Recently I have been visiting a beautiful park near me. The weather has been favorable and the sunshine is beckoning me to get out of the house. My latest goal, rather forced upon me for reasons I will not dive into, is to lose weight. I read that the number one way to lose weight is to walk 150 minutes a week. Bonus if you add 20 minutes of interval exercise within each one-hour session. So on top of my ballet toning I do several times a week, I’ve added three days of walking.
Frankly, I’m not thrilled with the goal itself. But walking has helped me push aside thoughts of my weight loss and simply enjoy the peaceful setting. I’m getting to know the birds — the robins, cardinals, and Eastern bluebirds, among them. I’m admiring the native foliage that surrounds the park. And there is a lovely gurgling brook that runs along the back of the park that provides a steady rhythm with my exercise.
It is also a time when my mind delves into creative thinking, such as what I plan to write for my articles. When an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly distracts me, I enjoy the moment and reflect on the scene.
I’ve written often about how getting outside helps our creative juices to flow. Not to mention the effect it has on our health and well-being.
But I also realized in my walk that when we have a goal, it is better to enjoy the journey to get there. Because if we struggle with the tasks to reach our aim; if we are no longer interested in or like what we are doing, then it is time to move on.
How does this method help us with our marketing?
Eastern Bluebird. (Photo by Skyler Ewing from Pexels)
Marketing to meet your goal
Marketing our work, our products, or our services is not a simple task for many. Depending on what you need to market and how you are going about it, it can be labor intensive. Yet creation has been reminding me of a few things regarding our focus.
(1) Be yourself. The male cardinal is stunning in his crimson feathers and black outline around his beak and eyes. When he nestles on a tree branch, it does not matter that brilliant green leaves surround him. He stands out and it is striking. Similarly, when you market yourself and your work, remember you do not need to copy what others are doing. You are unique. Your personality and values cannot be duplicated. Own your work by being you and you will stand out.
(2) Enjoy the journey. The sounds in the park are wonderfully distracting. The birds have melodious tunes, the brook lightly hums as it ripples over the rocks, the breeze softly sweeps through and rustles the leaves like a whisper. All of these unique voices are like the chorus in a natural symphony. The walk is then calming, the goal in the distance. Make sure when you have your objective, that the tasks you are doing in your marketing are things you enjoy so much it is as if you are on a leisurely walk in the park. Do what you like so the purpose is not as stressful. For example, if you love using social media and it is working for you, but you loathe cold calling and it is not effective, then focus on what works and what you like. If you enjoy writing and sending out your newsletter and see traction, but do not get much feedback on your social media, then stick to your newsletter.
(3) Embrace your environment. Native plants and flowers are intriguing. They grow well in the environment they belong in. Often the petals and leaves have interesting colors and shapes, which capture my attention. The plants do not worry if it is going to rain because they’ll thrive regardless. The bees happily swarm them and the entire ecosystem is flourishing. When you focus on what works for you, regardless of what others (i.e., your competition) are doing, you’ll thrive and you’ll be happier. And your uniqueness, as mentioned above, will draw the right kind of attention: the attention of your prospective audience.
Do what you like so the purpose is not as stressful.
Focus on the journey
This article is about your marketing journey in meeting your business or writing goals (or weight loss goals). When you are engrossed in the journey and derive joy from it, you will be less concerned about the objective itself. Because let’s face it, reaching our goals is not always easy. But we want to avoid complicating the steps to reach them.
If I thought with every painful step I take in my walk that I must lose weight and why am I putting myself through this torture and agony and when is this going to be over!? Well, I probably won’t last and instead give up. Yet my focus is on where I am in the moment and the beautiful plant and animal life around me; the quiet time in my head allows me to do some creative thinking since I’m not in front of my computer or phone. Honestly, the walk has increased my productivity.
Will I lose weight? I lost four pounds my first week, so I’m off to a good start. While my goal is still there, I’m getting a lot more out of the journey than just reaching my target. I’m actually enjoying those painful steps. When you are immersed in something you find satisfying, you don’t really notice the challenges.
When we have a goal, it is better to enjoy the journey to reach it. We should market our work and our business in ways that work for us and even bring us joy. When we immerse ourselves in something we find satisfying, we don’t notice the challenges. By being our unique selves, taking time to enjoy the journey, and embracing our environment by doing what works for us, we avoid complicating the steps we need to take to reach our objective.
(Header photo by Pixabay from Pexels.)
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