This post is a little off the marketing theme, however, I feel it is
relevant and I wanted to share my thoughts about it, so here we go……
We all love them, the 10 top tips, the 3 reasons why or maybe the
how to get the client of your dreams type of articles. I do enjoy reading them,
but I also find that too many tips can become rather unhelpful to me.
I run a small consultancy, it’s just me, myself and I and sometimes I
admit, I look to the internet and self-help books and articles for inspiration
and motivation. One article links to another article and before you know it,
it’s been an hour of what I am doing wrong! The New Year brings a deluge of
this kind of reading, which at first can get the creative juices flowing and
can set you on highly motivated path. However, what happens when you read too
many ‘how tos’?
For me, this can create some negative emotions towards my work such
as self-doubt and procrastination. Add
some ‘how to create a 6-figure business in six months’ podcast into the mix and
boy, now we’re spiralling into a slightly depressive state! Why would this
happen? Well, I have spent some time thinking about this and here is my
opinion.
In a nutshell, we worry about what everyone else is doing, rather
than focusing on our own business and goals. I ask myself questions such as
“what if their tips are better than mine”? or “maybe I should be working on
this rather than that”? These types of questions are completely
counterproductive. They create self-doubt and take your energy away from your
intended task to a place where the questions will have no end. Yes, there will
always be someone with a different way of doing things, their tried and tested
method is the best, but what is important is how YOU want to do things. It is
your business, your life, your path and you know your strengths and weaknesses.
Ok, so let’s take me as an example. I am a very good copywriter; (modest
as well hey)? I have a degree in Marketing and HR and I have worked with some
amazing businesses over the years. My experience on paper is great, however, I
am human and sometimes I worry that there is someone better than me out there. Realistically,
yes, there maybe, but I know I am good at what I do, and they are good at what
they do, so I just accept that and let it go. Going back to the top tip
articles, treat them for what they are, another person’s opinion. You can
acknowledge that and move on.
The point I am trying to make is that self-help books and ‘how to’
articles are good in small doses. They serve their purpose in our lives and the
person writing them is just like you and me, they don’t know everything,
especially not the best path for your life or business.
So, bearing all this in mind, here are my ‘top tips’ for preventing a
self-help overload:
1.
Read your chosen poison with an
open mind, don’t take their advice to heart and look at the content with a
critical mind.
2.
Try not to focus on too many
areas to improve. Sit down and think about the key area you want to work on and
what will impact on you the most. Focus on
finding your podcasts, articles or books in that area. Taking on too many at
once will not help in you achieving progress.
3.
Remember these individuals are
not the all-seeing eye. They are only offering an opinion on what works for
them. Please don’t try to fit into their mould and if it isn’t right for you,
move on and try something or someone else.
4.
Don’t rule out speaking or confiding
in your loved ones, friends or employer to get advice, they know you and they
may have a simple fix to help?
5.
Most importantly, realise your
own potential. You do not need a podcast or top tip to make you a success; it
is in all of us with hard work and a positive attitude. Use the self-help and
top tip articles to assist you, not as a problem solver.
What is your experience of the self-help craze? What are your top
tips for managing information overload, does this affect you?
Thanks for reading.
Bye for now. Allyson
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