Remember the old Listerine mouthwash commercial? “It’s the taste you love to hate twice a day.”
There are lots of things in that love-hate category for me, such as exercise. I hate to exercise; I love having exercised.
Some days, like today, are harder than others. I started out on a run, but after only half a mile, I was spent. I walked-ran for the remaining distance. Other days, I can run four or five miles and feel like I have wings for feet.
Yet, I’m determined not to give up. I’m going to keep at it, even when it feels awful, because I like how great it makes me feel afterwards. And I like it when my doctor tells me that my blood pressure is 115/60 and that I’m doing good things for my arthritis.
Marketing is one of those things. I love social media. In fact, I have to guard against spending too much time on it. But I’m not as keen on showing up at networking events when I’m sure I won’t know anyone in the room. Though my Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is an ENFP, I’m right down the middle between an “E” and an “I” – extrovert and introvert – and depending on the circumstances, I can be a real wallflower. (I spent four years as one in high school!)
But I know that putting myself out there and meeting new people is key to increasing business, so I do it. I don’t always enjoy networking; I love having networked. And often there’s the added benefit of making new friends in addition to growing my business.
What is your Achilles’ heel? Do you hate to write? Afraid of learning computer skills that could put you in front of new audiences? Do you shy away from public speaking that would allow you to show off your expertise?
If you’re in business, you can hire people to do what you can’t or don’t want to do, but you can’t avoid everything. And the more versatile your marketing skills are, the more opportunities you’ll have to shine. The payoff for doing the hard thing is huge.
Now, I think I’ll go tackle something really hard – my bookkeeping.
Related posts:
