Just because you’ve survived “the beginner blues” doesn’t mean your business can’t be prone to a mid-life crisis. 

It’s interesting but not uncommon that many, if not most, businesses come to a point of wondering, “ok, now what?” whether it’s from burn out or simply falling out of love. Does this sound like you? 

Maybe you’re thinking about stepping away from your business. 

But, pursuing the “next thing entirely” isn’t necessarily the best direction. In fact, it’s heartbreaking to think about stepping away from a business that you poured so much of your heart and soul into at one time. 

If your business feels like it’s sucking the life out of you; whether it’s the clients you’re taking on, the day-to-day operations, the time commitments, the boredom or the “same same”, or something else, you’ve got to know something:

Business is hard. Business has its challenges. Business is like a marriage. And sometimes you just need to find one little spark to ignite the fire again.

Maybe you’re truly ready to throw it all in and, if that’s the case, you know yourself better than I do. 

Small Business Trends points to common causes for a business fail, with “starting for the wrong reason” at the top of the list. If you started for the wrong reason, it’s natural to feel bored or stagnant or burnt out. 

But, maybe you did start for the right reason; an exciting vision that once felt unattainable but begin to take shape…until it didn’t. 

Maybe what’s missing is passion.

If passion wasn’t there in the beginning, maybe it will never be there. And that’s ok. Go find something you ARE passionate about!

But, if you’ve lost sight of the passion and don’t know how to get it back BECAUSE of the day-to-day operations, client demands, the direction you’ve naturally headed in…it’s possible to get it back and fall back in love with your business again.

Trends suck out passion.

You’re in a creative industry and trends tend to overpower even the most well-intended creatives. Again, client demands and industry “standards” can hold you hostage to what you think it takes to make money and simultaneously lead you away from what your heart truly desires. 

But, the trends weren’t created from your true desire! 

It’s desire and what makes your heart sing that creates that excitement to keep going no matter how tough your days are or how challenging or even mundane projects become! 

Passion is the ingredient to a happy business marriage

Here’s how you can find the passion in and for your business again. So that you don’t have to step away or feel burnt out or stagnant and can continue to flourish and wake up excited day after day!

1. Rewrite your core message. Your core message is what fuels your marketing, your conversations, and your services! It’s what you and your clients feel when they think about your business. And it’s what stands you apart from the competition in a big way.

1. Reevaluate who you work with and why. If you’re “blindly” taking on clients because they’re paying you, no wonder you’ve lost that heart-skips-a-beat feeling! Who you work with can make or break a business. Who do you truly want to help? And why do you want to help this group of people? 

1. What’s your bigger why? What’s the big picture you’re working towards with and through your business? Besides your family and kids (we all have that why, don’t we?) 

For example, I had a mentor who loves animals and her big picture is someday opening an animal sanctuary. My big picture is to someday launch a community for young women who are considering entrepreneurship but don’t have the confidence to pursue it. The money I make will be going into this initiative someday. What’s your why?

Sincerely, Caroline

PS If you want more support getting clear about your goals and getting “unstuck” with your business, download the workbook 6 Steps to Getting Unstuck. Click Here! ​​