POURING FROM AN EMPTY CUP

Put your hand up if you are, or have (with the greatest of intent) sacrificed your health and relationships to build your business.

Oh, I guess it's just me then...

My business had to succeed. Our livelihood depends on it. Our lifestyle depended on it.

That was all the mental permission I needed to work instead of work out. Get up earlier to get more done. Stay up later to get more done. Eat junk food because I didn't "have time" for a proper meal.

Then one day my wife and I have a big blow-up. My relationship was suffering. I look in the mirror and my body had blown up too. My health was suffering. I was tired and business was suffering and I felt like I was...

"...caught in a trap, and I can't walk out..."

Yes, lyrics from an Elvis song, apropos since I was starting to look like Elvis just before he died. I felt swollen, tired, and unhappy, but I had to take care of everything and everyone because they were all relying on me to succeed. I was starting to run myself down and out...

"You can't pour from an empty jug (or cup)"

I knew I was not far away from a serious health problem (I have a dodgy ticker that I was born with), and my relationships were under pressure. This would've been the end of me and those who became reliant on me.

Something had to change. Being more for more was just a path to working longer and harder and I wasn't achieving more (possibly less). I realised that I must become more, not just be more. I needed to evolve as a person. I needed to start to fill my jug back up.

I drafted a new time picture for myself and crafted the "ideal week" by putting my stuff in first. The stuff that fulfilled me, not just filled me.

I started working out. I had to make time. It made me feel better.

I started filling my mind with positive content. I had to make time. I started thinking differently.

I started being present more with my wife. I had to make time. I felt loved and valued.

I started writing about the life I wanted for myself. I set a theme of how I needed to evolve, who I needed to become. I had to make time. I started to feel powerful and connected from the present to the future.

I spent less hours in the business. I had a sense of clarity, direction, alignment and focus.

I had to make time for me. I had to prioritise me.

Within weeks, my health started to improve. My relationship with my wife improved. And, lo and behold the business results improved (dramatically).

I put myself first, not the business. YOu see, the business is a reflection of me. The more I evolved as a person, the better husband I became. The better father I became. The better the business became.

This is why, our purpose is what it is and in the order it is in...

Evolve YOURSELF and your business to stay relevant.

Dave Clare, CEO & Founder - Circle Leadership

LOSE YOURSELF…

“… in the music, the moment, you own it, you better never let it go. You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow, This opportunity comes once in a lifetime.”

And as true as this was for Eminem in 2002 (wow that was 20 years ago???), so it was true for me in 2012, and so many of us today in 2022.

Where the ‘music’ is our business and organizations.

The moment feels like every minute of every day, even weekends and holidays.

You own it, this business of yours.?It’s your responsibility.

And so even if you better never it go, you can’t really.?Even if you wanted to.

But you don’t want to, because you actually love it like your firstborn (and any other borns thereafter I assume, I’m just a firstborn so I roll with that).

Besides, you only get one shot, right??Or maybe you’ve been around this block before and blown a few times, and this is your LAST shot…

… because this right here today, this moment where we all stand, comes once in a lifetime.

And now this moment is gone.

Your opportunity in that moment.

YOU in that moment.

How many of us have lost ourselves before?

In Eminem’s music, in love, and in business?

And it’s a spectrum, right?

I’ve been 40kg overweight because I hated the business I was in, used food to soothe myself, and was so emotionally exhausted the last thing I felt like doing was exercising… even though I knew it’d be the best thing for me.

I’ve also been 40kg overweight because I LOVED my business so much I gave all of myself to it, felt like I was in constant celebration mode (back up the cake and champagne right up in here) and I didn’t make time to move my body…

… EVEN THOUGH my business was all about helping other people move their bodies.

Yep, I was a fat gym owner and personal trainer.

I know right, what the actual?

But whether you’re a gym owner, a law firm, an insurance company, or a barista;

Whether you LOVE your business, or you don’t;

Unless you know who the...

<word that rhymes with truck that I really want to use in context here to drive the importance of this next bit home but I won’t because decorum and I’m a delicate little flower, SO not a Queensland bogan>?

...YOU ARE, and honour yourself and stay consistent with the things you know keep you grounded and strong in your resolve…

… then whether you LOVE it, or you don’t, is the risk of LOSING YOURSELF in it worth it?

Because who would YOUR business be without YOU in it?

Just R business.

R for… Really not the same.

Lisa Ferguson, Leadership Coach at Circle Leadership

| Before I fell into this trap, I thought I had it all figured out |

When I left my job, I had a goal of earning $3 million in one year. I was so focused on making the money that I scaled far beyond what I was capable of holding. I had no systems and processes set up, and found myself taking on clients who drained me and handing over projects to employees that I hadn’t given them the tools to do. And guess what?

I burnt out and let the whole thing collapse. The moral of the story is that this whole “get rich quick scheme” that you see online—it isn’t sustainable. You live and you learn, right?

Even though I appreciate the experience and have learned a great deal, which has led me to work with Circle Leadership and the capacity at which I speak on behalf of the organisation, I must admit that too much growth too fast is like holding a mic up to a speaker—it can be painful for those in close proximity.

So I’m sure you are wondering what I learned in the process. So I’ll share:

Always stay true to who you are and what you love doing. Anything else is not going to be sustainable.

Every experience of failure leads more wisdom.

We have time and capacity for growth as human beings, despite popular belief. We just live in a culture where things are delivered to our doorstep the next day, so we have no capacity for patience. When you plant a tree, it takes years for it to grow—and then it will produce flowers and fruit that sustain you and your family for the long term. In other words, patience is required if we're going to build anything meaningful in this life.

It’s one thing to have a number in mind, but it’s another thing entirely to execute on that number. If you’re going to scale to $3 million or more, you need systems and processes set up to help you hold the weight of that amount of money. You need to hire people who are aligned with your vision for your company and who can execute on your systems and processes.

Enjoy the things you have when you have them because everything is transient.

We live in a world where purpose and profits can and do coexist. Purposeful organisations outperform their competition in terms of customer loyalty and employee engagement, which leads to greater long-term revenue. The truth is that we have a biological urge to have an impact on the lives of other people. While money can be motivating it does not have the same positive impact on people as enjoyment, purpose, and achievement; so knowing why we are working determines how well we work.

And finally, if you keep putting off your self-care in order to take care of your client's needs and the needs of your team, you’ll always feel drained, and things will fail.

So as Dave says, put yourself first.

Tiana Pomaybo, Chief Brand Alchemist at Circle Leadership

LIVESTREAM

We have so many clients that have all the toys but never used them. Some even know they are carrying excessive weight and by adding all the stress of putting the business first, is a heart attack waiting to happen.

Truth is, at that point, all the assets will be worth nothing. By always putting your business first, you risk losing the relationships you have, miss time with your kids and experiencing1 a diminished quality of life.

In this live, we’ll be having a chat about:

1. Why prioritising you matters.
2. How to assess your priorities.
3. And learning what a 10 out of 10 is in each area of your life is.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

WEEKLY CLARISM

Evolve...the steady progressive increase of our capabilities and our capacity for greatness.

THE INNER-CIRCLE

Ideally, this #newsletter is for you. Yeah, we might share the odd humble brag, but its intent is to add value and inspire more purpose-driven leadership worldwide. If you have a question on a relevant leadership, culture, or strategy topic, please ask and we will provide our insights.