The REAL Reason We Experience Resistance When Working on Our Business

I recently surveyed my community, fellow entrepreneurs and the members of a bunch of groups I’m in on Facebook asking what the hardest thing is about being an entrepreneur. (And if you’re part of my Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs Facebook Group, you may have seen or even commented on it -- Thanks!)

I got a number of responses like work-life balance, wearing too many hats, feeling guilty about working all the time, and not making steady money. But, the one that really caught my attention, and I want to address in today’s lesson is resistance.

A number of people said that they feel major blocks to working on their business, business projects and big ideas.

I’ve been fascinated by resistance for a while now for 2 main reasons:

(1) I definitely feel it (not all the time, but often enough), and (2) It seems at complete odds with my vision for my business, my life and how I want to move through the world.

So, what’s the deal?

Trust me, it's not that we lack willpower, motivation or drive. We wouldn't be entrepreneurs in the first place if that was the case!

So, why do we feel such push-back when we’re doing (or trying to do) work that we love, find meaningful and will make a difference not only in our own lives but the lives of others?

Hmmm...curious…

In today's lesson, I dive into the REAL reason purpose-driven entrepreneurs experience resistance. The truth is simple but surprising and will help you move beyond the resistance you're encountering in your own life right now.

I want to hear from you!

Do you encounter resistance when you're trying to work on your business? Share your story in the comments below -- remember, the recognition of resistance is the first step to moving beyond it, so, put it out there!

Oh, and in case you're itching for a copy of War of Art (it's sooo good!), you can check out my buddy Steven's book HERE.

xo,

don't let these 3 things stop you as you build your biz!

do you LOVE dreaming about your future yoga business?

thinking about all the great classes, retreats & workshops you'll lead? all the amazing students that'll flock to your teachings? and all the awesome opportunities that will inevitably come your way once you're a world-changing yoga teacher?

dreaming is fun. it's non-committal. it's enjoyable. it's the "honeymoon" of biz building.

then, when you sit down to actually do the work, plan the workshop, send the emails, make the calls, it's a whole different animal, and RESISTANCE rears it's ugly head!

does that sound familiar? i know i can certainly relate!

resistance feels so real, so all-consuming -- it's easy to let it foil even our best intentions.

but, as with all things we need to overcome, the first step is recognition.

in today's video teaching, i share 3 kinds of resistance that you may encounter as you try (and try again) to build your yoga business. because, once you see it for what it truly is -- just an icky feeling that really doesn't hold any power -- you can start to move beyond it!

 

have you encountered resistance when building your business?

please, share it in the comments below -- i read every single one!!

interested in the book i mentioned, War of Art? it's a goodie & a must-read for ALL entrepreneurs! check it out here.

biz: how to break through your blocks (war of art book review)

do you feel called to do something?

i'm guessing, if you're hanging out here, you feel called to teach yoga!  am i right?

did you ever notice, though, that there are things (unseen things) that hold you back from taking the steps you need to take to transform your teaching into an abundant and sustainble career?

well, steven pressfield, author of war of art (and all around great guy), labels that thing that holds us back from doing the work we were put here to do resistance.

resistance is sneaky, annoying, and can hold us back from evolving into happier, healthier, more fulfilled beings.  no good!

if you're ready to kick resistance's a$@ once and for all, you NEED to get your hands on a copy of war of art.  seriously, this book could change your life.

to hear more about how this book can change the trajectory of your yoga career & listen to a few chosen passages from it, check out the short vid below.

purchase your copy of war of art by steven pressfield here.

the Become a Yoga Brand Speaker Series is coming in January 2014!

sign-up now to be the first to know when this amazing series of interviews with today's best biz-minded yogis goes LIVE!

biz q&a: i have no time! -- how do i build my new business?

i have no time!  how do i build my new business?

i get asked various versions of this question a lot, so i thought it was about time that i address it on the blog.

first off, this is an issue that soooo many entrepreneurs face, especially when first starting out.  so, don't think you're alone!  trying to balance a full-time job AND a new biz AND teaching yoga AND having some semblance of a life can seem like a no-win situation.

but, you needn't get down on yourself for not being able to devote endless hours to your business -- instead, decide how much time you can comfortably commit to focusing on your new venture – even if it’s only 2-3 hours on Saturday mornings, and (here's the kicker) be OK with that.

when we beat ourselves up for "not doing enough”, we get ourselves totally stressed out and are much less productive.  so, instead of thinking you're somehow "failing" by not working on your new business 24/7 make the best possible use of the time you do have available.

how do you make the best use of your time?

first -- sit down, and write out your goals for your biz for over the next 12 months (i.e. get a website set-up, start a newsletter, get 5 new clients, etc.).

second -- break those down month by month.

third -- now that you have an outline of what you're hoping to accomplish each month, use that as a guide to figure out what you need to work on, research, or look into during your dedicated biz time each and every week.

(also, you might wanna check out this video: the actual time it takes to start a yoga biz for more strategies & advice :-)

a big part of "turning pro" is simply making your biz a priority (something amateurs don’t do!) – even if that means only during a few hours a week.  then, as you begin to see some gains in your biz, you can decide if you can begin to back away from your full-time work, or rework your schedule to make more time for your growing business.

the most important thing is to not be too hard on yourself, and feel like you’re not doing enough.  pros KNOW that they need down-time in order to bring their best selves when they are working/playing/creating.

{ONE MORE THOUGHT}

have you read steven pressfield’s book turning pro?  i did a video review of it, and the info he shares will totally rock your world (and business)!

i want to hear from you!   how many hours per week do you set aside for your yoga biz?