Discomfort is the currency of your (data consulting) dreams
In this article we look at one of the real reasons why you can’t move forward with your data management consulting business - your aversion to discomfort.
Everyone has a quote that resonates with them. For me it’s the message above:
‘Discomfort is the currency of your dreams’.
This quote is from über-Life Coach, Brooke Castillo.
Most of you won't know Brooke but she has an insanely popular podcast and Life Coaching empire. To say she is a Life Coach is to say Tiger Woods ‘enjoys a bit of golf'.
Now, I get that for many of you, a motivational quote from a Life Coach falls into the ‘woo woo’ end of the Personal Development spectrum.
But consider this…
Brooke runs a Life Coach school that trains Life Coaches (globally) and allows her to earn more revenue than most data management consultancies could ever dream of.
She went from $300K to $15,000,000.
In 3 years.
And now works 3 days a week.
So if personal development isn’t your thing, there is still value in studying her business model because lessons can be applied to your firm, in some fashion because she figured out how to scale her expertise. Expertise marketing (that thing you keep putting off!) was a big part of her rise to success.
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re a data expert looking to launch or grow your consultancy.
With that analytical mind of yours, one would assume you want practical stuff to chew on: how-to tactics, strategies, insights, research - anything to help you launch or grow a successful data business.
But inspirational quotes from a Life Coach? Not for you data folks, right?
But strangely, that's not true, is it? (And it came as quite a revelation to me as well some years ago).
Because I discovered that for many in my audience, their achilles heal was not their struggles to roll out a data strategy or build a data governance framework.
No, the chink in your armour was a limitation in your own self-belief about launching or growing your data consultancy, software business or even your data-centric career.
And I've got the data to prove it.
How I measured the sentiment of my audience through content engagement
So I recently posted this article...
How to Deal with Data Impostor Syndrome (DIS)
And it did well by article standards. Here's some analytics for you:
853 article views
111 likes
42 comments
8 shares
(Note: Articles get far less views than post views which use an inflated analytic).
The 'Impostor' article was 1200% more popular than another recent article I wrote titled:
How to Start a Weekly LinkedIn Content Review for your Data Consultancy
Now, the Content Review article is packed with practical ‘tips and tricks’. It hints at some of the stuff I'm teaching coaching clients, who are paying a premium.
But yet the practical article got far less views, likes, comments and shares.
Ergo, one can assume from these results that you guys like the personal development topics far more than the ‘tips and tricks stuff’.
Who'd have thought? But that's the beauty of publishing content on LinkedIn, you actually get to see what your audience likes. Heck, you get to see if you've even got an audience!
(And if we can lower the tone to sales for a moment, I sold several coaching programs on the back of the higher performing article, an added benefit and demonstration of the value in creating content that resonates with your audience).
So, now we know that content marketing works, and personal development is important to you, what are some lessons you can take from the quote provided by Brooke...
If you feel discomfort, it means:
It's something to pay close attention to (i.e. don’t ignore it and stick on G.o.T)
It’s something you should probably get help with (i.e. from a coach or trainer)
Your aspirations and goals lie on the other side of discomfort (this is important)
How a recent client doubled their revenue (with a gentle nudge through discomfort)
I have a client who is the epitome of a data expert.
They have been in the 'data trenches’ delivering complex initiatives for years. I don’t know anyone else who can do what they do, as well as they do.
When they came to me, they had some general ideas about the direction of a new consultancy they were considering but they required help putting the pieces together to create a solid proposition, content strategy and lead generation process.
Immediately, I saw their past revenue didn’t match their expertise.
They gave lots of reasons (excuses) for this - market rates, industry conditions, competitive landscape etc.
But this was clearly something we would need to address as we worked through the positioning and proposition development.
And one day, with some coaxing, we found it - that sneaky little swine cosily nesting deep in their subconscious, saying...
"I’m probably not good enough so let’s just have a nice cup of cocoa and stay where we are in ‘Comfortville’”
...because that’s how your mind works. It desperately tries to keep you from harm.
Your brain associates discomfort as a threat, and threats increase the likelihood of death - so through eons of evolution your mind is doing the right thing, keeping you alive.
Which is great for fending off marauding Sabre Tooth Tigers, but not for you, the modern data expert struggling for more leads and fulfilment.
For you, remaining 'safe and comfy' in your old world thinking is definitely not what your brain should be encouraging.
So we talked about this negative self-belief and exposed it for what it was - a mirage, a trick of the mind.
Then we got to work on re-positioning and re-branding.
Fairly soon, a big organisation got wind of their proposition and invited them to a meeting. Fees were discussed and my called me and asked how they should be structured.
So, I recommended a proposal with a fee that was commensurate with their expertise (it was a big increase to their old fee structure).
The sponsor signed it off, without hesitation:
“Shit, I should have asked for more”, said my coaching client.
But this story isn't really about the money - it is about belief.
Through this process they reconnected with their worth and began the process of cranking up their ‘financial thermostat’.
So when they were approached by another prospect recently, there was no emotional baggage about self-worth - this time they didn’t need to ask for advice around fees.
They went in high. With confidence.
On the other side of their discomfort lay greater fees and assuredness in their self-worth as a premium consultant of a well-positioned consulting proposition.
By spotting the discomfort early, we called it out for what it was and dealt with it.
And now they're moving on to solve the next discomfort, because it’s a perpetual process.
Where is your discomfort?
Chances are, you’re feeling some discomfort right now (perhaps at the length of this article).
Maybe you’re telling yourself:
"I can’t sell myself - I don’t have the persuasion skills to close the deal"
"I can’t create content, or do marketing - who would listen to me?"
“I’m too old / too young / too inexperienced / too out of touch "
“I can't beat the competition, why bother?"
Think about your discomfort for a moment, what shape does it take?
Now grab a pen and write it down.
Moving through discomfort
You might not have a coach to help you work through the obstacles holding you back so here is a simple process to help you take action.
Each day think of one small action that can get you to closer to the other side of your discomfort.
Terrified of public speaking? Start with webinars, practice with friends first and then gradually build up from there.
Terrified of selling? Start creating content and inviting more conversations with people engage with your message. Get comfortable just talking to people who could be your clients or refer you work, without the pressure of trying to sell. (Selling is not about pushing, it's about pulling a client to you that needs what you have).
Terrified of sharing your message? Just put out a few posts about your point of view, or some strategy, tactic or technique you know to be valuable. Just get used to being a publisher and find a natural content creation rhythm that works for you.
Do something to lean into your discomfort, every day.
Don’t shy away from it.
Get comfortable with the discomfort.
“You need to look at your own life and make that choice. Do you want the discomfort of stagnation or do you want the discomfort of growth? The discomfort of stagnation never changes - it's like Groundhog Day. You never get any better at it, you never get any growth from it. The discomfort of growth is always new, is always exciting, is always different. You are evolving." Brooke Castillo
The discomfort of doing nothing is far worse than the discomfort of launching your own data management consultancy, or pitching for work, or creating content, or speaking to a crowd of people.
Yes, you’ll screw up webinars and have one attendee
Yes, you’ll launch a product that no-one buys
Yes, you’ll deliver a crap presentation and cringe when people walk out
Yes, you’ll have a client complain because you made a mistake
All those things are going to be embarrassing, humiliating, hurtful and downright uncomfortable.
But the discomfort of settling for a 9-5 life of ‘what if?’ is far worse.
That stays with you forever.
If you’re feeling that right now, it doesn’t go away.
So lean into the discomfort and do it anyway. It is showing you the direction you need to go.
Got a dream for your data consultancy but need a structured approach to get you there?
I help data experts shape a vision for their data consultancy, then turn it into reality so that they can create greater wealth and freedom in their personal and professional lives.
We get to work on your positioning, proposition, presence and pipeline so that you can build a real business, one that excites and motivates you.
The process starts with a (free) Breakthrough Call to explore your situation and unpack what's been holding you back.
Breakthrough calls are free, but availability is limited so book early:
