Christy Wright
Appearances
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Say "No" In Order To Say "Yes"
We have a tendency to believe that, you know, somehow we can please everyone. And I know that we intellectually understand that we can't, but we still try to. And that's where that guilt comes from, wanting to say yes and please that person versus do the right thing and say no when it's not the right fit for you.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Say "No" In Order To Say "Yes"
But the reality is that we can understand that you will always disappoint people because your time, your money, and your energy are finite. You're always going to have to make choices. And so leadership is really about making the right choices. And when you realize that you're going to disappoint people, in leadership you will disappoint people. That is a fact.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Say "No" In Order To Say "Yes"
But the key is just disappointing the right people. And if you have to discern it to understand, I'm going to say yes to this situation because this is the right decision for me and for my business and what I'm doing, my goals. then you have a little bit more confidence in order to say no to that person because you're focused more on your yes.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Say "No" In Order To Say "Yes"
This is so that I can say yes to this thing versus just feeling the guilt of saying no to this other person. But really, I mean, all leaders and everyone in general, we want to make people happy. We don't want to disappoint people. But I think if we realize that we're saying no in order to say yes, to something better and something more right for us and get focused on our guests.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Say "No" In Order To Say "Yes"
And that makes it a little bit easier to do that. You need to decide in leadership, do you want to be popular or do you want to be effective? Because you can see both. And you can be popular and try to make everyone happy and say yes to everyone and try to be everyone's friend, but you're not going to be effective.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Say "No" In Order To Say "Yes"
And if you're going to be effective, sometimes that involves saying no and doing the right thing for the greater good of the business and the goals and the proper and yourself personally. But that leads to a more effective leader, possibly less popular at times, which is hard, but in the long run, everyone will benefit when you're more effective.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Most people believe fear is a sign you're doing something bad. It means it's a red flag. If I was supposed to do this, it would be easy. I wouldn't be scared. But I would say the opposite is true. Fear isn't a sign you're doing something bad. I think it's a sign you're doing something bold.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
I've always been a go-getter and a doer and a mover and a shaker. And so I would have my career working for nonprofit, but I had these side hustles, these side gigs. And what I've noticed is now we really live in a side gig economy. where there are over a million Americans working as freelancers or independent workers. So many people have these little side jobs or side hustles.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And so I noticed there's an opportunity to come alongside women specifically and help them with the business side of things. Because while pursuing what you love can be incredibly rewarding, the business side of things overwhelms a lot of people. How do I market myself? Or how do I stand out in the competition? And how do I sell without feeling slimy? Or how do I manage my time when I'm a mom?
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And one of the things I've noticed is as women, we really approach business uniquely. Because as you know, we're wired differently as men and women. The book is a step-by-step plan to start, run, or grow your business. But in the book, I cover all the issues that women need to understand in order to grow a business. But for example, I never talk about customer service.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
There's not a single chapter in the book on customer service. And here's why. Women intuitively take care of people. You don't have to tell a woman, be kind, super serve, go above and beyond. She naturally is very relational and she is great at empathizing. And so she's fantastic at customer service. I don't need to teach that.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
However, because women are so relational, things like selling or pricing yourself or talking about your product or setting boundaries or policies makes her feel uncomfortable. And so I spend a lot of time on how to sell.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Sure. Well, I think for me, I have noticed that everyone probably has been burned by a pushy salesperson, someone that didn't do it well. And so because they've had a bad interaction, whether that's a used car salesman that totally tried to take advantage of them or been interrupted and bullied by someone in sales, it frames their perception of sales.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
So they have this idea that sales equals pushy, aggressive, having an agenda, taking advantage of someone, taking their money. And they use all these words to describe it when in fact, sales is really about serving. And so what I do is I spend a lot of time reframing this idea of sales for people.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Because if you can redefine it for them and show them what sales truly is, then they can sell with confidence. So for example, sales is influence. So influence... Influence is simply making an impression on someone, leading someone to a great result. So if you're married, then you influence someone to spend the rest of their life with you. That's a big sale.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
If you got your kids to eat dinner last night... The thing is, we're really in the business of influence. And one of the things I've noticed is that I'm in the business of sales. And so I stay on stage all the time telling people how to reach their goals and how to build their business and how to have more life balance. And you know what no one ever says to me? That Christie Wright.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
She's so pushy telling me I should reach my goals. Why? Because I'm not selling. I'm just influencing. And when you believe in your product or your service or your business, you realize it really is about serving and taking care of the marketplace. Because when you're meeting people's needs... and you're solving their problems, the sale is natural.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
But we focus so often on the pushy side of things that we hold back and we don't even ask for the sale. Many people don't have sales simply because they aren't asking.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Yeah. And I'll tell you, I had an experience, I guess it was about two years ago. So when my son Carter, I was dropping him off at daycare for the first time, which if you end up taking your kids to daycare, just know it is a traumatic day. And you are a basket case. And you're leaving them in the arms and the care of someone else. And I was leaving daycare that day just feeling so guilty.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
The daycare, by the way, is exactly like one-tenth of a mile from our office. So this child is right next to me. He's perfectly safe. I was just overcome with guilt and feeling, what if he needs me? What if he's scared? What if he's sad? What if he cries? What if... And I felt really, honestly, God say to me in that moment, Christy, I want you to remember that what you're doing is important.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And I felt God saying what I was driving to, which I was driving to work. And what's interesting is it shifted my perspective because I think as parents and as business owners, it's very easy to look in the rearview mirror of our life instead of the front windshield. So we're always focused on what we're leaving behind.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Oh, I feel... When we're at home, I feel guilty I'm not getting enough done at work. So we got our email open and we've got our phones on and we're always thinking about where we're not. And then... When we go to work, we feel guilty we're not with our kids. We're not at home. We're missing out on soccer games. So I just want you to shift your perspective.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Realize that both things that you're doing, your work and your family, are very important. And you love them both very much. And that's okay. That's a good thing. But the best way to shake the guilt is to focus on wherever you are. So if you're at work, be there. Bust it. Make a difference. But you're at home...
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
put your computer down, look your kids in the eye, put your phone away and be present there. So wherever you are, be there. And for me, that has been a game changer because you are looking through the front windshield instead of the rear view mirror. And I love how my friend Tony says it. He says, I'm always driving to somewhere that I love.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
When I'm driving to work, I'm driving to somewhere that I love. And when I'm driving home, I'm driving to somewhere that I love. And it really is about looking where you're going, not focusing on what you're momentarily leaving behind.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Yeah, I totally do. And here's what's interesting is I think it really comes down to whether you're working a full-time professional job in an office, like maybe some of your listeners are, or you're working part-time, or you're just using your gifts in some way at home, even if you're volunteering. If you're doing something outside or in addition to...
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
of your responsibilities as a mother, as a parent, as a dad. I think there is incredible value in your kids seeing you use your gifts. And for me, my mom, for example, growing up, my mom did not teach me work ethic and character and perseverance and persistence and resilience. She lived it. And I live it as well. More is caught than taught.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And it's so powerful when you live in your strengths, when you use your gifts, when you do something that is contributing to the world, whether that's through volunteering or through your job or your business. It is an unbelievable example to your children that is more powerful than anything you could teach.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
So my argument is for women or for men is you're not harming your children by working hard. It doesn't make you a bad parent. In fact, I think it makes you a better parent. And Meg Meeker has a fantastic quote. She says, the most powerful way to teach a daughter how to enjoy life is to let her see her mother do the same.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
So what does that look like for you in terms of using your gifts and doing work or doing things that bring you joy? And like I said, I don't think it makes you a bad parent. It makes you a better parent. It doesn't make you selfish. It makes you smart. And you are going to raise children that have those qualities because you live them out as well.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
My mom, her story of the cake shop was a story of struggle. I certainly didn't have a Pinterest perfect childhood sleeping on flour and sugar bags. But that is the story that made me. The struggle didn't hurt me.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Okay. I'll tell you for me and my research, but also in my personal experience is the number one thing that you will experience that will hold you back is fear. The number one thing. Now, when you're in the workplace, it may be a different type of fear and that voice of fear might be a little bit different.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
So for example, when you're doing your own business, if you had a side business or small business that you want to start, the voice might say something like, who are you to do this? Someone's doing it better. There's no room for you in the marketplace.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Now, when you're in a work environment, a professional environment, and you want to launch a new project, or you want to pitch an idea to your leadership team, then the voice might say something like, everyone's going to make fun of you. What are people going to think? Who do you think you are to try to lead this? Someone else is already in that position. That's not in your job descriptions.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
So the voice might say something different. I want to be clear there. Depending on the situation that you're in, the root of the problem is the same. You're going to experience fear. And fear is very normal anytime that you're doing something new. You're going to have fear creep up and it will torment you with these terrifying possibilities of what's going to happen if you do it.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
That's a great question. And it's interesting because I was raised by an entrepreneur. So my mom started a business when I was 6 months old to raise and support me. So I was literally raised in the business at times. We would go there at 2 and 3 in the morning for her to bake early. And so I have countless memories of this cake shop. And it really is the backdrop to my childhood.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
You're going to fail. People will make fun of you. You're going to be embarrassed. You're going to post something on Facebook and no one's going to like it. You're going to be a fool. And so when this fear gets really loud, that's where most people get stuck. Because most people believe that fear is a sign you're doing something bad. It means it's a red flag. So you should turn back now.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
If I was supposed to do this, it would be easy. I wouldn't be scared. But I would say the opposite is true. Fear isn't a sign you're doing something bad. I think it's a sign you're doing something bold. And I think that is a good thing. And even very, very successful people are scared.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Many successful people that are well-known celebrities and athletes have suffered from the imposter syndrome, which is the syndrome that says, who are you to do this? You don't deserve to be here. People like Maya Angelou, Kate Winslet, Michael Jordan, talk about this fear of failure, this fear of not being good enough to do the thing that they're doing.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And so I just encourage people, the antidote to fear is action. The best thing you can do when you're scared is to take action, is to step into that fear. I tell people all the time, don't wait until you're not scared to do the thing you want to do. Do it scared because that feeling may never come. I've been scared plenty of times, but I still walk on the stage even though I'm scared.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
So what is that that you want to do? Is it a project you want to launch? Is it a new initiative at work that you want to lead? You want to raise your hand and say, I think it's time for me to lead this thing. Is it starting... Growing a team from the ground up? Maybe pitching a really big client at work? Maybe it's starting a side or small business.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Whatever that thing is, don't wait until you're not scared to do it. Do it scared.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
It's interesting because I think the whole business side of things really intimidates a lot of people and keeps them from starting businesses. You feel like before you've started a business that that stuff, the insurance, the taxes, represents probably 90% of running a business. But the reality is... it represents about 10%. Now granted, it's a very important 10%.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
But the majority of your time, the 90% day-to-day, it's doing interviews, writing blogs, serving customers, making sales. It's doing the fun stuff, which is why you got into business. Now, certainly you need to take care of the business side of things. You need to keep your records. You need to have insurance. You need to pay your taxes. Those things are very, very important.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
But what I would say for people that are intimidated by that, is if you can, just get help in those areas. You're not expected to be an expert in everything. But there are probably people around you on social media, in your church, in your community, in your neighborhood, that if you just simply put a word out like, Hey, do you know anybody that can help me with this?
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And that's true for anything that you're weak. I tell people again and again, in business, but also in leadership for your listeners that are working in a company, in a career, you are going to be the most successful in life, regardless of what type of work you do. You will be the most successful when you stay in your strengths.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And so I have memories of her pulling me out of bed and going to the bakery to bake. And I'd go to... She'd actually make me a bed on her big, huge bags of powdered sugar and flour. And I'd go back to sleep. When it was time to go to school, I'd go to school with the smell of flour in my hair.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And so how that plays out is you're going to be the most successful, but you're also going to have the most fun when you do what you're good at. So for all of the areas that you're weak, especially in business, just ask for help. Find people around you that can support you. My husband is incredible with details.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
So he helps me with the organization of things and the follow through and covering all the basis things I wouldn't even think about because I'm a creative. I'm a big idea person. So surround yourself with people that are strong in areas that you're weak and then you can stay in your strengths and those people get to stay in their strengths as well.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
It's interesting because if fear can get so loud and terrify you with these possibilities of what will happen and then you stay stuck and you never do anything, then you continue to believe that story that you're telling yourself like, Oh, I couldn't do it because it was so big. It turns into this excuse that you justify being stuck.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
But the truth is, and that's the reason I say, the antidote to fear is action because the best way to make that fear shut up is to do it. Then fear can't torment you with these terrifying possibilities. What will happen if you do it? Because you did it and you survived. And it's the best way to make fear stop taunting you is when you actually just step into it and do the thing anyway.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
I would say find out what the quickest win is for you and your business and your idea. So the lowest hanging fruit. So for example, if you want to have a huge online community, you've got this big dream and you want to have a big blog and all that stuff. Don't get overwhelmed by this big, big idea. Write one blog. Let's say you want to launch a huge boutique storefront.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
Don't get overwhelmed by all of that. Just sell one product. Make one sale, write one blog, do one speaking event. What is the thing for you that's the lowest hanging fruit? Because if you take that one step, I mean just one step, that's all you have to do. One baby step. That win will fuel your confidence to take the second step, which will fuel your confidence to take the third step.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And then baby step after time, months and years later, you're living your dream and you're at that final vision. But the truth is, it just happened by taking that first step. So whatever that is for you, figure that out. Your quickest win, your lowest hanging fruit, take that step that will fuel your confidence to keep going.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Facing Entrepreneurial Fears, with Christy Wright (Business, Sales, Persistence, Boutique)
And I would always get money out of the cash drawer, which it's no surprise that her bookkeeper hated me because cash never balanced. But I was a typical child of an entrepreneur. I was always there. And that was really my first introduction to business. And from there, I pursued a degree in business in college and then started my own side businesses throughout my career.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
You can get more of anything in this life that you want, except time. You can earn more money. You can gain more relationships. You can find more stuff. But regardless of how much power or money or fame you have in your lifetime, you cannot have a single minute more than every other person has, which is exactly 24 hours in a day.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
But regardless of how much power or money or fame you have in your lifetime, You cannot have a single minute more than every other person has, which is exactly 24 hours in a day. And so when you think about just how finite our time is, you start to realize how incredibly valuable it is. It's the only thing we can't get more of.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
So it's that much more important that we really make sure we're putting it in the best places, the right places, and using it in a way that's going to be the most effective for the results we want to get.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
Well, I think how we manage it is definitely a big differentiator for our success. We have to keep in mind, too, everyone's version of success is very different. So someone that is a high achiever will have different goals than someone that wants to have a small people live in a small town and not have accomplishments or accolades. They value different things.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And so our version of success will really determine how we handle our time. But because time is so finite and we all have to frame them out, then how we handle that really determines our ability to be our version of successful. And so whenever you look at it that way, you start thinking, okay, how can I manage this in a way that's going to get me to the results that I want to get to?
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And what's interesting is there's a great quote by Warren Buffett where he says, the difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything. And I would say to answer your question, what's the difference between our ability to be successful with our time? It really comes down to our ability to say no.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
Because when we can't say no to things that, you know, demands and opportunities and guilt trips and things people try to suck us into, then we live our lives for other people. And we don't end up intentionally creating it on purpose, creating a schedule on purpose proactively to get to our results. We're achieving everyone else's results.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And so I think it comes down to the ability to say no and whether or not we're going to use that time in the way that we want to reach our goals.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
I know. I think the reality is that we have a tendency to believe that, you know, somehow we can please everyone. And I know that we intellectually understand that we can't, but we still try to. And that's where that comes from, wanting to say yes and please that person versus do the right thing and say no when it's not the right thing for you.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
But the reality is that we can understand that you will always disappoint people because your time, your money, and your energy are finite. You're always going to have to make choices. And so leadership is really about making the right choices. And when you realize that you're going to disappoint people, in leadership you will disappoint people. That is a fact.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
But the key is just disappointing the right people. And if you discern it to understand, I'm going to say yes to this situation because this is the right decision for me and for my business and what I'm doing, my goals. then you have a little bit more confidence in order to say no to that person because you're focused more on your yes.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
This is so that I can say yes to this thing versus just feeling the guilt of saying no to this other person. But really, I mean, all leaders and everyone in general, we want to make people happy. We don't want to disappoint people. But I think if we realize that we're saying no in order to say yes, to something better and something more right for us and get focused on a guest.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And that makes it a little bit easier to do that. You need to decide in leadership, do you want to be popular or do you want to be effective? Because you can see both. And you can be popular and try to make everyone happy and say, yes, everyone should be everyone's friend, but you're not going to be effective.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And if you're going to be effective, sometimes that involves saying no and doing the right thing for the greater good of the business and the goals and the proper and yourself personally. But that leads to a more effective leader, possibly less popular at times, which is hard. But in the long run, everyone will benefit when you're more effective.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
Well, you know, it's a temptation for a lot of people because it's just so normal in our culture. As a culture, we are maxed out. We're maxed out on our credit cards. We're maxed out on our time and our commitments. We are burning the candle at both ends.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And this is just the normal day-to-day where people stand around the water cooler and talk about just how little sleep they got that night before. Almost like it's a badge of honor of how hard we work, how long we work, how much we have going on, how many errands, etc., But the reality is, is that's not what leads to a productive or even fulfilling life because it's not sustainable long term.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
You're not going to be as effective or productive at work if you maintain that long term. And so really the idea of just to avoid overcrowding your schedule is just to create margins. So you want to create pockets of time, and it's not a prescription of it has to be this amount of hours.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
But you need to have some margin and some cushion in your time, just like we teach people with the faith account. You don't want to live paycheck to paycheck. You need some cushion and some savings and some margin to fall back on. But that's true with your energy, and that's true with your time. I wrote an article on my blog about this a couple months ago.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
But what if we just treated our schedule and our energy a little bit differently where we stopped before we were completely burnt out, exhausted, where we called out moments of time, whether that's an hour or 20 minutes or an entire day, where we didn't allow any commitments to come in. And then we were able to focus on the West and recovery and hobbies and helping our families.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And some of these things that then when we went back, we were actually more productive and effective. But the way that we operate right now is that if I have five extra minutes, I try to crowbar something else in and write a blog real quick or catch up with someone or make a phone call.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And it's like we don't have to operate that way and we'll actually be more effective if we can create some space and margin. It doesn't make sense logically because we think, oh, I could be getting more done.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
But essentially those pockets of time is what's going to enable you to be more effective long term and be more sustainable for the wall haul and leadership when the demands are going to continue to increase. You can't be creative when you're exhausted. There's no room for new possibilities.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
There's no room for spartaneity where you and your wife just want to go off on a trip or, hey, let's go to this new random restaurant. There's no room for so many wonderful things in life like creativity and rest and rejuvenation and recovery and new possibilities, innovation. All those things occur in space.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And so if we never allow there to be any breathing room or space, then we're missing out on all those awesome things in life that also enrich our business and ourselves personally.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
Well, I think when you set a boundary and these are absolute, it's guidelines. But when you set a boundary, it really helps you decide in advance. And when you make decisions in advance, it takes away so much of the mental angst of trying to decide at the moment. Every single time an opportunity or request comes up where you've got that pull of, I want to say no, but I feel like I need to say yes.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And you've got this mental anxiety going on. If you have a few boundaries set in place, then you go ahead and you have already decided in advance to take the pressure off of you where you can rely on that boundary because it made the decision for you. So I'll give you an example. Sunday night on a night that my husband and I have protected since the beginning, since we even dated.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
Yeah, thank you, Josh, for having me. I appreciate it.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And it's just a time that we set aside and we said, with very few exceptions, this is the night that we're going to have together. We don't do anything exciting. We do laundry and just catch up and hang out and get ready for the week. It's not a very You know, exciting time, but it's our time. That has protected that time that we can count on together.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And so anytime anyone asks me to do anything on Sunday night, I don't even have to think about it. Making that decision is effortless. I'm like, oh, no, I'm sorry. That's the time for my husband and I. And what's so great is this really protects our priorities and it keeps life's endless demands alive. from chipping away at those because you have this protected time.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
Now, of course, exceptions come up. This last week I flew out on Sunday because I was going to Connecticut to speak and then doing media and then going to Philadelphia and we didn't have much Sunday night. So there's going to be a few exceptions. It's not rigid and absolute, but for the majority of the time, That's the time that he and I can count on.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And it's a great boundary that makes decision-making effortless on you, which is what you need when you're already in so high demand. People get caught up in this idea of, okay, things just mean I'm supposed to work 50% of the time and be at home 50% of the time. And no, that's not realistic. That's not the world that we live in. That's not how we function.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And so I tell people, it's really not about a 50-50 split. It's about being 100% present. When you're at work, work hard, be there, be focused. But when you're at home, let the phone down. Close the computer and be present for the people and the moments and the memories that are happening right in front of you. Life balance is not about giving everything an equal amount of time.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
It's about giving the right things at the right time. And so there's going to be seasons where you work more. So it's going to have an ebb and a flow, but people get caught up in this prescription of it has to have this equation that equals balance. No, it's really not that.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
Well, you know, it's interesting in the last few years and speaking on this topic, is it such a pain point for people? This is something that we are struggling with in every industry, every demographic, every age, every generation. It doesn't matter the gender or anything.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
It's really just carving out time for the right things for you and giving them attention at the right time in your life when that makes sense.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
Yeah, I think it comes back to kind of what we were just saying. There's no one right prescription for it. But here's one of the things I have identified. The people that are the most fulfilled and have that sense of valor, meaning they just feel at peace with themselves. It's not an equal split of things, but they just feel pretty good about the way that their life looks.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
People spend all of their time, or at least the far majority of their time, on things that are important to them. And they don't do things that are unimportant to them. Where the opposite is also true.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
The people that they may have families and they may have jobs and their schedule may be, you know, they may manage their schedule well, but when they spend their time on things that they don't care about, just like you and I were saying, they go to a business they want to go to, they take on projects they shouldn't take on, they take on other people's problems and responsibilities that are not theirs, they quickly get stressed, quickly get exhausted and anxious and frustrated because they're doing things that are not important to them.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
And so your decision-making paradigm is, do they need me and can I do it? and you spend all of your time for someone else, you will get stressed and frustrated and feel out of power. even if you have all the time in the world, but you can be incredibly busy and incredibly productive and you can have a lot of things on your plate.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
But if those things are all important to you, then you have a little bit more sense of balance because you're not wasting time just trying to fill everyone else's needs and pleasing other people. You know that what you're doing actually gives you energy and joy because you chose that whole purpose versus reacting to someone else's demands of you.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
I appreciate it.
The Action Catalyst
REMASTERED: Protect Your Time, with Christy Wright (Business, Time Management, Success, Author)
We're all struggling with how to deal with our time and how to manage it because we never seem to have enough for everything that we want to do. And I think one of the real challenges is that we don't realize just how finite it is. You can get more of anything in this life if you want, except time. You can earn more money. You can gain more relationships. You can buy more stuff.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
the number one thing that you will experience that will hold you back is fear. The number one thing. Now, when you're in the workplace, it may be a different type of fear and that voice of fear might be a little bit different.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
And so I just encourage people, the antidote to fear is action. The best thing you can do when you're scared is to take action, is to step into that fear. I tell people all the time, don't wait until you're not scared to do the thing you want to do. Do it scared because that feeling may never come. I've been scared plenty of times, but I still walk on the stage even though I'm scared.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
So what is that that you want to do? Is it a project you want to launch? Is it a new initiative at work that you want to lead? You want to raise your hand and say, I think it's time for me to lead this thing. Is it starting growing a team from the ground up? Maybe pitching a really big client at work? Maybe it's starting a side or small business.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
Whatever that thing is, don't wait until you're not scared to do it. Do it scared. It's interesting because if fear can get so loud and terrify you with these possibilities of what will happen, and then you stay stuck and you never do anything, then you continue to believe that story that you're telling yourself like, Oh, I couldn't do it because it was so big.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
It turns into this excuse that you justify being stuck. But the truth is, and that's the reason I say, the antidote to fear is action. Because the best way to make that fear shut up is to do it. Then fear can't torment you with these terrifying possibilities. What will happen if you do it? Because you did it and you survived.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
And it's the best way to make fear stop taunting you is when you actually just step into it and do the thing anyway.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
Now, when you're in a work environment, a professional environment, and you want to launch a new project or you want to pitch an idea to your leadership team, then the voice might say something like, everyone's going to make fun of you. What are people going to think? Who do you think you are to try to lead this? Someone else is already in that position. That's not in your job description.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
So the voice might say something different. I want to be clear there. Depending on the situation that you're in, the root of the problem is the same. You're going to experience fear. And fear is very normal anytime that you're doing something new. You're going to have fear creep up and it will torment you with these terrifying possibilities of what's going to happen if you do it.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
You're going to fail. People will make fun of you. You're going to be embarrassed. You're going to post something on Facebook and no one's going to like it. You're going to be a fool. And so when this fear gets really loud, that's where most people get stuck. Because most people believe that fear is a sign you're doing something bad. It means it's a red flag. So you should turn back now.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
If I was supposed to do this, it would be easy. I wouldn't be scared. But I would say the opposite is true. Fear isn't a sign you're doing something bad. I think it's a sign you're doing something bold. And I think that is a good thing. And even very, very successful people... are scared.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
Many successful people that are well-known celebrities and athletes have suffered from the imposter syndrome, which is the syndrome that says, who are you to do this? You don't deserve to be here. People like Maya Angelou, Kate Winslet, Michael Jordan, talk about this fear of failure, this fear of not being good enough to do the thing that they're doing.
The Action Catalyst
CLIP: Do It Scared
So for example, when you're doing your own business, if you had a side business or small business that you want to start, the voice might say something like, "...who are you to do this?" someone's doing it better. There's no room for you in the marketplace.