you even remember it in March? Will you constantly be repeating this word over and over as it magically brings in lead after lead? Probably not. I’m reshaping my own definition of goal setting and ultimately it comes to this: I want to work with good humans and create work that inspires and elevates. Simple, right? If I could see out this year as a brand designer without a single red flag I would probably be the most relaxed and happy entrepreneur, ever. Instead of focussing on a word or a phrase, focus on listening and embracing confidence in your decisions. Did that discovery call have the ever so quiet, but yet distinct, flap of a red flag in the breeze? Trust your instincts, stick your values and invest energy where it will come back to you.
Even typing 2025 seems like a weird, futuristic thing - how did we get here? We are ten years past where Doc Brown and Marty showed us flying cars and hoverboards and yet my wheels are still firmly on the ground. This shows that whatever you imagined years ago for this time in your life can be redefined and adjusted - things often don’t move at the pace we expect them to. Cut yourself some slack, bite off just enough that you can chew it thoroughly and move forward with confidence and self assurance - there is no other person that does things exactly how you do them with the same result.
Lets take a look at how succeeding beyond goal setting works for you, too. How do your define success? Is it a financial target? Do dollars in the bank measure success? Is it a capacity marker - are X number of bookings per month or hours worked per week your motivator? Is it achieving those all important final outputs - completion of X number of projects in a defined time. What is your currency? Currency doesn’t have to be money, it can be anything that defines success and motivation for you. And when that currency bucket is full are you rewarding yourself? Its important to not be simply caught up in the slog and ticking off one box after another, take a moment to celebrate your achievements as you go. This can be as simple as a early finish Friday (I say give yourself the day off), a material reward or a super-nice lunch for one (or celebrate with a friend).
We are at the beginning, its pretty simple: at this point we simply don’t know how things will evolve over the coming months but what we can do is be actionable, be accountable and keep this whole thing in perspective. No word or phrase can define the road that lays ahead, only you can. Make of it what you will, simply give it as much as you can, as often as you can, on a schedule that works for you as a whole, wonderful person who is doing their damnedest to create an awesome life.
As for me, I’m looking forward to having a year that’s better than the last, free of illness and injury and full of genuine connections, creative brand-centric work and an ever-worldly perspective.
It feels like everyone these days has a business idea or a side-hustle on the backburner. But getting those ideas off the ground can be overwhelming. Between branding, marketing, setting up your processes and website and finding the right advice amongst a sea of resources and networking events…the whole thing can sometimes land in the "too hard" basket before we even begin.
The temptation is great... it looks so easy... your mate did it.. you want to save some money... In theory, yes, but in reality DIY is hard work
Do you need the support of a professional designer, but don't know where to start? Perhaps you feel unsure of what a designer can actually do for your business? Or maybe you feel a designer would be a "nice-to-have", but there are more important things to invest in first?
