One of my awesome clients just reached a huge milestone this week.
In January we set a challenge for her to land three new clients by the end of March. It’s only March 6th, and she’s already reached her goal.
I’m so proud of her, and I know that she’s proud of herself. She’s now considering how she’ll celebrate this milestone in a meaningful way.
As we reflected on why she was so successful when in the past she hadn’t been (remember, success leaves clues — pay attention!), she named really important things like: having sales conversations vs. get-to-know-you chats, and getting out and meeting people (yes, IRL) to expedite that know-like-trust process.
And I absolutely believe these were difference-makers for her.
But I was reminded of a conversation she and I had a few weeks prior to her reaching the goal. I asked her what had shifted, as I could feel a different energy and resolve to making things work in her business.
She told me that she was hungry for it.
She was hungry to reach that goal.
She was hungry to prove to herself that she could do it this time (even when it hadn’t worked in the past).
She was hungry to create a profitable business so she could have the lifestyle she desires and spend more time with her husband having fun.
It dawned on me what an important distinction there is between hunger and hustle.
Tell people they need to hustle, and for most, the inner rebel and resistor will say, “No thanks. I have no desire to hustle my way to success. That sounds hard, pushy, overwhelming and not at all the way I want to show up in the world.”
But what if instead of hustling, it was about hunger?
An inner desire, a spark, a fire that drives your focus and action – that keeps you going no matter what.
Hustling is about the SHOULD. Hunger is about the WANT. Click to Tweet that!
Because you want it. You’re committed to it.
If you operated from hunger — an inner state and desire, vs. from an externally focused hustle, might you:
- see that project to completion because your hunger for the results kept you going even when you were ready to quit
- push yourself (gently but deliberately) to ask for the business and seek out repeated opportunities to let people know what you can do for them
- choose to turn down that voice in your head that tells you you can’t do this
- say no to work that no longer serves you in service of that that does focus
- on the transformation you KNOW you provide people enough to step outside your introverted self and get in front of as many people as you could
- not be swayed by the latest bright shiny object and stay focused on that bold goal you set for your business
Hustle can feel hard and like you’ve got to be someone you’re not.
Hunger, on the other hand, feels more powerful and focused. It’s driven from you – from your core – and can outlast any big hustle. Because as long as you feed it (through action) you can keep that hunger burning.
What are YOU hungry for?
Where can you use that hunger to get some immediate results in your business?
P.S. Stay tuned for details about my new leadership program, Beyond PRO, which opens March 17th. More soon!
Photo credit: Kevin Dooley
