"You don't have to get it right. You just have to get
it going." Mike Litman
This quote has to be one of the most important ideas for
many a business person. It's the antidote to the dread
perfectionitis disease that may paralyze you.
Perfectionitis is born of a perfectly reasonable impulse:
to produce a quality product.
But it is the "impossible standard" aspect of it that makes
it dysfunctional. It is the kind of impulse that makes a
parent say "No one's good enough for my Billy" (or Susie). And
because getting it perfect is nearly impossible, making public
your effort is probably impossible as well.
One of Dan Kennedy's lessons is that half of winning is
just showing up! So he and Litman are on the same page.
To have a newsletter and not write to your subscribers is
to not show up!
What are the problems with not showing up?
No one remembers you. Harsh but true. Oh, you may be a
memory in passing, but people have their own lives. You are a
blip on most people's screens. The only way to become a bigger
blip is to show up.
You miss opportunities to announce and to sell. Does this
really need any elaboration? Didn't think so. :)
You miss opportunities to BUILD on previous
opportunities, and so forth.
You miss chances to establish yourself as an expert in
your chosen field.
Besides the inverse of the above, what advantages arise
from just showing up and communicating to your list?
You become more comfortable in communicating.
You build momentum so that coming up with ideas to
communicate is easier.
You have opportunities to answer the question, "What have
you done for me lately."
You have a store of information which you can archive and
then refer your subscribers. For example, you can write, "As I
mentioned two weeks ago (url), you can enhance your writing
ability by..." And on the archive page, you can advertise.
Yes, the tragedies of not showing up are tremendous.
Perfectionism can literally KILL your business!
And the benefits of "just showing up" are equally huge.
Moreover, they can cascade and reinforce each other.
So how can you move yourself to "just show up?"
1 - Use Litman's comment at the top of this article to
remind yourself that perfectionism is not a good pole star.
2 - Write short pieces. You don't have to write Moby Dick.
Short pieces that deliver real information that they can use
is what people mainly want.
3 - Give yourself a schedule. And stick to it.
4 - Ask for feedback on what you write. You may find that
people like it, even though it's not "perfect." And if they
criticize, you'll have information on how to improve.
Do these things and perfectionitis will be a thing of the
past, for you will more consistently "show up".
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Glenn
Cutforth is a writer and publisher of quality eBooks at Maxx Publishing.com.
For extensive information on operating a Work From Home and
Online business, check out his website at: Guide To Online
Success.
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