I recently had a conversation with a beloved colleague about some changes she’s making to her business model.

My Spidey sense prickled when she declared, “I need this next new business model to give me a big cash infusion this month — and be solid enough to get me through the next 5 years.”

That’s like going on a first date and expecting to live happily ever after without getting to know if he makes you happy!

When I asked why she wasn’t leaving room for future possibilities, she offered a perfectly rational sounding explanation.

But I know her well enough that I didn’t buy it. And I wasn’t going to let her believe her own BS either.

Go ahead and have the goal to get a short-term cash infusion… but DO NOT tie it to how things have to unfold longer term.

I’ve had countless conversations like this over the past 17 years. 👆🏼

And boy oh boy, can I ever identify. I’ve put that same pressure on myself to create something that’ll allow me to kick back and reap the rewards.

I mean, hey, how could my B-SEXII (Business Systems to eXponentially Increase Income) idea not have become a bestselling program?

Or why wasn’t anybody interested in my ROI Training Series? (Maybe because it was the opposite of sexy…?)

And back when I was delivering webinars, how could I deliver it one day and crush it. But then 6 months later? Crickets.

Every single time my expectations interfere with my “flow” — it backfires.

Even when making offers that have a good reputation.

Like the year I decided I would sell 500 seats into my (now-retired) sales training program, Art of the Ask.

Ha. Nice try, Carolyn.

I sold 50. All year. Falling “slightly” (ha!) short of expectations.

But then I put together a 6-month group mentorship curriculum based on a request from one of those sales training participants.

I sold my first seat.

Then I sold a second seat. And a third. Pretty soon I had 5 women signed up for this mentorship program.

I had zero expectations it would go any further than that.

I assumed it would be one and done… and then I’d go get a job. (I was that  close to giving up.)

But in hindsight, having no expectations is where the magic lived.

Because something strange happened.

6 more people showed up, and I started a second group.

Then a third.

And eventually… a 22nd group before I decided I needed to take a break.

Something within my “500 failure year” triggered the next thing. Something I thought would happen once. Something I would’ve never expected.

Having zero expectations allowed for immeasurable results.

That accelerator not only fueled my business for 6 years, but fueled the businesses of all the women who participated over the time I ran it.

And my friend?  The short-term cash infusion she wanted came from something she had NOT expected. And she revised her model and messaging to her satisfaction… while leaving the door open for future possibilities.

If you’re having similar conversations with yourself and have high expectations that “THIS is the thing that NEEDS to work for the next ____ months or years”… cut yourself some slack.

Because it’s just not true.

 

New episode of Burn The Bullsh*t podcast!

I just released a new solo episode about EXPECTATIONS!!!!!!!!!!! I’ve spent months and months thinking, hoping, wishing I was ready to record it. But I wasn’t… until now. And there are a few stories involved. You can get show notes and listen here!