Do you ever feel like no one is listening to you or paying attention to anything that you say or do? Do you ever feel like you have answered the same question over and over again?
Spinning your wheels gets old quickly…
I suppose that it is possible that I am all alone here, but I highly doubt this. We live in the busiest time in human history and everyone is trying to get more done in less time. With all of the social media channels, messaging platforms, and live streaming choices its tough to keep anyone’s attention for more than a few fleeting seconds. Still with me?
Its kind of crazy to think about how much our lives have changed in the last 5 years!
How many times have you been introduced to someone new and after pleasantries are exchanged, they speak up and ask you “what you do?” It happens to me nearly everyday. Do you think anyone really cares about what you do?
Here is a better question.
Do you really care what anyone else does for a living? I mean really care? If you don’t care, neither does the person asking you.
Do you have any idea how many entrepreneurs and (insert your profession here) there are in the world?
Here comes the point that I have been working towards….
#1 – Stop telling people what you do.
When asked about “what you do,” know that the person asking doesn’t care and will forget before the day is over (if not sooner). It’s not personal, but this is the reality of living in such a “noisy” world where everyone has a side hustle and/or a common profession. Answering the “what do you do” question is boring and completely forgettable. I have made this mistake many, many, many times. It is simply a waste of everyone’s time and brings you no closer to staying on anyone’s radar. Check out this video where Simon Sinek speaks about this very topic. This was the inspiration for this entire post!
By the end of this post, I will offer up a different response for you to use when faced with this question.
#2 – Stop telling people how you do what you do.
If you are an actual inventor of new products, you may exclude yourself from this section. I say that because your process probably isn’t unique in a way that the average client or member of your audience is going to recognize. Although this segment of your conversation may be more exciting it is still forgettable and maybe even predictable, which is not a good thing.
I hate to say it, but no one cares!
I expect that you saw this conclusion coming based on the first question that I introduced earlier.
Here comes your takeaway, people: Do not focus your efforts on trying to answer the “what” and “how” questions because this will get you no where.
Easy enough?
Start focusing on telling people why you do what you do. When you drop your guard and just open up, your unfiltered passion spills out all over the place. Talking about your reason for doing what you do and how you do it allows others to identify with you. When your story sounds familiar to someone else, you get yourself an interested follower or a new client. This is especially true when you reference pain points that other people are currently experiencing.
There is no one else in the world quite like you. No one else has your unique story and life experiences. This is the power to the why! This gives the tone of your voice a unique sound in the ears of the person(s) that you are talking to. I took a few minutes to revisit this for my own brand on my most recent podcast episode (#39).
[Tweet “There is no one else in the world quite like you. No one else has your unique story and life experiences.”]
I encourage you all to try this shift in your approach and see what happens. Remember that focus, consistency, and finding your unique style are some of the keys to your success. Do something right now that your future self will be thankful for. Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your busy day to read this post all the way to the end. I appreciate it and always tip my hat to finishers, just like you!
Feel free to share your experiences on this topic or your thoughts, in the comments section of this post.
This book “The Backwards Route To Forward Progress: 7 Solutions For Crushing Fear, Self-Doubt and Limiting Beliefs” will entertain you, give you simple actionable steps and give you the courage that you need to do more than you have ever done before. Make a little extra space on your book shelf or give the gift of inspiration to someone else and begin on the backwards route to your own forward progress.
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