Blazing Your Own Trail Between Two Well Worn Paths of Struggle You want to go your own route — make a positive difference, and make a living — so you start your own business. Maybe you don’t even think of yourself as a business owner or an “entrepreneur”, but let’s face it… that’s what you are. At least it’s one of the many hats you’re wearing, or one that you’re considering. And, you have basically two paths to choose from… 1- Trial and Error 2- Get Training and Coaching Unfortunately, both paths are full of pitfalls. The “Trial and Error” approach is insanely time consuming, and frustrating, and often disappointing. Believe me, I know… I’ve been there. You end up with a very good “school of hard knocks” education in the end, and you can eventually be successful going down this path, but it can end up costing you even more than the most expensive training and coaching, in terms of missed opportunity, lost time, wrong turns and stress. Nobody reaches their full potential operating in a vacuum. We all need mentors and support if we’re going to manifest our bigger visions. Yet, many people unconsciously choose path #1, Trial and Error, simply because they aren’t willing to invest in themselves. There are many reasons for this, including tight finances, but for the most part it usually boils down to a lack of confidence. After all, if you knew with certainty that investing in yourself would get you to your ultimate destination (perhaps more quickly) wouldn’t you do it? However, the “Get Training and Coaching” approach has its own potential downside. Some of the programs out there are over-hyped… the essence of over-promise and under-deliver. Many of the strategies people are teaching can work for the right type of business, and in the right circumstances, but just won’t work that well for YOU, and YOUR unique business. Sadly, I’ve talked to a lot of people who have spent thousands, sometimes many tens of thousands, on programs that are sitting on the shelf collecting dust. Don’t get me wrong. Many of these programs are really good, and most of them have some clients who implemented the strategies and are getting great results. However, you don’t want to be one of those people who spent your hard earned dollars, and your even more precious time, on something that didn’t work for you. So far neither path is looking all that attractive, right? You don’t want to be the trial and error fanatic who spends their precious life energy trying to figure everything out on their own. And, you don’t want to be the workshop/program junkie who takes every free and paid program that comes across your radar, while implementing only a small percentage of what you’re learning. So, what’s an entrepreneur to do? The best path is actually to blaze your own trail right down the middle of those two paths. Here’s what I mean… There’s an ideal balance between learning and implementing. You don’t want to reinvent the wheel, but you also don’t want to get stuck getting the equivalent of a PhD in entrepreneurship — you don’t need it. So, by all means, if you truly care about and want to be successful with your vision, invest in some training, mentoring, and support. Meanwhile, implement like crazy. Roll up your sleeves and take tons of bold imperfect actions. There’s no replacement for the learning that comes from trial and error. Now, in order for this formula to work, you need to choose the right support for you… Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ve probably noticed there are a lot of programs to choose from. Actually, it can be overwhelming. Many of the folks who deliver these programs will aim to sell you on the benefits of their program in hopes that you’ll make your decision solely based on whether or not you want those particular benefits. There’s nothing wrong with communicating the possible benefits. That should be a part of your decision. However, there’s a more important question to ask: “Is this a fit for me?” Here are some things to consider: #1) Are your values aligned with the mentor? For example, if you’re a barefoot boogie tree hugger and the program’s creator is a tea party republican, you’re probably going to have a very hard time digesting and implementing the strategies they teach you. That’s an extreme example, but even a slight values mismatch can be enough of a turn off to throw a damp towel on any fire you’re trying to light. #2) Has this mentor struggled with the same things you’ve struggled with? If not, they probably won’t understand you enough to be truly helpful. #3) Have they manifested what you want to manifest, or do they “just teach this stuff”. Wouldn’t you rather learn from someone who walks their talk, and has “been there done that”. And, I don’t just mean they have made a lot of money. A lot of savvy marketers boast about how successful they are because they make a lot of money. Is that who you want to be? Or, do you want a role model who is successful because they have a track record of making a positive difference in the world, and truly helping their clients. You want to learn from someone who is successful by YOUR definition — which might be very different than someone else’s definition. #4) Where did they get their education? Are they just rehashing the same old tired stuff they learned from their teachers, or did they get their education from the real world. Personally, I would ALWAYS prefer to learn from someone who got their education from real life experience. These folks are harder to come by than you might imagine, so this should already narrow your choices down quite a bit. #5) Who are their clients? Find out who their happy clients are, and make sure you have something in common with them. #6) Consider the content. Are you going to learn strategies that you can actually see yourself implementing with joy and authenticity? If not, you’re probably going to be trying to force a square peg into a round hole — not a good idea. #7) Consider the structure. Do you learn better in immersion situations such as a retreat, or do you benefit more from an ongoing structure that keeps you focused on implementation over a period of time. Most of us benefit from some kind of interaction — it’s engaging and gets us involved and implementing. So, look for programs that give you more than an information download. #8) Consider the timing. If you’re just starting your business, you need different support than someone who has been in business for 5 years. It’s all about sequencing. Even the best strategies won’t work for you if you’re not at the right stage of your business to implement those strategies. Sometimes trying to jump ahead will backfire and actually slow you down. #9) Will they let you kick the tire, and even take a test drive? Any mentor who truly cares about making sure their clients are a great fit will give you some sort of guarantee or early termination option. All right, I invite you to save these 9 points. Pull them out the next time you’re considering taking a program, or hiring a coach or mentor. Walk through each point and ask yourself if it’s a fit. I hope these guidelines will help you to make wise choices. I invite you to blaze your own trail down the middle, finding the right balance of 1) trial and error, and 2) training and coaching. Perhaps if more of us start taking that middle path, it will eventually become a well worn road, leading the way to less struggle and more joy as we serve our clients, serve the world, and make a great living. Blessings on your journey! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Please leave a comment below…