Snap out of this ASAP...

I’ve noticed that the busier you get, the more selfish you become. 

The harder the week is, the more you feel like you’ve got it tough and everyone else is crushing it.

I was stopped in the street this week by another business owner who’s been at it way longer that me. 

I often use him as an example of what success looks like - deeply loyal customers, committed to quality, a great team and an excellent reputation. 

But this time he said business was slower now that a major competitor was having an impact. 

He said they’ve also been battling to get new (good) employees which was unusual.

And as a result, he’s picking up more hours than ever himself. 

I could tell that this time he was genuinely worried. 

I decided to share my own recent experiences that were nearly identical to his.

He seemed… relieved.

And then said - “Ahh, Jarrod, that makes me feel better to know I’m not the only one…”

It’s weird when you think about it. 

Nothing changed, he’s still in the same position, and faces the same battles.

Except he just had the realisation that he’s not the only one who’s facing the same problems.

Sometimes that’s all you need in business to keep you going. 

To know that you’re not doing it wrong and that others who look like they’re crushing it probably aren’t.

The thing that struck me in that conversation was how self-absorbed we become under stress.

As stress levels increase, all you can do is think that you’re the only one with the weight of the world on your shoulders. 

Of course, you know it’s not true; others are busy too. 

But in that specific moment, it’s hard to see reality and be empathetic of others when you’re in the weeds. 

The problem with that, is that customers can sense it too.

The lack of empathy. The fake half-smile. The slumped shoulders. The unexpected dump on them about your pains. 

But every single customer walking through your door also has a world as complex as yours.

While we might be obsessing or stressing over whatever’s going on in our business, our customers are living their own rich, messy, complicated lives too. 

They have their own victories, struggles, and dreams that have nothing to do with our carefully crafted narratives or rostering and revenue problems.

Then as we work even harder to fix things and fight fires, it can be frustrating when customers don't immediately see the value, don't understand our pains, or don't appreciate the years of beating on our craft.

But the truth is, they're not being difficult. They're just being human.

Everyone has their own noise in their head.

Is fighting their own battles.

Feels both lucky and unlucky at the same time.

Wants to connect and contribute but hasn’t got time.

Harbors their own insecurities which drive them to make irrational decisions.

And cares deeply about something, or someone that isn’t you and your business.

The real breakthrough in business isn't trying to convince everyone to care about what we care about so we can solve our problems.

It's about knowing and solving theirs...

It's about finding ways to connect what we offer, with what already matters to them.

Meeting them where they are, not where we wish they were (mentally and physically).

Today the game is all about how we make people feel seen, understood, and cared for.

And the only way to do that is to stop wishing we were seen, understood and cared for.

The sooner you realise your problems aren’t unique, and that everyone has battles and busy brain every day, the sooner you can start to shift back to customer delight mode and kick some ass in this great game of business. 

So there are only two things to do with all of this…

1. Build Your Network: Connect with other business owners you can turn to for support and advice. Share the tough times with them and only them because they get it. Seek feedback and benchmarking so you don’t lose your mind and think you’re the only one in the weeds. 
2. Game Face: Understand that everyone has their own stresses, pressure, fears, frustrations, hopes and dreams. And they don’t care about yours. If you want to win them over, find a way to dance with them instead of trying to convince them to care about you and your problems.

Okay, I've got no clue if this email helps, hurts, inspires or crushes you, but I do hope it’s useful to you at some point on your journey. 

Have a great week.