2. Troubleshoot the problem

Now that you have a good idea of why you’re feeling uninspired or unmotivated, it’s time to get really specific about what the problem is.

Answer the following:

“Compare your situation now to the last time you felt truly engaged with and passionate about the work you do. What’s different?”

Name all the differences, no matter how big or small they may seem.

Here are some places to start:

Then: Every day is exciting as you grow the number of one-on-one and group coaching clients you have.

Now: You longingly stare at the clock, wishing the paperwork would magically finish itself so you could get back to doing what you love.

Then: Your business is slowly starting to take off with all the word-of-mouth referrals coming from former clients.

Now: Your business feels like it’s stagnating. There are only so many people your clients can talk you up to and you just don’t have time to go hunting down new clients yourself.

Then: You have a small client set, but you feel immensely fulfilled by the work you do with each of them.

Now: You have a large client set, but you barely have time to celebrate any of their wins before you move on to onboarding the next one.

Then: You’re dedicated to helping a specific group of people and have advertised yourself as a coach strictly for them.

Now: You’re afraid that saying “no” to someone who doesn’t fit your niche will drown your business, so you take on any and everyone, even though many of them can’t afford your prices.

There are a number of ways in which things may have changed for you. But, like I said earlier, it’s the difference between expectation and reality that’s likely got you feeling down.

Now, it’s time to work on making them the same once again.

3. Make a plan for change

To join expectation and reality, you need to fix the thing that’s got you feeling stuck, which is why the next question to ask yourself is:

“If time, money, fear, doubt, etc. weren’t an issue, what’s the one thing I would do to get unstuck?”

Let’s say the issue is that you’re bogged down with paperwork as your business grows. The answer would be: Hire an assistant.

Or perhaps you’re struggling to subsist on word-of-mouth referrals alone. In that case, the answer might be: Get my website and social media in order.

Or how about those of you struggling to make a profit despite the growing interest from prospective clients? For that one, you could say: Find a better niche for myself.

The answer is often right in front of you. It’s just hard to commit to it if you don’t recognise there’s a problem in the first place.

Once you’ve narrowed down the solution, create an action plan for it. The best way to do this is by using the Big Rocks method.

Essentially, this time management practice forces you to prioritise things that are most important to you, that make you happy and that will help you gain momentum in your business.

It also gets you to accept that it’s okay if you don’t do everything yourself. That, sometimes, it’s better to delegate tasks that you’re not particularly good at or enjoy. By freeing yourself from the constraints of ill-fitting tasks and focusing on the ones that bring you joy, you’ll feel inspired once again!

4. Schedule check-ins with yourself

As you start the process of reconnecting with your vision, make sure you schedule time to check in on your progress. The last thing you want to happen is that you lose sight of your vision, you start to feel uninspired again and you have to repeat this whole exercise once again.

You don’t need that kind of distraction from your business.

I’d urge you to schedule time every week to check in, first, with yourself and, then, with your team. This time, you’re going to reaffirm what you already know:

“What is my vision?”

Then, have an honest discussion with yourself and your team about it. How are you doing with it this week? Have you stayed on track? Are you working towards the right goals? If you’ve made a wrong turn somewhere, it’ll be much easier to get yourself headed in the right direction again if you make a regular habit of this.

Wrap-Up

If you’re feeling disconnected from your vision, or frustrated with the day-to-day journey of getting there, don’t give up! By removing obstacles that have fallen in your path, you’ll be able to see your destination (your vision) clearly once again.

Once you’ve worked through this exercise and identified the issues standing in your way, let us know if we can be of any help.

We understand how difficult it can be to try to make a difference in other people’s lives when you’re distracted by the business of being in business. So, if you feel like your website, marketing or strategy are getting in your way, we’d love to talk to you about what The Good Alliance can do to take that off your plate.