5 Concepts To Create A Business Built On Absolute Purpose
How do you tell the difference between an alligator and a crocodile?*
~ I’m on vacay in Florida right now, hence the warm water reptile joke ~
I have run almost every day for over 40 years. Even when my ankle threw up the white flag last year I walked every morning. And near the end of my pregnancies, I had to take it easier, so off I waddled.
Every single outing has been with absolute purpose.
I mostly run trails and country lanes, so I soak in nature; I seldom run or walk with music or podcasts. I surround myself with the great outdoors, and that’s my meditation. I am usually with my dogs and rarely with other people. I have a goal distance, and if I go further that’s a win. If I can’t run my entire distance I’m okay with walking it off.
It’s how far you go, not how fast.
― T. Rafael Cimino (ish… same concept, slightly different words)
I am a short, flat-footed klutz - I liken myself to a penguin - but that’s okay by me. I’m out there consistently - day by day, year by year. The rhythm of my feet, the time out from the world, the changing face of the seasons - it’s all so soothing.
The reason this little penguin has been able to love running for so long and remain relatively injury-free is five-fold.
Five
I stay within my limits.
I run 10 km max and only once a week, often only once a month
The rest of my runs are between 5 and 7.5 km
I don’t run in the am dark - I maintain a routine but not a rigid schedule - to accommodate for the changing daylight hours
I only run in the morning - in the afternoon I am tired and become sloppy which leads to injuries
I push through that first kilometer - it’s the toughest part of the run once your shoes are on
Four
I change things up when they need changing.
Some days I run hills and occasionally I Fartlek (which is fun to say but hard to do)
I don’t get involved in shiny new fads just because my friends are into them
I research techniques, and if they will add value to my runs and produce better outcomes for me I’ll give them a go
Three
I have precise KPIs, and I track them concisely
If I am on a new route I use my Fitbit to know exactly what my purposeful distance was
I track mileage not steps as that is static data whether walking or running
Steps change with the type of stride, distance does not
I do not track incidental mileage
I can see the lure of tracking all your daily steps in a Fitbit and then using that as a KPI of how much exercise you got, but that creates false data
Using the steps that you take to get through your daily life needs - like getting wine from the fridge - does not lead to better health outcomes
Incidental tracking serves only to convince yourself you are doing better than you actually are
Two
I keep my tech and how I use it in tippy-top shape.
I only wear “stability” shoes, which I change out every 500 km
I change up my orthotics every two years
I am mindful of my posture and my gait**
My gear is ready the night before, so it’s easy to put it on
“The hardest part of going for a run is putting on your shoes.”
So at this point in my note - and thanks for hanging in there - you may be rolling your eyes. And muttering “Well goody for frickin’ you little miss runner. Aren’t you just wonderful…”. Using your sarcasm voice of course.
I am a fairly disciplined person, but not crazy-so. The main reason I enjoy my morning jaunts so much is that I love them.
One
I found what I truly enjoy doing.
This is the number one reason - the single most important thing - that has made a 40-year commitment to running sustainable
If I had to swim or go to the gym or run on a treadmill day in and day out my resolve would not be so strong
Now I want you to go back to One through Five.
Replace any running tech, limits, KPI etc. words and references with tax, accounting and bookkeeping words - with how you run your business words. Maybe even copy from here into a doc and actually replace the text.
I hope doing so would help you create a business built on absolute purpose.
A business with clear intent, solid KPIs and cool tech to power it.
A business you love.
Online Scheduler Tech Tip
- All of my simplify-techify-solve sessions include tips like this
Do not charge half of your one-hour fee for a half-hour session
A half-hour appt can take almost the same amount of time and distractional energy from your day as a full-hour one. So charge three-quarters of the hour minimum. If your hourly rate is $250.00, charge $190.00 for the half-hour (yes, I can do the math - I know it’s $187.50 - but don’t “Walmartize” your pricing and do the $2.50 thing - round up).
And for crying out loud, ask questions and set boundaries using your scheduler - particularly if you have free discovery time slots.
Here’s my front-facing page text.
15 Minute Complimentary Consultation
I look forward to seeing if we are a fit for ongoing consulting & collaborating. This 15-minute "get to know each other session" is all about that!
If you are looking to get one-time help with an app or solve a problem though, please schedule a paid session with me.
You can book that here.
And here’s my booking form, for once you have picked a time slot.
I'm looking forward to seeing you. Please let me know a few details about our time together so we can make the best use of our time together.
If I don't already know you, could you peck in your website or a social media link so I can learn a bit about you?
Please give me a little insight about why you are booking a few minutes with me?
I want to purchase templates from you but I'm stuck on what I need and/or I want more information on them (I can’t wait to help you decide)
I am struggling with templates I purchased from you (I'm so glad you are booking with me - I want you to love your templates!)
I am ready to implement cloud-based systems processes and automation in my business and I want to see how we can work together
You told me to book a few minutes with you
I want to pick your brain for free (I suggest you don't book with me)
Other (add info below)
If there is anything else you would like me to know before our time together, drop it in here.
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Wednesday, November 30, 9:00 AM to Thursday, December 1, 2022, 5:00 PM
Wednesday - it’s Systems & Automations You will Love. Simple Implementations To Create Big Work & Life Impacts.
And Thursday it’s Crafting Systems To Create A Business You will Love. Give Yourself Confidence & Time To Enjoy A Life Outside Of It!
I would love to see you there!
Waddle on friends, Kellie :-}
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*You’ll see an alligator later. The crocodile will be awhile.
** Head being pulled up gently by a string, shoulders back and down, thumbs gently touching the other fingers like you are holding a potato chip (yum… chips), strike heel to toe with the longest stride length you can manage.
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