Hey, I'm Finola, Howard, intuitive marketer, your host and founder of how great marketing works, I believe that every business has a story to tell, because that's how the market decides whether to buy or not. And your story has to resonate with who you are aligned with the people you want to serve. And this podcast is about helping you reach the market in a way that feels right to you. So if you're an entrepreneur with a dream you want to make real, then this is the podcast for you. Because great marketing is your truth share. This episode, I share with you a little of my journey over the past year in writing this first book, what if Joy was how you measured success, and the money proved to write a share with you some of the key chapters, and I invite you to join me on this journey to unlocking your full potential. If you've been feeling a bit stuck for a while, as you've probably noticed, I've taken a break from podcasting for a few weeks, and have a good reason for that. Last year, I started the process of writing a book. And that has been the journey the far surpassed any expectations I had. Writing book was always something that whispered at me at the back of my mind. And mostly because people I worked with kept saying to me, you know, when's the book coming out phenomena. And I would pause and think about it, and then I keep going and not do anything about it. And then I'd meet people over the years in sometimes it'd be people that would help me draft an outline, or might have done an online course here and there, but how to get published, or really trying to understand the difference between self publishing, hybrid publishing, and the traditional publishing deal. But nothing ever stuck with me until episode 38 of this podcast, actually, with Debbie Jenkins. And in that podcast episode, Debbie spoke about a few things she spoke about her publishing had changed this idea that she had have short valuable books, and her own cohort model for publishing. So just to dig into those a little bit, firstly, this idea of how publishing had changed and how people are often reading the summaries behind books, you know, the Cliff Notes, or whatever you want to call it, but not the full book, they were trying to get the essence of a book, and take that shortcut to it. And that idea of this being the Tiktok generation of people just watching 62nd reels, you know, because they don't have time. But the reality is, they're actually watching, often watching 60 minutes worth of 62nd reels on average. So it's not the idea of not having attention span for books anymore, people are just digesting information faster than ever before. And publishing hasn't quite caught up, or book writing hasn't quite caught up. that intrigued me and resonated with me. The other thing that she spoke about was this idea of short, valuable books. And I liked that idea like that the book was essentially about the reader that it was valuable to them. And in order for it to be valuable to them, it had to be short. And, you know, shouldn't we actually respect that perspective of our readers? Like we would respect that perspective of our customers? And if we were respecting that, shouldn't we actually write to them to the reader? And not for us, but actually for them? And of course, that means you have to actually choose specifically who you're writing for. It can't be that all catch all, and hopefully get some people to buy it. I mean, that's marketing one to one. So why wouldn't I understand that and write my book from that perspective to have everything I've learned about customers over the years. So I liked that. And then then Debbie talked about the short piece, which was, well how short is short and short was between 20,020 5000 words, which is funny to some people, I said it too, because when I said it to them, they have a I would hear back a writing book, or you're writing a pamphlet. But I liked this idea that I had to get to the point really fast. It spoke to me, and it spoke to the person I knew I was writing the book for Lastly, I liked this idea of a cohort model. And that's the thing that really motivated me to do something this time. I mean, I could write with others get their feedback and be accountable. And then I knew I wouldn't drift and I'd achieved my book within a year. And that's exactly what happened through this amazing supportive model. I just had to show up, just had to show up, do what was asked, and right from deep inside me to that one reader that I specifically chose and write deeply to them. So now chuffed to share that my first book is finished. That's going to be available on Amazon from the 29th of April 2024. Yeah, this year. This whole process just took one year. And I'm proud to say book is called What If Joy was how you measure success. And the money proved you right? I wrote it for the real Marie. If you remember, I shared who she was in Episode 54, the episode I did on customer profiling. And let me recap for you meet the real Marie. Marie is an expert in her space. She's an entrepreneur, who's really good at what she does. She knows she's making a difference to our clients, and she's making a good living doing it. But she knows she has the potential for more, perhaps something great, but she's never unlocked it. She doesn't feel like she's gotten the success that she's capable of. And she's ready for it. Now. She feels like she's running out of time. She's tired of being in that stuck place for so long. She's tired of people overtaking her, and she wants to make her mark. But she feels anonymous. She knows she needs to get out there to market herself more, but she cringes. Everyone out there sounds the same. And she doesn't quite know how she's different. She knows she is but she doesn't know how to articulate it in a way that it lands with our customers. If she has to market herself, she wants it to feel like her. She also wants it to deliver results. The stuff she's tried before hasn't worked. Even though she's doing everything right. As far as you can see. She's overwhelmed by all it just feels never end. So the purpose of the book What if is to take her through the transformation she wants most. She wants to move from knowing she was meant for more to seeing the dream for our business being realised. She wants to move from anonymity to owning her space, from financially okay to financial abundance, from being stuck doing everyday tasks to being free to live in her zone of genius, doing the stuff she loves to do. That's what life is about. So if you'll bear with me, I'm going to read a little to you from it. I opened the book with identifying the real Marie. And let me just do the first paragraph or two so we can catch up. One of you are my one reader, the one that I wrote this story for the entrepreneur who is amazing at what you do. And yet you know you have the potential for more, perhaps even something great, but you've never unlocked it. And you're tired of being in that stuck place for far too long. You want to know if fulfilling that unlocked potential of yours? Isn't adventure worth having at this point in your business? And in your life? Or should you just be happy with where you are? At the very least, this is an idea worth exploring. So let's explore it together. And move on then to the first section of the book. And actually the first chapter where he asked the question, do you even want success. There's a place between success and failure that is so seductive, it's almost impossible to leave. We call it the comfort zone. It's a place where there is just enough but doesn't quite get you all the way there. Things are relatively easy in this place. Once you find yourself having the same conversations again and again. There's comfort in being the expert, but there's nothing really new here. Yes, it's efficient, you're consistent. And your revenue is consistent too. Even if it does come in waves. That doesn't bother you too much. Because you know there will always be another wave coming your way soon. You're quite used to this level of success. But you don't quite get the same kick out of it that you once did. You start to think to yourself this. Is this what you worked so hard for all this time? Has it been worth all the effort has it been worth the long hours of travel, the missed moments, the self doubt, the tiredness, the keeping going when others would have given up. But then something whispers at the back of your mind. You lean in a little to let yourself hear.
Hear the whisper it will be worth it. You know, if you're willing to go the rest of the way. You can do more with your life. You can have more, you're just there. And then you'll finally know what it feels like to have given it your best shot. To have reached your full potential and not to have any regrets. This is your chance we take it. We take a chance on the you you were meant to be the you who sees all your dreams realised who stands on that stage and owns it who is financially abundant and living in joy in peace and in flow. Success is not a passive endeavour. You have to actively choose it. And choosing it means you get to decide the shape of it, what it looks like how it feels, who you engage with, what you work on and for how long what the rewards look like in terms of time, money, health, well being all of these things. And until you decide on the shape of your success, it will never be yours. You may You have fallen into the trap, there's only one formula to success. That's true, there is your formula, your decision to make. Hustle is not a prerequisite. Burnout is not an obligation. Nor is visibility without boundaries. You choose nobody else. Success does not require sacrifice, it does not have to come at a price you are willing to pay. As we move through the book, it will feel like a journey. It's constructed as a journey. So you'll find yourself moving how you think at each point. That's the intent anyway. And I hope you find that, as you listen are, perhaps as you buy the book. At this point, we just moved from chapter one to chapter three. And we're asking the question, when you get there we used to be you. It's a question that arises when you're seeking next level growth. And I wanted to address it, because it is often a fear, that fear that you have to fund them, you have to change so fundamentally that you doubt whether you actually want to take the step or not. So let me read for you. Reality Check. This takes work. It's tough, isn't it? This inner work that makes you choose yourself at long last, the realisation that you have to be vulnerable enough to show yourself how brave you are to let go of the mask that you are happy with the status quo, a declaration to the world that you want something more and are prepared to do what it takes to get that this is not about hustle. It's not a test of how far you will go to get what you want. It's an honest question that you must answer for yourself. What is the work that you're willing to put into this worthy endeavour? And what are the boundaries you will put in place to protect yourself? This is important. Your next leap in business is not meant to break you. Your next leap needs to be designed to free. So at each key decision point, remember to take a pause and tune in tune into moments that are flags that indicate a closer look. As opposed to assuming you're simply operating outside your comfort zone. Sometimes you're nervous because you're right to be nervous. Something isn't in alignment with what you were doing. Sometimes you're nervous because you're reaching for the stars start to hone your ability to tell the difference. Alignment is a real clue here. Does it make sense based on the destination? Does it make sense in terms of leverage in everything you've worked for so far, every expansion is not the right expansion for you. The cleverly is in choosing the one that fits. This is where we find ease in our growth. And as we move into the second section of the book, which is titled stop deflecting and own your brilliance, I oppose the idea that the only permission we need or you need is already yours to give are three chapters in sales, you'll see that some movement has already occurred, some of the things holding you back have been left out or left down. So if we talk about the only permission is you need is already yours to give. And here we are. You're starting to believe now. To believe that the real you doesn't have limits. And yet there seems to be two conflicting ideas from old conditioning running around in your head. Hear them be your best, not too much. That too much is often expressed in several different ways. You might find a couple of these familiar, be quiet, you're too loud. If a big presence that's very intimidating for people, you know, you need to dial it back. I'm not showing you what's next you have to wait until everyone else catches up. Stop being so successful and makes us all look bad. You think too much. You're too sensitive, too soft, too open, you're too creative, too colourful, too different, and so on. And of course my personal favourite. Your signatory is to flourish and you're wearing too much rage, which I was told in one of my annual reviews when I worked for KPMG. When you share your too much stories out loud you you will realise how many others have the stories too. You'll also realise how ridiculous it is when you say it out loud. It simply makes no sense. You're too much this is a beautiful signpost to your inherent uniqueness. You're too muchness is your light shining brightly, follow that light, be grateful for what it shows. Prioritise yourself first, a better gaspee and hard at the section title. The tug in your stomach that makes you feel like you shouldn't your children your family or obligations they all should come first, shouldn't they? If I put myself first that means I'm Bad person. But this is not about everyone else. This is about making a shift in your thinking. So you stop waiting for it to be your turn, and you start creating space for it to happen. Deliberate, intentional, unequivocal space for your dreams to breathe and unfold. This is about giving yourself permission for more, much more. Your success does not have to wait for its turn and mix of life's responsibility. It gets to be put on the table for discussion with everything else. In fact, it has to Rs How can it become real. Too often, the things we need to do to create our own success are not even given a voice and the list of life's priorities. There's an assumption that we can make space for it later when everything else is taken care of. But it's too late, then, if you wait too long to make space for it later, you may stop hearing its whisper. Your success was never designed to be at the expense of anyone else's path. Nobody has to suffer for you to shine. In fact, the world suffers. When you don't let yourself shine. What you do need is to give voice to it, to make space for it. And what if comes into play again, to close this section with a chapter called, it's time to walk the path you choose. You'll notice movement again here, you're in a different headspace now, I remember getting to this point in my own journey. It felt like I was walking taller. In fact, I think I was I stood straighter, felt lighter and could move with greater ease. There was nothing to weigh me down anymore. The baggage had been holding on to for so long had just been laid down. feels easier doesn't it when you realise that all that weight is in the past. You are grateful for what you learned. And now you've let it go. Take with you the wisdom you earned and move forward. And as you do, you will find yourself reaching for bigger projects that will increase your reach your impact and your revenue significantly. And you can feel that expansion is possible, then it hits you. This new you needs more than you've given before. The old overwhelm tries to sneak in with cautionary tales of burnout, time constraints, and so much to do. And this time, you don't forfeit. Welcome to the next level of you. You know you don't need to panic, progress has been made significant progress, we're just going to keep going now, you've already started to fill the shoes of the new EU. Now it's time to go the rest of the way and fully occupy your truest self. The price of the new life is the old one. This is perhaps where a perceived sacrifice needs to be made. Where you must let go of that which no longer serves. You've chosen where you want to be. So now you need to spend your time on actions and thinking that serve that greater destination. This is true expansiveness to expand beyond yourself, when you choose to work only on that which delivers your next great leap. And you need to build a team around you to support that leap. It is the thing that scares so many entrepreneurs at this stage, to be responsible for someone else's income, to become a leader in your business to set direction to guide to empower, and to inspire others to help you to draw people to you that are aligned with your values and who creates ease in your business. Too often, as entrepreneurs seek to grow beyond themselves, they get stuck here, which you have grown. You know how to manage yourself. Now, you have clarity and focus. You can in fact, expand that clarity and focus to include others. But let's start with you.
To Know thyself, is the beginning of wisdom. Socrates was your What if focus and vision for what your success looks like for the business? Ask yourself, what is your role in that success? Your clue is in what Dan Sullivan calls your unique ability, a special talent that always has these four qualities, superior skill, passion, energy, and never ending improvement. As you start to recognise your own special talent, ask yourself, what is the unique ability that you have that you could invest in and strengthen and do nothing else except that, then write your own future job spec when you use only that unique ability in the business? This is all you're being hard for nothing more. You will have heard of the 8020 Pareto Principle, which states that for many outcomes, roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. You're already familiar with its application to business development, which is the idea that 80% of your sales are coming from 20% of your customers. So here's another way for you. What if 80% of your growth was coming from the 20% you are currently spending on your unique ability? And what if you spent 80% or 100% of your time and effort on your unique ability? What kind of growth could You expect then it's time to build on that, to invest in that. This is your next move. And the last section of the book, I asked you to try these new truths for size. They are. Your joy is a commercial decision. It facilitates growth in the right direction. It helps you choose the right people. And I created a way for you to measure that joy in your business. Another truth for you to try on for size is that money is a worthy measure. And that making a difference now isn't enough anymore. And doing the numbers will empower you with possibility. And I talk about how to build a healthy, active relationship with money. And lastly, this idea that your voice becomes you and ask you to think about your people are waiting and tell them you're here, you need to tell them you're here. And you can do that by creating your own stage and fill it with joy. And I close with this idea of what if we all stopped hiding, and like to read a passage from chapter seven, your joy is a commercial decision. Joy is never discussed in business circles. Happiness is a little happy customers, happy suppliers, happy employees happy investors. When everyone is happy, the business succeeds. But happiness is fleeting. It is there in a moment and can be gone in the next. Joy, on the other hand, is a more long lasting state of being. Knowing the difference can change your perspective and your approach to life and business success. Commercial success describes a business's ability to generate profit using its resources. In other words, a business with commercial success is one that is making enough money to continue operating, innovating and growing. If you dig a little more, you'll come across the usual ingredients of good leadership creating a business plan and sticking to it. Obtaining and retaining customers. effective sales processes creativity, strategic focus, effective systems, marketing, finance, etc. I don't contest any of these they are all true. The thing is, in my 30 plus years in marketing and business growth, most of my time is spent on the things we've been exploring in the last few chapters. The greatest leaps are made Firstly, when we remove friction. And secondly, when we introduce joy and purpose. When the friction is gone, both joy and growth, move in. Let's introduce the notion then that your business needs to be joyful to truly succeed. That your joy in what you do can be your true compass for sustainable growth. That it is a tangible indication of what you're best at and what your unique ability is. An indication that you your team and your business, are maximising your zones of genius. Joy is not a someday phenomenon in your life or in your business. It's a success, imperative. What are the things that have always frustrated me when people speak about what it takes to succeed is the assumption that joy is a nice to have. That's simply not logical. Logic dictates that the simple solution is almost always the best. That's a theory called Occam's razor. And it's been proven time and time again. I remember several years ago, on one of my good strategic programmes, there was a business who wanted to make science more accessible to school kids, by showing them that rocket science was in fact easy. It was a go to statement of mine at the time that I subsequently had to rethink. So you all laughed anytime I find myself falling into the trap of saying it's not rocket science, when demystifying some marketing technique. And just so you know, there are in fact, only three basic requirements to a working rocket. And I've included plans to make your own rocket inside the book, just to prove the point. So if we apply Occam's razor to what we call the success conundrum, then joy has to play a pivotal role. It yields the greatest clarity that you are in the right place, doing the right things with and for the right people. And Joy facilitates growth in the right direction. Joy doesn't let you get bored or stuck in a rut. Joy stops you when you enter the comfort zone. It sings when you're in your zone of genius. It's the indicator of when it's time to move to your next level. And it's the armour that stops you from being afraid of growing and your joy is personal to you. Where you do your best work is not where I do mine. And that means we each need a different compass for our own growth. My compass is not your compass. The greatest success stories have always built their own compasses their own view of the world and how they wanted to make it better. Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, The round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but The only thing you can do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the ones who do. And of course, that's the famous quote from the ads Steve Jobs 1997. If you are reading this book, you are one of the crazy ones you are the Einstein, the Muhammad Ali the Earhart in your space. Imagine that. Imagine if you could give yourself permission to be good enough to be you like they did. Imagine what you would accomplish. Start by building your joy release compass. The joy release compass is a transformational model for next level growth that I've developed, that you will use to ensure you consistently move towards your own next level of success. When characterised by joy, fulfilment, freedom, abundance, and all the other things you want for yourself. It means you will have left behind the meandering roller coaster ride that typifies the entrepreneurial journey, you will have found ease in your own growth. And because there is ease, you are no longer afraid of it. And when you are no longer afraid, you would have found ease in your own connection to yourself. There was a time in my life where I fought against ease, where I thought growth had to be hard. It's that old conditioning that you had to work hard for anything truly important. And then I met a lady who bothered me is one one of my adventures in Sedona in Arizona. There was I agonising over my own personal growth, railing against it all. Pushing through that caterpillar like stage breaking through, it was just so hard, breaking free of my old cocoon. There she was smiling. It just kept niggling at me. I assumed she just wasn't doing the work. So in the end, I asked her and she turned to me and smiled again and said, I just set the intent Finola, that there would be ease in my growth here. And me amazed, I asked, Can you actually do that? And she replied, why not? Who said it had to be hard. Mind blown. I thanked her and walked away. I try to remember that lesson as much as I can. And when I do, the growth does in fact, come with ease. Know this, it's not that it's easy. It's that you can choose for it to come with ease. Ease comes with mindset and preparation. Ease comes with joy. Both are fundamental to your compass. So there you go. A journey through this my first book. I hope you enjoyed it. It's going to be available for purchase on the 29th of April 2024. I'd love for you to support it. I'd be doing special offers on that first day, so you'll be able to buy the Kindle version for just 99 cent. So if these excerpts spoke to you reach out and I'll send you a link so that you can buy it on that first day. And if you sign up for my book levers team at Finola, howard.com/book you'll get access to bonuses and a live session I'm going to run about the joy release compass. I hope you'll join me. Thank you for listening. In this episode, I share with you a little of my journey over the past year in writing this first book, what if Joy was how you measured success, and the money proved your right to share with you some of the key chapters and I invite you to join me on this journey to unlocking your full potential. If you've been feeling a bit stuck for a while
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