How time travel can create business success

Do you ever look back and wonder how you did it: got that client, found the energy or that confidence? 

There are moments we don’t feel like turning up, when we doubt ourselves, wonder if it was all fluke.

I recommend time travelling.  

I promise I haven’t gone mad during maternity leave but as I start thinking about going back to work part time, I do feel quite disconnected from work and business. I had a feeling this might happen, so last year before I stopped working in October I wrote myself a letter and handover. 

The ‘Dear Isabella’ letter I wrote does make me appear a little mad but has really helped remind me of who I have been and can be again, while the handover gives me step by step instructions about what to focus on first once back at work. I have used the confident version of myself from 2021 to positively impact the slightly more nervous-about-business version of myself this year.

Last year business was good. I was proud that I’d rebuilt my business after a personal loss that took me out of action for a few months. I had exciting clients, a supportive team around me, business partners and projects in action… I was and believed confidently in my entrepreneurial abilities.  

This year much of my time is filled with nappy changes, breastfeeding and celebrating little wins like finding time to shower! The idea of building the business back up is daunting.

We are the same person but have so many different versions of ourselves, sometimes we need a little support reminding ourselves of that best version.

We all have life events, planned and unplanned that can shift our focus and energy and therefore have a huge impact on our mindset and therefore business. We are not machines that can always perform so while we need to be consistent we also need to be realistic. 

How can we protect our mindset and our business from ourselves and life’s challenges? 

• Look ahead to moments big or small that may impact your work
• Ask yourself what the biggest impact on your business will be?
• How can you prepare for it and mitigate the impact? 
• What do you most enjoy, what are you best at, how can you play to your strengths to get you started once more?

So what do you think? I'd love to hear your time travelling experiences...