{Soulpreneur Sunday} How to Get Through a Slump

Have you signed up for a program and about halfway into the program and you hit a slump?

You wonder if this is going to work. You’re tired. And you may even be tired of being accountable.

I’ve been running 12-month masterminds since 2009 and I’ve been part of 12-month masterminds throughout that time as well and I notice this happens in every group.

When I have asked colleagues and my mentors about it, it happens there too.

What is it? Slump time.

When you were really excited and then life hits.
Or you get tired.
Or you had your hopes up and something didn’t quite work out.
Or you realize those old patterns that have sabotaged you in the past show up again just as you decide to really go for it.

It’s common for your energy to pull back and the after-glow of upleveling wears off.

Not only does it happen about 4-6 months into a 12-month program, a couple of things often happen:

1. People wonder if they have what it takes
2. The resistance of change gets bigger
3. Excuses from the past can come alive (things you thought you were done with)
4. You may even want to quit (the program, your business, working so hard, worrying, something)

5. You may even create a legitimate distraction or drama to stop you from showing up, that way it’s easier to “quit.”

Are any of these things showing up for you?
Where are you uncomfortable?
What distractions are showing up that take you out of creating your life?

It’s always interesting to see what happens in a group program. Everyone has their rhythm and flow, their ups and downs.

As much as I would love to see every person create phenomenal results, it doesn’t happen. As much as I would love to create quick results after I invest in a program, it doesn’t happen all of the time.

Why not? Sometime it’s timing, sometimes the person’s business is second focus and their first focus is a year of healing in other ways. Sometimes people have unrealistic expectations and it’s not as easy as following a 1-2-3 step formula.

It’s expected to sign up for a business coaching program because you want to make more money. So if you aren’t making more money, why not? What could that be that is stopping you from receiving more, creating more and having more?

Are you asking for support? Are you showing up to receive support?

You signed up for a group program and there are many places to support you. If you choose not to engage in the support that is available, that is entirely up to you. It’s always a bummer when I see that happen and thank goodness we all have choice.

The results come, but when they come is the question.

They come when you are ready and when you stop resisting ease.

They come in when you CHOOSE it. Are you “waiting to see if this works” or are you really choosing it?

The rule of thumb I have for my business when I invest is:
Events: Increase my ROI ten times what my expenses within 90 days.

For the coaching programs I register for: the window I give myself is to get a 10x ROO within three years. Why three years? Because I know that what I learn from a coach or in a program can be steady progress. Ideally, I double my investment within a year but more importantly my business is on an upward trajectory to grow in a sustainable way.

These are just targets and not absolutes. Be flexibly and remember that anything is possible.

The biggest factor I’ve seen that makes the difference is simple: showing up and making yourself a priority.

Along with that, throw all money goals out the window. If you are making $2,000 a month and you want to be making $20,000, ignore the $20k and just focus on the next immediate client. Why? You’ll focus on the growth instead of focusing on the gap. This helps you focus on what’s next instead of focusing on the gap of $18,000 from $2,000 to $20,000.

If you are making no money in your business and you want to make seven figures next year, start with making $2,500 then double it, then double it again, etc.

Or better yet, what if you just increased by 5% each month? Five percent a month over the life of your business. How many of you have a 7-figure business within 5 years if you just shoot for 5%? Isn’t that easier than judging the hell out of yourself when you don’t quadruple your income each month or even each year?

Avoid these distractions also if you would really like to create results :

Hiring another coach to fix the problem when you haven’t engaged in the first support you hired. This keeps you in a perpetual cycle of paying money to have someone else fix the problem (huge money saboteur) and usually there is a trail of blaming past programs that “didn’t work.” When someone has more than one coach, I’m always weary of too many cooks in the kitchen and the cake never gets baked because everyone is arguing about the “right” recipe.
Over-hiring team, mentors or other support. It can be easy to get into a trap of “needing” clients just to pay for all of the people you hired instead of serving clients because you have a solution for a problem they have. Over-hiring team is also a great way to drain your profits.
Judging or comparing yourself to where you think you “should” be or where someone else is in their business.
Blame. Lack of accountability will separate you from your desires and what’s possible faster than anything else.

Are you showing up? Are you making you and your investment a priority?