Until circa 2020, my entire business and life were approached with nothing but strategy.
Fill in the spreadsheet, run the calculations. Make the T-chart for decision making. Fill in the calendar.
Squeeze in the meeting. Follow the to-do list. Nobody cares, work harder. No excuses.
Make no mistake, living this way works.
It worked for me. It worked for hundreds of clients.
It will work until it… doesn’t work anymore.
For me, this meant my entire life came to a screeching halt. Not only that, but it imploded, collapsed in on itself, then set itself ablaze.
The Coaching Cohort that Changed My Life
I sat across from dozens of business owners week after week in the thick of trying to balance Covid times with their businesses with their real lives.
We had just started a 6-month business coaching container jam-packed with every last morsel of business strategy you would need to build the life and business you want.
Except, it’s not at all what my clients needed.
Each week, a different client would break down in tears. Things that could not have been anticipated to fit into a business strategy lesson were pouring out on our calls.
They were sobbing over child care, how it was too hard to build a business and be a mom.
The fact their new baby hadn’t slept in weeks.
Their aging parents.
Trying to save their marriage.
How to balance dating and building a business.
Fighting with their partner over money, again.
Fighting with themselves over money, again.
Trying to find the time to get their own workouts in.
How to feed yourself well when your business is booming.
How to get money fast to feed yourself when it’s not.
The business course was full of strategy. What was missing was soul.
When you own a business, the way you design it shapes the rest of your life.
You can follow the best strategy, hand-crafted just for you and your business. But without including some soul, it will come at a cost each and every time.
Soul Work
It’s not as weird as it sounds. When I say Soul, I mean the stuff only your insides know about. The stuff you can’t plug into a spreadsheet. The things you can’t quantify, try as you might (and many of you will lol.)
Things like:
- How your body feels when you get a new inquiry
- How your body feels when a client quits
- How your body feels when you’re busy
- How your body feels when you’re stressed
- How your body feels when you open your inbox
- How your body feels when you’re creating content
- What your Saturday and Sunday mornings feel like
- Who you’re drinking coffee with
- Who and how you’re eating dinner (rushed?)
- What kind of rest you’re craving
- What kind of adventure you’re seeking
Soul work is questions like:
- What do I envision myself doing when the work is all done?
- How would I live if I had all of the success and money I wanted?
- If I knew I had everything I needed, what would I do differently?
- How would I approach this if I knew I was enough?
- How would I approach this if I knew I had enough?
What can be confusing is that all strategy can and will work.
We can apply this is in the exercise science world as well: there are 1,000+ ways to coach someone to a back squat PR. Each approach can and will work.
The wild card is the person you’re coaching.
How much time do they have?
What are their days like? Weeks? Weekends?
What’s their home life like?
Internal dialogue?
History- mental, physical, emotional.
What beliefs do they have about themselves?
The world?
Pain, discomfort, injury, recovery?
This begins to scratch the surface of The Soul part of Strategy + Soul.
Strategy in business can sound like:
- Post 3 times a week for 12 weeks
- Create and follow content pillars
- Add one new service to offer suit
- Raise rates by 10%
- Post 12 CTAs this month
- Send one weekly email
- Go to 3 networking events
- Pay to advertise in magazine
- 3-month minimum requirement for all new clients
- Following a membership model
- Create on-brand client on-boarding system and process
- Require client payment agreements and contracts
- Offer small group and 1:1 services
- Create a DIY online course
Soul in business can sound like:
- Listening to your gut when making decisions
- Creating a business that aligns with your personal values and lifestyle
- Designing services that you are passionate about
- Building relationships with clients that go beyond transactions
- Taking time to reflect on your business journey and personal growth
- Ensuring your business supports your overall well-being and happiness
- Setting boundaries that honor your personal time and energy
- Celebrating successes and learning from failures in a way that feels true to you
- Consistently checking in with yourself to ensure your business still feels right
Integrating Strategy and Soul
Balancing strategy and soul is key to sustainable success. When you align your business strategies with your inner values and feelings, you create a harmonious path that not only drives results but also nurtures your well-being.
Just like in running, where slowing down can help you go farther, incorporating soul into your business strategy can lead to a more fulfilling and sustainable journey. Remember, your business should enhance your life, not drain it. So, take a moment to slow down, tune into your inner voice, and align your strategies with your soul.
By doing this, you’ll find yourself running farther, more, and better—not just in business, but in life.