Taking the Long View of Time
The following is an excerpt from a newsletter published April 6th, 2023.
I have a lot to thank Krista Tippett for and this language, from this podcast, is one of those things:
“Time is long.”
Giving yourself the gift of time is one of the kindest, most valuable things you can do for yourself as a business owner.
(Or as a person who wants to be in anything long term. A friendship. A romantic relationship. Your body. Your community.)
Here’s what it might look like to take the long view of time in your business:
Stretch out your timelines.
Give yourself longer to reach your income goal, to pay off your debt, to make that new hire, to wind down your business, to leave your job, to finish your degree… Where would a longer timeline remove false urgency and loosen your nervous system?
Right-size your expectations.
What would you do differently if you assumed it was going to take you 5 years, not 5 months, to get your business where you want it to be? What if you knew you had 20 good hours a week, not 40? Root your expectations—your rhythms, your routines, and your metrics—in the reality of your own life.
Build generous containers.
Any container needs to leave room for life. Does your business model have a buffer, or do you need to be fully booked for things to “work”? Does your marketing strategy rely on you being in the same energetic state every week? Do the rhythms of your months leave room for play?
Make it a practice.
Does your financial stability rely on a favourable response to one email, one sale, one grant application, one pitch? Most activities in your business are practices, not one-and-done events. Make a routine of your marketing and sales activities. This is fortifying for your nervous system. It allows you to show up deliberately while holding the outcome loosely.
Be in conversation.
Monthly reviews. Project debriefs. Quarterly check-ins. Semi-annual partnership meetings. Your relationships—with yourself, others, your money, and your work—underpin the longevity of your business. Keep listening.
Support the body.
What does your body need to keep doing this work? What are the specifics of your care?
In short… what allows?
Time is long.
What are the behaviours, activities, and beliefs that allow you to stay in this for the long term?
Reply and let me know,
— Kate
