“I am never going to have what I want if I don’t put in the effort.”
-Christy Krogman
You know this is true.
I know this is true.
We all know this is true.
Because it’s the truth!
Achieving something that’s healthier, stronger, bigger, better, name your “-er”…it takes a LOT of work.
And it’s intimidating.
Might feel like the mountain you’re facing will take forever to climb…
And quitting that climb is the obvious thing to do when the going gets tough.
So why would we humans create anything new, especially when it’s hard?
To be honest, most people DO quit!
But for those entrepreneurs who work to achieve something larger than themselves, they find a way to keep going…
Start with your WHY
What is your reason, your “why” for working so hard to build an online business?
Answer this question before you even start:
What will keep you going, creating, and serving others on the days when you just don’t want to?
For one recent guest on Wake Up Legendary with Dave Sharpe, her “why” is both heartbreaking and inspirational.
Christy Krogman is an HR professional and mom to two girls.
In 2015, she became pregnant with triplets, but she lost her twin sons. One in utero at 24 weeks and her other son died shortly after his birth.
Every day, she works to honor their memory.
What drives Christy in her business is the overarching goal of helping other families to never have to experience a loss like her family went through.
To do this, she’s building her business in order to raise funds for research and education programs that’ll help shed light on twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, as well as pregnancy and infant loss.
Christy’s business is bigger than her, bigger than her family even.
Does she have hard days?
Absolutely, and in fact she’s taken breaks in her business.
But she’s never given up…
The memories of her sons keep her going.
So what’s strong enough to keep YOU going on the hardest of days?
Write it down and post it.
Frame a picture of it.
Remind yourself DAILY what you’re really working for, and you’ll stick to it until the only option is success.
Break free from the chains
Once you know WHAT you’re working for, ya gotta step outside your comfort zone.
And this means breaking the chains of what’s holding you back.
Have you ever heard of Baby Elephant Syndrome?
When baby elephants are born in captivity, the caretakers tie a chain or rope around their ankle.
That way, the babies stay close since they can only move within the radius of the chain.
As they grow up – even when they’re strong enough to push over trees, carry massive loads in their trunks, and surely break a little chain or rope from their ankle – elephants still think they can only go as far as that chain.
We do this to ourselves, too.
Like Christy said, we grow up thinking that “you have to go to college. Or have to learn a trade. Have to work a 9-5 and work 40 hours a week.”
The truth is, we don’t have to live like that…
But it takes some work to overcome that mindset that’s probably been ingrained in us since early childhood.
This is because our brains actively try to prevent us from breaking free from that chain, “protecting” us from perceived discomfort.
What have these “chains” looked like for Christy and for so many in the Legendary community?
- Self-doubt
- Fear of failure
- Worry about what friends and family might think
- Belief that online businesses are “scams”
- Imposter syndrome
- Not feeling like we have anything to contribute
- Shame or embarrassment
And how do successful people overcome these negative feelings?
Baby steps. Maybe even baby elephant steps.
One piece of advice is to simply practice taking that chain off, even for an hour.
Pretend that nothing is holding you back – what could you accomplish in that hour?
Tip-toe a little bit outside of your comfort zone and make one small step forward.
Those baby steps added up will lead you towards your ultimate goal.
What is “normal” when starting an online business?
Contrary to popular belief, “normal” is NOT making commissions out of the gate!
Stories like Christy’s are MUCH more common than quick success –
- taking the longer road…
- starting and stopping, then starting up again…
- facing internal and external roadblocks…
And if you’re thinking, “But it looks like everyone else is ___ (fill in the blank). What am I doing wrong?”
Unless you quit altogether, you’re doing nothing wrong.
You might need to make some adjustments, but being in the game means you’re already winning.
Christy has been discouraged in the past.
She has worked through Baby Elephant and Imposter syndromes.
But the thing is, she takes a break and then COMES BACK TO IT.
She’s never given up.
Why?
Because of her WHY!
The memories of her sons and the drive to help other families.
And THAT’S the difference between Christy and others who throw in the towel on their business after a few days, weeks, or months of “not seeing success”.
That “stick-to-itiveness” is the differentiating factor for every successful entrepreneur.
Again, is doing hard things fun?
Depends on your definition of “fun”.
Is it easy?
Nope.
But is it worth it?
Ask ANYONE who’s stuck in the game long enough, and their answer will almost surely be a resounding, “yes.”
Changing your internal narrative
Comparisonitis is the death of so many early entrepreneurs!
There’s a fine line between looking to others for inspiration, and looking at others in comparison.
You can’t compare your day 1 to someone else’s day 100.
You can’t even compare your day 100 to someone else’s day 100!
Because YOUR journey is unique and special to you.
So instead of comparing yourself to others or thinking to yourself, “Why me?”
Asking yourself, “Why NOT me?”
Remember, you are NOT a baby elephant.
And there is NOTHING chained around your ankle!
Just go do something to start to make a change today…and then do it again tomorrow.
Life begins outside your comfort zone and beyond the chains we’ve grown up thinking are still attached to our ankles.
You’ve got this.
Now go out there and Be Legendary.
To listen to Christy’s full interview, catch the replay here or on your favorite podcast platform. Catch the latest episodes of Wake Up Legendary with Dave Sharpe for your daily dose of inspiration! Tune in LIVE every single Monday-Friday at 10am eastern.
