Don’t let the need for freedom sabotage your business

So many people have a real need for freedom, and it’s one of the real driving forces in having your own business.

Freedom to choose what you want to do, freedom around your own schedule, freedom.

Personally, I love the freedom I have. I create the schedule I want, I don’t have anyone editing my voice, it’s great.

However, I’ve seen what I’ll call an unexamined need for freedom undermining people’s businesses.

What can an unexamined need for freedom look like?

• A refusal to have a permanent, set schedule, fearing the loss of spontaneity, which makes it difficult for clients to plan their own lives.
• A resistance to marketing and making one’s business full and abundant, fearing the loss of unstructured time.
• A resistance to speaking in language that a client can easily understand, fearing losing the freedom of self-expression.

Of course, there are other ways that an unexamined need for freedom can come up, but these are the three most common.

It’s not that any of these three are bad choices. It’s the unexamined, unconscious choosing of them that is so painful.

If someone has taken the time to really be with their needs around their schedule, and they are okay with the consequences of how many clients may not be able to show up with them, there’s nothing, zero, wrong with choosing to avoid a permanent, set schedule.

What I want for you is to make these choices consciously, not unconsciously in reaction. I want you to have a business that truly works for you, not one that is hampered by unnecessary restrictions.

Let’s look at one of these consciously.

The need for spontaneity is absolutely legitimate. I have a need for spontaneity, and play, and I think most humans do, too.

However, when I examine it deeply in my heart, I realize I don’t need the ability to be spontaneous every second of every day. That some routine, some predictability is really good for me, too.

I can put that to work in my business. In creating my schedule, I set certain times as open for client sessions. Let’s say I set client hours to be Monday-Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

That leaves Friday through Sunday, and late afternoons to be spontaneous, as well as any unfilled client slots.

Of course, that’s just one way to do it. As an alternative, I could make two weeks out of the month heavy client weeks, and the other two to three weeks extremely light client weeks, leaving lots of time for spontaneity.

I don’t want you to sacrifice any of your needs for your business.

I don’t think that kind of sacrifice is necessary at all. Identify the needs you have, embrace them, and then lean in and really see what will help fulfill them.

Do that, and I’m certain you can find ways to structure your business that helps your business to fly and meets your heart’s needs. Otherwise, what’s the point?

If you’ve found a creative way to meet one of your core needs, please share it! The more ideas, the more inspired people will be.

With love,

Mark Silver, M. Div.
Heart of Business, Inc.
Every act of business can be an act of love.