What happens when you realise your path is entrepreneurship rather than employment? Lindsay takes up the challenge and shares an account of her journey as it unfold

It’s Boxing Day and I’m reviewing 5-year financial cashflow projections for Mirror Mirror that were set out carefully just before Christmas.  It’s an important document because it will guide our expectations and targets. On one hand it’s a fictional document. You can put any numbers in you like. On the other hand, the numbers need to be believable.  You want to be conservative, but too conservative and the business doesn’t look viable. We landed on predicting a three-fold annual sales increase, which may or may not happen.

The contents of that document weighed heavily on my mind. Looking at the increasing forecast income and expenditures, and the activities needed to process all of that, felt overwhelming.  Can I manage that?

And my reaction to that is doubly unsettling. How can I believe these predictions while doubting myself as the person who will lead the business there?

My husband reminds me that 2020 is the year for sales, that I need to create 3 or 4 goals and a roadmap of activities that will achieve those goals.  That I can do it. It’s my job. I know he’s right and immediately feel better.  And then I remember. I always feel anxious and blue after drinking even the smallest amount of alcohol – and over Christmas I’ve had a couple of drinks a day.  I’m not in the right frame of mind to assess this and prepare for the year ahead.  Perhaps I should give up drinking altogether.

It’s 2 days later and I’m on the Eurostar from London to Rotterdam, feeling more positive, looking again at the cashflow projections and the 2020 business plan. Here’s what I’m telling myself:

• Yes, the sales figures are believable – it starts with a total of 30 sales in 2020.We already have 3 in the bag.  A new product like this could skyrocket or take a lot more time to take hold.  We don’t know.  It’s partly luck. We will be spending minimally. That’s the gamble.  Just take it.
• Don’t look at the whole picture – take it step by step
• Don’t try too hard – Mirror Mirror is a great product. Do what you’re good at which is rallying support, building the network and getting things organized.You have the team – delegate.
• You can do this.

Apparently if you expect things, you are basically communicating what you want. But if you have intentions, you INTEND for a certain course, you are seeing what emerges, what unfolders. You are more open, you are asking not telling.  You are open to more courses of action.

In 2020 intend to bring the ready Mirror Mirror offering to market via a growing network of practitioners and see how it goes. I intend to do this in a calm and contented way, steering away from frenzied action and overwork, settling into a sustainable work life balance for the long run.

Mirror Mirror – a team alignment diagnostic tool and process in one, helping people align to the strategy, as well as each other.

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