The most important thing I’ve learned during my relatively short tenure as a business owner and entrepreneur is that I don’t need to learn everything.
Being able to say “no” – being able to pass on the things you don’t know well and hand them off to someone who does – it’s the only way to stay sane. Being a jack of all trades may work for a little while, but will ultimately drive you nuts.
It’s simple, you can’t be everything to everyone – if you’re trying to be – if you see yourself going down that path, it’s time to take a step back and re-assess your focus, your passion – how to do more of what you want to do – and how to be great at that.
You can be good at a lot of things and be successful, it’s true – you can disguise what you’re not so good at with the things your better at – but you’re going to wear yourself thin, you’re going to get burnt out, and eventually, the “not-so-good” stuff you’ve been wasting your time on will catch up with you.
What are your greatest strengths? What are your greatest weaknesses? Yes, it sounds like a bad interview – but recognizing both – for your own sake – and so you can answer those lame-o questions in an interview – is very important.
Focusing on what your great at means firmly saying “no” to a lot of things that come your way – and being okay with that. Embracing the power of “no” opens up many more opportunities to say “yes”.
Your best bet? Partner with others who compliment your own skill set. Business building 101 is bringing people on board with complementary skill sets and sharing the love. Doing so means you can focus on YOUR best, and delivering that best to your clients.
What have you had to say “no” to this year? How have you discovered both your strengths and your weaknesses?
Check out the full rundown of my #reverb10 posts here | Photo c/o Rob Williams