“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.”
– Albert Einstein

We all know that famous quote, right? It’s one of my favorites. But knowing it, and living it are two different things.

Is there something you don’t like about your life or your business right now?

Would you like to have more time off? To start paying yourself – consistently? Are there store activities you love to do, but you don’t get to do them nearly enough because you’re always doing other, not-as-fun tasks?

Would you like to have positive cash flow so that you can stress less about finances? Would you like to cook more for your family? To cook less for your family?

If you don’t like where you are, you have two options. You can:

1. Do things differently, or…

2. Do different things

When I help retailers balance their lives and business, they don’t necessarily think that they are doing the same thing over and over – and they are partly right, they might not be doing the exact same things over and over – BUT they are probably doing things the same way.

So their situation doesn’t actually change.

Take Kate for example. She finally took the step to hire a team member so she wouldn’t have to work in the store all the time. But she hesitated in trusting her new hire with any real responsibilities, which meant Kate had to keep doing everything herself.

Sometimes we do this out of habit.

Sometimes it’s because we’re resistant to change. We say we want it, but we’re not really committed to it, or more accurately – to the results it would bring.

And sometimes, it’s because we don’t know what we don’t know. It can be hard to see our own pattern. And even if we do, we might not have the skills or expertise to know what to do about it.

What’s the solution?

First, you have to be willing to acknowledge what isn’t working. This doesn’t mean that you know how to fix it, and that’s okay. You have to just recognize that something isn’t serving you.

Then you have to decide that you are worthy of something better.

That could mean taking steps to make the changes you know you need to make. Or it could mean reaching out for help, if you don’t know what exactly to change.

And finally – whether someone else gives you a roadmap, or you create your own – YOU have to be open, and ready to do things differently, or do different things.

And when you do, your life will change.

What are you ready to change? Tell me in the comments. Reach out if you need help or support – that’s what I’m committed to.