Doing It Your Way, Enjoy Work

I had an eye-opening experience a few days ago. Agnes Wainman’s awesome Blissful Practice Facebook Group (similar vibe as the Abundance Facebook Group… hop in both!)  had an “Ask Me Anything” with storyteller extraordinaire Marisa Goudy.



Who To Trust

Like many of you, I’m constantly learning: reading blogs, listening to podcasts, diligently underlining whatever book I’m reading (pro tip: keep an index card as a bookmark and use it to make straight lines). Lately I’ve been on an efficiency kick. I’d started to buy in to the idea that I needed to shorten my blogging time and churn them out quicker.

Who better to ask about how to get more speedy than a writing coach whose posts always have soul? So I asked her what I can do to crank ‘em out instead of spending an hour plus on each one.

Here was her reply:

I’d say an hour from start to finish is pretty remarkable.

I must admit I’m not the best resource for “quick and easy blogging tips.” I see blogging and writing as part of the bigger picture… developing your ideas on the screen is part of becoming the clinician, businessperson, and individual you want to be. There’s no shortcut for that. The intention is that the process is every bit as rewarding as the outcome.

(Just one woman’s opinion since years of “just create content!” blogging left me feeling depleted, invisible, and unsatisfied.)

That hit me like a ton a bricks! She spoke to exactly what I feel when I’m writing. I love writing. The meandering thoughts, the search for the right word, the choosing which story I should include and which is probably TMI, the soundtrack of my fingers typing away on the keyboard with the hum of the ceiling fan. I don’t want to lose the love just to get shit done faster.

Here was my response to her:

THANK YOU! Seriously. I think I internalized the message that I should be churning them out. I can write some crap or “quick tips” pretty fast, I bet. I feel like more of a storyteller in my blogs than an advice giver. I decided last year that I’d rather write one valuable blog a week & take the SEO hit by not posting more frequently. I don’t want to dilute my message with filler. Now I feel like I have “permission” to enjoy my process instead of feeling like I should be faster. Thanks!

Yourself!

It was a great reminder for me that taking some time to digest what you’re learning to see if it fits is vital. I want to enjoy my work. I know I can’t enjoy every moment, but I’ve set it up so that I love everything I spend a lot of time on: blogging, Free Individual Consultation, Practice-Building Groups, my Done-for-You Practice Building packages, the upcoming Brew Your Practice.  

I encourage you to do the same. Don’t just take business advice because someone you respect suggested it. Check in with yourself, your brand, your practice values and see if it actually fits.

So a huge thank you to Marisa, who had a very vulnerable reaction to my question which she wrote about here.

Also, this relatively short blog post took 57 minutes because I took my time and enjoyed it. Just FYI. :)

What have you decided isn’t for you? Maybe it’s great advice for someone else or some other practice, but not for you and yours. Let us know in the comments!

 

Allison Puryear is an LCSW with a nearly diagnosable obsession with business development. She has started practices in three different states and wants you to know that building a private practice is shockingly doable when you have a plan and support. After retiring her individual consultation services, she opened the Abundance Party, where you can get practice-building help for the cost of a copay. You can download a free private practice checklist to make sure you have your ducks in a row, get weekly private practice tips, listen to the podcast, hop into the free Facebook Group. Allison is all about helping you gain the confidence and tools you need to succeed.

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