I’m a big believer in doing things on our own terms, in our own way, and by our own rules - especially when it comes to building our own creative life and careers.

And this isn’t just my authority issues talking; I really do believe that the best things happen when we question all the “rules” that constrict us along the way, develop the ability to push through boundaries and see things differently and, most of all, protect our creativity and our vision from being stifled while we work hard to make big and beautiful things happen with our work and our lives.

We’ve all heard the phrase: comparison is the thief of joy. In this digital age, it’s so easy to see what’s going on around us and compare our own life, our own decisions, and our own highs and lows to other creatives in our industry. We can start to make decisions in response to the decisions and values of others, instead of developing our own ability to listen to ourselves. This is a sure fire way to find ourselves with a creative career that is unfulfilling, lacking in impact, and dissatisfying along the way. 

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Every curious, purpose-driven, big-hearted creative I’ve worked with as their content coach has ached for exactly the same thing when it comes to creating and sharing content online:

To create something that matters.

Something that resonates. Something that connects. Something that can go deeper. Sometimes it’s also something that will sell, but it’s always, always, something that is way more than just empty words on a screen.

And together here is what we always discover and learn: discomfort is part of the process when you’re creating content that matters.

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I’ve been battling with two intentions that seem to contradict and work against each other in my work and my life:

My desire to hustle, and my desire to rest.

Work ethic, rest, and the guilt so many of us can feel as we navigate these waters have been heavy on my mind recently. And it’s an inner battle that I know I’m not alone in facing each day. My clients tell me often how guilty they feel when they make space for their need to rest and forgo those 15 hour workdays that are so glorified when you’re running your own business. They feel guilty when they admit to themselves that they don’t want to build a business that demands 60 hour weeks and all of their energy to build and sustain, and making space for time off and doing it without guilt or shame is something I’ve personally battled with in recent months and I’m  certain that I’m not the only one.

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There’s this problem that I’ve seen some of my clients struggle with:

They’ve invest hundreds (if not thousands) into digital learning products - usually a mix of e-courses, e-books, workshops, and workbooks - and they’re still exactly where they started, not making any progress towards bringing their business idea and vision to life.

They have big lofty goals at the forefront of their mind as they take this leap into the world of creative business:

“Reach 10K months within 90 days"
“Build a 10K email list within two months"
“Have a 15K launch in the next 45 days"
“Attract 100K monthly visitors to their brand new blog"
“Get booked out 6 months in advance within a month of launching their business” 

These goals can be awesome, but they're usually influenced by the success of more seasoned creatives in their industry and they tend to show up as dreams instead of a tangible plan of action to actually move forward and make it happen.

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Hello, 2016. It’s good to see you.

Something I see many people do around the web this time of year is set an intention and focus through the year ahead through a single word. While trying to explore what my word for 2016 could be I played around with Growth, Explore, Connect, Create, and Joy, but I finally stumbled across the perfect word while re-reading through Brené Brown’s 10 Guideposts for Wholehearted Living. 

Wholehearted.

The word and her guideposts summed up exactly what it is I want to focus on and cultivate in this brand new year ahead. Working through her 10 guideposts, I found myself setting clear intentions for both my work and my life and I want to share them with you today in the hopes they can be a jumping off point for you to do the same.

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2015 is almost over and today I want to share with you 11 of my favourite blog posts and articles from around the web this year.

A huge intention of mine this year was to be more intentional with what I consume, and that has meant cutting down a lot on how many blog posts, podcasts, articles, social media, and videos I consume on a weekly basis. 

The best way I’ve been able to do this is by sticking to some core thought leaders and creatives who really inspire, motivate, and leave me full of deep thoughts and ideas after I’ve spent some time with the awesome content they’re sharing online. If you’ve worked through Be A Game Changer yet you’ll already know my thoughts on consuming ideas instead of advice, and the following posts and articles are the ones that have stayed with me long after clicking the X in my browser. 

For me, the best kind of posts and articles give me the space to explore new ideas, expand on my own, find clarity and direction through their story, and sometimes they're the extra kick I need to know that I’m on the right track, that I’m not alone, and that it’s okay to play by your own rules and live a creative life on your own terms. 

I hope these can do that for you too.

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Why do we want to cultivate effective & game changing client relationships?

Because that’s how we get results.

And word of mouth referrals.

And returning customers.

And that feeling in our soul when we know we’re doing purposeful and game changing work.

Here’s something from behind the scenes of my business and how I make a sustainable full time income from my work:

Over 50% of the client work I bring in each month is either a direct referral from a current or past client, or a returning client who wants to work together again.

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I believe that our content needs three things for it to resonate, connect, and be effective for our business and brand:

1. Clarity

Without focus around your message, ideas, purpose, and values, you may struggle to create content that truly breaks through the noise and resonates with the right people for you. But when you’re clear on what it is you want to say, and on your strengths, your ideas, and your message, that’s when your ideas will start flowing much easier and your content will be able to stand out in the crowd online without just adding to the noise.

A strong grasp of your brand, your message, your purpose, and what it is you want to say and how you want to make people feel is how you can create content that is effective and game changing along the way.

2. Consistency

Consistency isn’t just about how often you post and sticking to a set schedule; it’s way more about how you show up with your content and how you make your community feel when they engage with the ideas you share. Consistency is taking the clarity you have around your purpose, your message, your ideas, and your values, and letting that breathe into and shape everything you share and do online.

Consistency is how you differentiate yourself from the crowd; it’s how you show up and say something, over and over again, that is unique to you. It’s the jumping off point to establishing your expertise, your thought leadership, and the value around the work you do.

3. Connection

Without connection, your ability to have impact and reach online is limited. This is a very human arena; people want to connect with other people, not faceless brands and corporations. Connection is how you build a brand that people care about it and connection is the foundation for building a game changing community that moves your brand forward in a way that you couldn’t alone.

You need clarity and consistency if you want to cultivate connection, but you also need to tap into your own unique strengths, gifts, and personality traits if you want to cultivate connection in an authentic and human way that stays true to who you are and the work that you do.

Today we’re here to talk about how to develop a content plan and process that helps you to build community around your brand, have impact and reach online, and build a profitable and game changing online presence...

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Raising our prices is how we can continue to move forward as freelancers, coaches, and creatives. 

A brand new year is just ahead of us and if you’re starting to plan and project your income for 2016 you may have realised that to scale and grow your business in a way that is both profitable and fulfilling for you, now may be the right time to increase your prices for your services and offerings.

But raising our prices can be seriously scary stuff.

Every single time that I’ve raised mine I’ve spent sleepless nights wrestling with anxiety and fear with a voice in my head saying: who do you think you are to be charging that? But for a business to move forward, to make a profit, and to give you the freedom to thrive and grow within your work (because lowballing yourself usually will just lead to burn out, frustration, and overwhelm), regularly increasing your prices when your services are ready for it is an essential part of the job.

But of course, our services aren’t all about us and the money we want to make and the life we want to live. They’re about the people we’re here to serve and who trust us enough to invest in what it is we have to offer. So if you’re thinking about raising your prices for next year but you’re stuck in that place of fear and self-doubt, I have an exercise for you today to help you move forward, move past the fear, and build a plan of action that’s right for you, your clients, and your brand.

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