What Can Go Right
From the desk of Alice…
When Hope and I started ERG, we never really considered the things that could go wrong. We were laser focused on all the things that were possible as we started on the journey of building a business to increase teacher capacity to ultimately help students. As I look at those early years, I think we were not only opportunistic, but we were able to trust ourselves to make the right decisions based on our own experiences in education.
A funny thing happened in the beginning. While we had (and still do have) raving fans, there were many people who told us it wasn’t possible. We were advised not to quit our jobs with the school system. We were told horrible stories of how business fail, being self-employed is dangerous, and quite frankly how the odds were against us. To be fair, we were not the typical consultants who had completed a career in education with a retirement to fall back on. We were two mid-career educators who were vested in the system…we were dipping our toe into un-chartered territory. People were genuinely concerned about our best interests. How in the world could we be successful? With confidence in hand, we dismissed those comments.
Ten years later, there are things that went wrong. We learned very quickly we had to be the janitors, the secretaries, the marketers, the salesmen, the owners, and the consultants. We started educating ourselves on business and finding mentors in the field who could advise us and be our confidants. In fact, when the economy took a turn for the worst, I remember thinking it wouldn’t hurt our bottom line too much because in our prior experience, education had always been funded. Woopsy. Lesson learned.
So how did we do it? What went right? How are we still in business? There are many variables to our work, but one important one is to stay focused on what is possible rather than what is not. The empowerment that comes from that mindset is what we use to anchor us on the days where we find out someone’s budget was cut and our phone calls are not returned. We are confident that these setbacks are part of the natural ebb and flow of our work.
As you start out this year, do not focus on what could go wrong. There are always going to be people who tell you something cannot be done. Sometimes these comments are because people honestly don’t realize it is possible. Some of these comments are because they are unsure of what change it will bring or that they will be left behind. And some of these comments might be coming from a voice within. Don’t believe any of them.
Instead, arm yourself with self-trust and invite OUT all the distractions and doubters. I know for sure the one thing you can control is your focus. Choose to focus on what can go right.