The Value of Showing Up

Last night, my son woke up crying. 

He was scared—maybe by a bad dream, or just because he's still not used to sleeping alone. I'll never know because he can't tell me. 

I went to lie down with him, and he was instantly soothed. 

Now, I'm not the parent who sings sweet songs—that would be my husband. I'm not the one who makes up silly games—that's his sister's territory. 

But, in that moment, I was the one who acknowledged his pain. My simple presence lulled him back to sleep. 

Things aren't always that easy. On most nights that he wakes up crying and screaming, we work for hours trying to get him back to bed. Or, we just give in and start cooking breakfast because we know we won’t be getting back to sleep. 

In that moment, it felt so good to just be enough for him.

It's easy to feel like we're playing a constant game, always working a strategy, or under ceaseless pressure to make perfect decisions. We fall victim to the false idea that, without the constant exhausting effort, we'll fail to meet our goals. 

As I laid there listening to his breathing slow and deepen, I was reminded of the value of simply showing up. 

Showing Up at Work

In our businesses and careers, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the systems and strategies we could use to appeal to prospects and customers. Just go on Facebook for more than a few minutes and you'll probably see a dozen ads selling you sales coaching, marketing funnels, or some other magic pill that does little more than add to your infinite to-do list. 

There are thousands of ways we could approach the task of connecting with people who will help our businesses grow, and sometimes the enormity of that thought is enough to freeze us in our tracks.

On days when the burden of doing things "right" is so heavy that I don't want to do anything at all, I'm choosing to remember the value of just showing up. 

I can show empathy and acknowledge the pain my customers and prospects feel—the pain that my business is designed to relieve. 

I can listen to them, read their posts, respond to their emails, and say, "I know there's a problem, and I'm here. You don’t have to solve it alone.”

I won’t lie to you. Systems are important. 

A great strategy will impact your business. Working with a great marketing team will make it less stressful, and it will help you see results faster. 

But, until you’re ready to take those steps and make that investment—don’t forget the value inherent in just showing up.