Our topic today is extra, painfully relevant right now during the long slow tail of covid exit, but burnout is a danger at any time. Special guest Sheri Moise, our Director of Self-Care, Belief, and Momentum joins us to talk about how she coaches clients through and away from burnout.
We recognized early on that belief is a precious, somewhat inflexible resource and a business owner first needs to believe progress is possible before they can actually make the progress. But most progress happens outside of our comfort zones, so we’re left in a Catch-22 — I don’t want to be uncomfortable or scared, but progress only happens when I am. When our clients find themselves in this limbo, Sheri helps them out of it.
“Your To-Do list for today should be a Post-it note. Three things, max. Or just one thing.”
One of the most important questions we must ask ourselves is, How can I not stop loving what I do? Most studio business owners decided to open their doors for the love of the art, not the money. But as soon as we move an activity from the category of “Loved” to “Work”, we’re attaching some external motivators. Now, teaching a class isn’t just what you love to do, it’s what you have to do if you want to keep the lights on. And those extrinsic factors can pollute our intrinsic motivation.
Sheri also talks about how she helps studio owners build some momentum. Again, those in it for the love of the game don’t necessarily come into business ownership with an MBA, and they find themselves quickly out of their depth and overwhelmed with hundreds of tasks. Their energy is going all over the place, brushing each task just enough to ensure it doesn’t become a wildfire. So Sheri helps owners learn to focus their time and energy. “Your To-Do list for today should be a Post-it note,” she says. “Three things, max. Or just one thing.” Over time, enough quotidian tasks scratched off the list equals a serious head of steam. By setting and accomplishing these manageable goals, over time owners train both their confidence and resilience. Later, when a true multi-headed hydra of a problem shows itself, owners have trained their skills and beliefs enough to slay it.
Hit one of the links below to listen.