Let’s talk about something that’s been weighing on my heart lately. I’ve been watching too many brilliant creators give up because they’re not seeing the results they hoped for. And honestly? I get it.
We’ve all seen those posts, haven’t we?
- “Just stay consistent for 90 days and you’ll hit 6 figures!”
- “Follow this exact formula and you’ll have a waitlist of clients!”
- “Post three times a day and watch your following explode!”
And when it doesn’t work? When you’ve followed every step and still aren’t seeing results?
Well, then apparently it’s your fault.
You didn’t work hard enough.
You gave up too soon.
You must be doing something wrong.
What a load of rubbish.
Here’s what I’ve learned after years of both succeeding and failing at this game:
all the strategies and formulas in the world mean nothing if you don’t know who you are and where you truly want to go.
When we jump straight into someone else’s blueprint (which is basically just a strategy that worked for them, once, in their specific circumstances), we get lost pretty quickly.
You know what happens next – either our content falls flat, or things just don’t quite click. Why? Because we’re working from the outside in, when we need to be working from the inside out, with intention.
Picture this:
You’re scrolling through Instagram late at night (we’ve all been there), and you see a reel promising “6 figures in 6 weeks with just 6 hours of work!” It’s tempting, right?
Of course it is. Our brains are literally wired to love this stuff. That dopaminergic system lights up like a Christmas tree when we encounter something new that promises success. Our prefrontal cortex, bless it, loves a good formula because it makes everything feel safer and more predictable.
And that’s the thing – we’re emotional beings hard-wired to be attracted to logical solutions. Of course we want to see the whole path laid out in front of us. Of course we want to avoid risk and stick to what’s familiar.
But here’s the brutal truth:
That’s not where creativity lives.
And creativity?
That’s what’s going to make your business stand out in a sea of sameness.
Let me be really honest with you. Building something from scratch – whether it’s a coaching business, a wellness brand, or any kind of soul-led venture – is tough. It might not start out that way, but I promise you this: at some point, you will feel stuck, exhausted, overwhelmed, confused, and ready to pack it all in.
That’s usually when those polished marketers with their perfect formulas swoop in, isn’t it? When we’re at our most vulnerable, questioning everything.
Don’t fall for it. And please, don’t become that kind of marketer either.
Instead, come back to intention:
- Why are you doing this?
- What’s the life you’re actually striving for?
- Are you getting sidetracked by vanity metrics and the dopamine hit of likes?
I invite you to regularly get crystal clear on:
- Your core intention
- What you truly value
- What you stand for
- How you can best serve your people
And look, we’re all human. We all get caught up in the numbers game sometimes. But if you can bring awareness to those moments and cultivate the ability to shift your focus back to what matters? That’s when you have a real chance of building something sustainable. Something that brings you joy. Something that actually lasts.
Because at the end of the day, your business should be an extension of you – not a carbon copy of someone else’s success story.
Ready to dig deeper into finding your authentic marketing voice?
I’ve created a free brand identity masterclass that will help you uncover what makes you unique and how to share that with the world. No formulas, no false promises – just practical guidance to help you show up as yourself and attract the right people to your work.