The one who chases two rabbits, catches neither one.
This is so true, yet many entrepreneurs try to. I did. When I was still in Mary Kay, I started to dabble in the possibility of building my own “ground up” business and as much as I was excited, I was bogged down by the details of running my Mary Kay business and so I had to make a decision. You see, it was harder than I thought to have two separate interests competing for my time and attention. And while I tried to make it work, one interest always got the short end of the stick.
And I’m not the only one. In the early years, I worked with tons of clients who were spreading themselves between two interests (a full-time job and a part-time business or two business ideas with no support) and it was getting the better of them. As much as you want to be “all things to all people,” you can’t, because it’s not the best thing for anyone. You can try but one will be sacrificed, I think.
The truth is, if you’re an empire builder, you need to build, and if you’re a supporter, you need to support. Trying to do both is likely to confuse you and knock the wind right out of your sail.
Kyna, who is also struggling with this, asked me to weigh in. Check out the question featured on this week’s episode of Incredible Factor TV:
“Hi Darnyelle, I have had my own business and have my own goals, dreams and reason for why having my own business is important to me, but for the last year I’ve taken a different path and I have worked in someone else’s business to help them grow. I’m really at a crossroads and I’d love to hear your take on why I have to choose whether I am an empire builder or empire supporter, can’t I be both?”
Check out my response to Kyna’s question:
As I share in the episode, the best laid intentions grow awry and life gets cloudy when you’re trying to be both a builder and supporter. What tends to happen is that you’ll either choose on your own, or you’ll be backed into a corner and forced to choose.
If you are facing a similar challenge, try these tips:
1. Silence the crowd. Take a moment (longer if you need,) and get to a place where you can think about what you desire most. By being able to hear your own inner voice, you’ll more readily get an answer as to the course of actions you’ll need to take in order to achieve your ultimate goal and ideal situation.
2. Weigh the pros and cons. Once you understand the implications of either choice, you can make an informed decision. Know that there is no wrong answer, only clarity about what’s right for you. When weighing things out, don’t talk with anyone so that you can be sure that your voice is the only voice speaking into your future.
3. Re-cast your ultimate vision. When you lookout into the deep and think about your life ten years from now, what do you see? Are you calling the shots or answering the call? There’s nothing wrong with either, but you’ll usually be doing one or the other.
4. Create a transition plan. Once you’re clear and unafraid to focus on what you truly desire, create your transition plan. Be sure to give notice where notice is due and clearly communicate your intentions. If you’ve been a supporter and decide that you’re really called to be a builder, nothing can ruin a relationship faster than miscommunication.
5. Make a decision to walk toward your ultimate vision, unapologetically. This is your life, your journey and you have to secure your air mask before helping those who may have the pleasure of traveling with you. So no apologies, only clarity about what’s next and best for you.
Now I want to hear from you, what’s your two cents?: Tell me which you are and why. Are you unapologetic about your decision to be an empire builder or empire supporter, or have you decided that you can be both without allowing either to be sacrificed?
©2015 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Business Optimization Coach and Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises®, Incredible Factor University® and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System®, a proven step-by-step program so you experience financial and spiritual abundance in your life because of your business. For more information and a FREE audio CD “7 Critical Mistakes Even Smart Entrepreneurs Must Avoid for Clients, Connection and Cash Flow!” just fill out the form below.
