First quarter down

It’s been a while. I know.

I made it to the Easter long weekend here in New Zealand and we are having some time out of the city in the?Coromandel?area. Only a quarter through the year and I’m already tired.

2024 started with such optimism. I read?10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less?and I got all excited and motivated.?

I mapped my calendar, so I have ‘buffer’ days, for planning and preparing work. I have ‘work days’ for meetings, podcasting, coaching and facilitation. And then ‘rejuvenation’ days for reading, reflecting, learning and recuperating.

I bet you are wondering how that’s going. Well even if you are not, I’m going to tell you.

Not. Well.

After returning from Christmas/New Year holidays in Asia, we moved house (because we bought a place in Auckland) and then got the kids back to school. Kinda a frantic way to start the year. Don’t recommend.

February dawned and I was ready to work.

The universe had other ideas. Despite me having some work on the horizon in March and April there was not much happening in the near term. On top of that my husband came home early one Tuesday because his role was being made redundant. Not really want you want when you have a fresh mortgage in place.

Can you see where this is heading?

Buffer days have gone from planning and preparing to full on business development (which perhaps what I should have been doing in the first place). I suspect the authors of 10x Is Easier Than 2x are further along their business ‘journey’ than perhaps I am.?

Need me to work on my ‘rejuvenation’ day? I’m there! I didn’t need to read all those self help books I purchased anyway.?

A stranger, represented by a podcast agency, in a market I don’t work in, who has written a book on something vaguely related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion wants to come on?A Dog Called Diversity? I’m sorry, you need to pay to cover my costs. Actually I’m not sorry. Podcasting is a lot of work and I have built a good following and reputation.?

Perhaps it’s the wake up call I needed.??

In any case things have ramped up significantly and it feels like I have some momentum in my business which is gratefully received. Thanks universe. Thanks hard work.

How has your first quarter been? Is 2024 working out the way you hoped?

Lisa xx

P.S. Here's a brilliant author and person I was so happy to invite on A Dog Called Diversity.?Dr. Ellen Joan Ford is out to change the world. Her new book?#WorkSchoolHours?addresses the riduculous situation where working parents are expected to pretrend they aren't parents. We ???this episode.?