You don’t have to be all things to all people. I love these 10 words. They serve as a mantra when I’m overwhelmed and stretched out like a sticky rubber band trying to please everyone and on the verge of snapping.
I’m certainly not the only one who feels this tension. It’s in no small way a product of the pressure and conflicting messages we all receive from society. Recently, a colleague shared a meme by Zoe Blaskey, transformational coach and founder of the personal development platform for mothers, Motherkind. It beautifully articulates the immense expectations placed on women:
“Have a career, but also don’t miss a moment. Keep on top of the life admin, the cooking, the cleaning, the organising, and whatever you do: don’t drop any balls. Don’t forget to reply to every WhatsApp message immediately. You don’t want to seem too busy. It’s rude. And make sure you look good while doing it all.”
Tall order, right? No, impossible! In fact, the best thing you can do is throw the balls you’re juggling into the “stuff-it bucket”! So bring out the air guitar and join me in belting out: “We’re not gonna take it! No, we ain’t gonna take it anymore!”
Pleasing everyone and trying to do everything is a recipe for chaos. And this applies to business, too. The irony is that a product that tries to do everything and please everyone is a mess. People-pleasing is a sure-fire way to lose respect. Pulling out every marketing tactic in the book and applying them all at once is a goal-repellent.
Rather, refine your product, carve out a niche, be ultra-picky with your approach, and manage (or if you’re in a particularly salty mood, blatantly shred) expectations.
Face the fact that you will inevitably disappoint someone, but guess what? That’s OK.
And now for the best quote from Bryan Dyson, former CEO of Coca-Cola: “The trick to juggling is knowing which balls are made of rubber and which balls are made of glass”.
So, some advice for the week? Drop it like it’s hot!
Mindful Musings
What the world was musing over this past week
Go Bokke!
We were meme-musing over the heart-racing SA vs UK match.
A smokin’ hot calendar
Koala bears, pugs, kittens, and firemen pose for the Australian Firefighters 2024 Calendar to raise money for charity and set our hearts afire.
AI art imposter
Test your visual detective skills and spot the AI-generated artwork imposter among Google’s Arts & Culture images. It’s harder than you think!
Tell me sweet little lies
Lying about your life is a major 2024 travel trend, according to Booking.com’s latest commissioned research.
