As entrepreneurs, we’re programmed to always put our best foot forward. Nobody wants to buy from a business that can’t get it together, and nobody wants to partner with someone who brings their problems to work, right? Where is the empathy?
So what are we not telling others about ourselves? What are they hiding from us? And what may we never have the courage to share because it’s not entrepreneurial?
I’ve been dabbling with an exercise that I’d like to share with you.
If I could ask those across a Zoom room or on a business platform three questions they would probably never answer out loud, what would those three questions be? And if I could imagine their responses, what would they say?
Here’s what I’ve come up with.
1. You’re smiling. What does it really feel like beneath the surface?
- I hide behind my smile. It is an emotional struggle to get through the day.
- OR I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows.
- OR My smile reflects my inner joy.
2. How supported are you at home?
- I’m not at all supported at home. The good, bad, and ugly is all on me.
- OR I am supported in some areas, and feel alone others.
- OR I am fully supported in all areas.
3. Honestly, how is your business performing?
- My business is not performing. Despite my best efforts, I can’t get it off the ground.
- OR My business is hard, hard work to keep going.
- OR My business is growing with really little effort from me.
Herein lies the exercise. Of the 27 permutations of these three questions, which one describes you?
AND…
Which of the 26 DO NOT describe you? As you feel into each of these profiles, how does it feel to step into their shoes?
#1 “I hide behind my smile. It is an emotional struggle to get through the day as I’m not at all supported at home. Despite my best intentions, I can’t get my business off the ground.”
#2 “I hide behind my smile. It is an emotional struggle to get through the day as I’m not at all supported at home. My business is hard, hard work to keep going.”
#3 “I hide behind my smile. It is an emotional struggle to get through the day as I’m not at all supported at home. Fortunately, my business is growing with really little effort from me.”
#4 “I hide behind my smile. It is an emotional struggle to get through the day as I am supported in some areas, and feel alone others. Despite my best intentions, I can’t get my business off the ground.”
#5 “I hide behind my smile. It is an emotional struggle to get through the day as I am supported in some areas, and feel alone others. My business is hard, hard work to keep going.”
#6 “I hide behind my smile. It is an emotional struggle to get through the day as I am supported in some areas, and feel alone others. Fortunately, my business is growing with really little effort from me.”
#7 “I hide behind my smile. It is an emotional struggle to get through the day. Even though I am fully supported in all areas, I can’t get my business off the ground despite my best intentions.”
#8 “I hide behind my smile. It is an emotional struggle to get through the day. Even though I am fully supported in all areas, my business is hard, hard work to keep going.”
#9 “I hide behind my smile. Even though I am fully supported in all areas and my business is growing with really little effort from me, it is an emotional struggle to get through the day.”
#10 “I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows. I’m not at all supported at home and despite my best intentions, I can’t get my business off the ground.”
#11 “I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows. I’m not at all supported at home and my business is hard, hard work to keep going.”
#12 “I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows. Fortunately, my business is growing with really little effort from me even though I’m not at all supported at home.”
#13 “I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows. I am supported in some areas, and feel alone others. Despite my best intentions, I can’t get my business off the ground.”
#14 “I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows. I am supported in some areas, and feel alone others. My business is hard, hard work to keep going.”
#15 “I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows. I am supported in some areas, and feel alone others. Fortunately, my business is growing with really little effort from me.”
#16 “I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows. Despite my best intentions, I can’t get my business off the ground even though I am fully supported in all areas.”
#17 “I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows. My business is hard, hard work to keep going, even though I am fully supported in all areas.”
#18 “I’m smiling now, and later I may frown. My day has its equal share of highs and lows. I am fully supported in all areas and, fortunately, my business is growing with really little effort from me.”
#19 “My smile reflects my inner joy, even though I’m not at all supported at home; even though I can’t get my business off the ground despite my best intentions.”
#20 “My smile reflects my inner joy, even though I’m not at all supported at home; even though my business is hard, hard work to keep going.”
#21 “My smile reflects my inner joy, even though I’m not at all supported at home. Fortunately, my business is growing with really little effort from me.”
#22 “My smile reflects my inner joy, even though I am supported in some areas, and feel alone others. Even though I can’t get my business off the ground despite my best intentions.”
#23 “My smile reflects my inner joy. Even though I am supported in some areas and feel alone others; even though my business is hard, hard work to keep going.”
#24 “My smile reflects my inner joy. Even though I am supported in some area and feel alone others, my business is growing with really little effort from me.”
#25 “My smile reflects my inner joy, even though I can’t get my business off the ground despite my best intentions. I am fully supported in all areas.”
#26 “My smile reflects my inner joy. Even though my business is hard, hard work to keep going, I am fully supported in all areas.”
#27 “My smile reflects my inner joy. I am fully supported in all areas and my business is growing with really little effort from me.”
Would knowing this is how they feel change the way you build your business or approach collaborations? Would it change the conversations, the support, the outcomes, and they way you show up for your peers?
Nice insights Allison, I wonder too if or how much the answers relate to my inner thinking and vibration. I probably relate mostly to number 13 but on reflection (as i start to wake up) think a lot of it is my resistance slowing me down.
Interesting reflection, Ian. Thank you. When you consider the relationship between inner thinking and vibration, it can create quite a loop!
What’s coming to mind is Stanley Beckett’s Change Creator formula that tells us exactly where our resistance lies. There are so many variables around resistance. When we nail one area, another just pops up.