"I'm impressed."
These words, spoken by a mentor, catalyzed a change in my life. A mind blowing one. It's true - good things happen with good coaches.
With the help of my mentor, I was able to attempt something I've been thinking about for years - running my life like a business. The two are often seen as separate entities, despite the fact there's a major overlap between them. Namely, the idea that nothing is personal. In life, it's easy to view another person's actions as a direct assault on our ego, livelihood, etc. In business, it's easier to understand the motivation behind those actions and distinguish between personal and professional sectors. I was curious to see how my life would change when I stopped viewing those instances as an observer, and started viewing them as a boss.
To start off, I created a vision statement. I listed three things I wanted to be throughout the week: hopeful, happy and hardworking. Afterward, I turned to well-recognized business resources like Forbes and Entrepreneur to guide my efforts. From these, I created my own list. A "business bible," if you will. I've listed them, along with their results, below:
1. If You Stop Showing Up, You Relinquish Your Rights to the Benefits (Days 1 &2)
In an age of hyper connectivity and constant networking, it is often unfathomable to cut ties. In fact, many of us would prefer silent tension over burnt bridges. However, it's important to remember that unnecessary connections will dilute your brand. Following this philosophy, I spent the first two days of my week filtering through my friends and acquaintances, attempting to validate their presence in my life.
Inevitably, my decision came down to this: if you stop showing up, you relinquish your rights to the benefits. In other words, if you're a fair-weather friend, a flake or, as they call them in the medical community, an "emotional vampire," were gone. As a business, I had a limited amount of resources and couldn't waste them on undeserving patrons.
2. Know Which Costs are Sunk Costs (Day 3)
During my third day of "business," I explored the idea of sunk costs. In business, we define these as "incurred costs that cannot be recovered." They're most often realized in the form of lost time and resources. Theoretically, it should be simple to sacrifice the futile; realistically, letting go is much more complex than it seems.
Ultimately, I found it is vanity that keeps us from letting go. If we've misjudged a situation, we've also admitted our vulnerability. That fear can be debilitating. There are moments where complacency may seem easier than change. These are the moments when courage is of the utmost importance. Likewise, business is comprised of calculated risks; or, as I like to call them, strategic vulnerabilities.
In my case, these vulnerabilities took form as time spent on projects and people who didn't deliver my desired result. Initially, I took these losses to heart. However, my time as a "business woman" (along with my years in the working world) helped me realize it was pointless to waste energy worrying about things I couldn't change.
3. Seek Strategic Partnerships (Days 1-7)
The next step in my journey was to seek a mentor. In my college experience, partnering with people in and out of my industry was crucial to shaping me as an individual. I spent the week scheduling phone calls and meetings with two individuals: a millennial working within the publishing industry and an older businessman who worked in a variety of fields. These calls kept me accountable as I set career goals.
4. Cultivate Your Body and Your Mind for Creativity (Days 1-7)
Recognizing the importance of personal health, I started each morning with a quick run and workout. This routine helped stimulate my mind and body, and kept me on a time schedule (i.e., waking up at 5 a.m. every day to practice). Although it was only a week, the commitment helped me prioritize and manage my time.
Findings
Self-improvement is a process that can't be completed in a manner of days. However, perspective is an easier adjustment. Prior to this experiment, I was distracted and, subsequently, unfocused. I wanted results, but wasn't willing to make sacrifices. Viewing my life as a business helped me "fire" negative influences and prioritize. Although it's unconventional, this mentality is something I plan on continuing into the future. Who knows? Maybe in two months, it'll be time for a promotion.
