As a business owner, putting yourself out there is key to the success of your business. In fact, your revenue is directly tied to how much you’re willing to risk your ego (I learned that from my friend, Susan Hyatt, recently).
So why do you continue to hide? You know that the more you hide, the less business you’ll have but you do it anyway.
And by you, I mean me, too.
Well, mostly it’s because we are afraid to show our true selves. We hide aspects of our personality because we’re scared someone will dislike us. We’re scared it’ll turn them off and we’ll lose business.
In reality though, the more ‘you’ you become, the more people you are going to attract.
I struggle with this myself. In fact, the relaunch of RRTV this summer was something I had to be coaxed into for a very long time. When I created the first few episodes of RRTV a few years ago, I received negative criticism from other lawyers. So much so, that I stopped doing them.
I used an office move and not having the “proper set up” as an easy excuse to stop making RRTV even though the videos were consistently attracting clients. My friends, business advisors and team encouraged me to shoot more episodes. And I still resisted because I was afraid to make myself vulnerable to criticism again. I didn’t want to risk my precious ego.
Maybe you can relate? Maybe there is something that you really, really want (a successful business, perhaps?) but you are willing to never achieve that goal for the sake of your ego. You do realize that this is what you are doing, right?
By hiding your true self, being unwilling to take risks and be vulnerable, you are saying so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye to your hopes and dreams.
So stop hiding, my friend. Be the real you. Risk your ego. Make that podcast, that web show, that phone call or whatever it is that will force you to risk a little bit of your precious ego. Magical things are on the other side of that risk.
As soon as I began producing new episodes of RRTV, all these amazing opportunities started falling out of the sky and into my lap. First, I was invited to be on The Root’s web show “Bringing It To The Table.” I went to their studio and recorded an episode which was an amazing opportunity and so much fun! (That episode will go live on November 18).
Then, I was approached by a production company to audition for a docuseries. I will be appearing on that TV show as well which will air sometime next year. Both of these crazy opportunities that came out of nowhere, serve as confirmation that sometimes you just gotta take that step out into the limelight.
In addition to that, I love that I’ve been getting tons of responses to this newsletter every week and to the videos. I love connecting with you. Plus, there’s been a real uptick in business as a result of consistently putting out new episodes of RRTV and new blog posts every week (see how it’s all tied to profits?).
So how can you stop hiding behind your fears, excuses or ego and really put yourself out there?
Start simple. Ask yourself where am I hiding in my life? Where do I need to step out and really show the world who I am and what I’m about? What ways can I serve them that I’m not doing right now because I’m scared?
Because it’s time to get over the hiding, get over the fear, and really put yourself out there. And I say this as someone who is working on this myself, with love and kindness.
So, what am I doing to continue my journey of putting myself out there?
- I did my very first Periscope this Friday at 10am EST. This is something I’ve been watching my friends do but was kinda terrified of for various reasons. But I took my own advice, tried out this awesome new platform for myself this Friday and I loved it! I can't wait for my next one!
- Also, I am creating a new podcast with my dear friend and sister in badassery, Ariane Trelaun. It’s going to be freaking amazing episodes filled with straight talk about what matters. The new podcast will launch later this Fall but you can sign up to get the first episode here.
- Lastly, I am developing a new program that is really stepping outside of my comfort zone. The program will go beyond the legal stuff which is the scary part. It’s going to be an awesome program that gives you the guidance and actual resources you need to build your own revenue-generating-like-a-mofo product. This program will be unlike anything I’ve ever offered before and will include an in-person extravaganza in New York City. This new thing will launch in January 2016.
That is how I’m stepping up and putting myself out there, what about you?
I challenge you to do this yourself in one way this coming week. I want to hear from you, what are you going to do to risk your ego?
