Kick Monday’s Ass: save the day or start a war? (March 22, 2021)
It’s time to kick Monday’s ass…
Ever find yourself sucked into someone else’s drama, and despite your best intentions… it totally consumes you?
Yeah that was me last week, except it was a TV drama… nothing personal. And people were literally being consumed in this drama (The Expanse on Amazon, if you’re curious).
What strikes me about the show is its humanity. Over and over again we see people trying to do the right thing, but not really having the full picture or all the data – and things inevitably go sideways.
(No spoilers, I promise.)
For those of you who haven’t seen it, one such example is when main character James Holden decides to respond to a distress beacon from a stranded spaceship. Heroes being heroes, amirite?
We as the audience get to hear all the nefarious background music, the mysterious characters lurking in the periphery, the conspicuous props that show us all is not as it seems.
But James and his team are just out there trying to do the right thing with the info they’ve got. They have no way of knowing that the action they’re taking will set off a series of events that will place them in mortal danger, or threaten to kick off an interplanetary war.
They don’t have the full context. They’re doing the best they can with what they’ve got – and as the next events unfold, they react and pivot and plan and survive like scrappy space crews tend to do.
That’s not totally unlike starting or growing a business… we don’t get ominous (or joyous) background music to clue us into next steps. We don’t get the benefit of foreshadowing and Easter eggs, guiding us down the right path.
We’re all just doing the best we can with the info we’ve got (and this includes your clients). So if you don’t know what to do next, think through your options and pick the one that seems to do the most good for the most people. At least you know you aren’t likely to be setting off a space war.
Speaking of numbers and getting pumped up, let’s jump into this week’s video…
Kick Monday’s Ass: Focus on What You Can Control
Lots of people will tell you to set goals and focus all your attention on them. I say that’s a recipe for frustration and all kinds of self-doubt. Why? Because you’re focused on something that’s outside your control! Think about it… if you could make $5k land in your bank account just by focusing your attention on it, wouldn’t you have already made that happen?
This is attaching to an outcome or a result, and it’s crazy-making because you can’t actually control whether someone decides to pay you. So what CAN you control? That’s what this week’s video is all about (and it’s a lot easier than it might seem, once you break it down like this)…
Badass of the Week
Today I want to celebrate Darius Brown. After Hurricane Irma devastated Puerto Rico and parts of Florida, this young man turned his focus to all the homeless cats and dogs displaced by the storm.
To help them find forever homes, he started making tiny little bowties to help these animals put their best paws forward and make a good impression. What started as a way to help homeless pets get adopted has blossomed into a fun little business – further proof that ideas are worth pursuing, especially if they bring you joy or do some good in the world.
(If you know someone who should be featured as my Badass of the Week, leave a comment and tell me!)
New podcast episode!
The beauty about becoming a freelancer is it’s so low overhead – just you and a laptop against the world! But eventually, playing outside your sandbox has a way of getting to you. By that, I mean wearing every hat a business owner has to wear… salesperson, accountant, customer service, maybe even IT. That cuts the creative time in more than half – and wasn’t getting paid to be creative the whole point?!
At some point in the journey you’ve gotta bring in outside help, and this week’s podcast guest is the first person I ever hired, Ashlee Berghoff… way back when I realized I could no longer do it all (and didn’t even really want to).
Can’t-Miss Moments From This Episode:
- Angie’s big eye-opener: when I found out it’s OK to hate doing certain things in your business (you will never convince me spreadsheets and accounting are fun)
- Recognizing when it’s time to hand over your baby (and trusting people to take care of it like you would)
- So you found your “forever person” right? Not so fast… what happens when working relationships don’t work out as you’d hoped
- My favorite myths: “job security” and “the perfect plan” – and why you’ve gotta learn to let go of these if you want to succeed
- Setting yourself up to win: are you thinking about your business like an entrepreneur, or like an employee? (hint: only one of those mindsets will get you to your goal)
You don’t want to miss this one. Click here to listen (and subscribe) now!
On Repeat This Week…
This one is an ode to my epic road trip in 2021 – it’s called Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) by The Deftones.
I’ve always loved the way they compose their songs, and lead singer Chino Moreno’s melodies are ah-mazing.
_______________
This town don’t feel mine
I’m fast to get away, far
I dressed you in her clothes
Now drive me far away, away, away
It feels good to know you’re mine
Now drive me far away, away, away
Far away I don’t care where
Just far away I don’t care where
Just far away I don’t care where, just far away
And I don’t care
ANGIE COLEE
If you’re an aspiring freelancer who’s working up the courage to leave the day job… good news! I’m sharing all the things I WISH I’d known before making the leap so that hopefully your journey goes a little more smoothly than mine.