Predictable Overwhelm

I’ve heard it over and over.  I knew it was coming.  I knew it was real.  I’ve heard, or said, all the excuses.  I’ve even defied many excuses people have had.

But yes.  Marketing is overwhelming.  Therapy is overwhelming.  Or in my case, graduate school, full time parenthood AND running a few businesses is overwhelming, while trying to also sleep, keep my sanity, and potentially try to relax.  (Or stay awake due to fatigue.)

Here’s the reality though.  I’m in the middle of it now.

There is no excuse.

If you want to succeed, things have to go away, for a while anyway.

My favorite marketer talks about at the beginning putting in 4-6 hours A DAY into marketing.  Yes, a DAY.  She specifically says wipe out most of your obligations, or expectations for having the perfect house, perfect meals, and perfect life.  End your volunteering for a while, end things you assume you “must do”, and focus hard, and work HARD, every day, on your business.

She does mention having a pure day off, always, to recharge.  It’s not that you work every day nonstop.  Breaks are vital.

Imagine if more graduate students, and current therapists, had this no excuses approach?  What could you even envision doing for 4-6 hours EVERY DAY towards marketing?  Could you see how it would actually create growth faster, more effectively, and with more self-empowerment?

Now that I’m a month into grad school and seeing the tough reality, I am reassessing things.  I’ve got a fried brain, therapists wanting my time and creativity, kids who need a present mom, and businesses that need to continue.  Oh, and a husband who deserves a wife, not just a stressball partner!

I don’t have all the answers.  I just wanted to say even while having crazy dreams of baby penguins falling off my bed, having laundry piled up so high it reaches the ceiling (from the laundry chute), I still believe that hard work and a no excuses approach is the only way therapists can help themselves and help more people.  It seems it is more a question of saying “NO” to simple joys like watching TV, leisurely reading the paper, volunteering, for a more permanent life where those things can happen AND you can have more success.

My hope is to continue to help translate marketing and business stuff into SIMPLE, INSPIRING, energy-producing action for therapists!   Stick around.  :)

Oh, and if you have creative ideas for sanity, do share in the comments below!   I know we are all wired differently so relaxing to one person is stress to another, but it’d be fun to learn how those of you, especially those of you who were parents while in grad school, attempted “balance.”  :)