❌ 5 things I gave up to preserve my mental health and to stay free
1️⃣ Watching what the competition is doing and compare myself
Inevitably, when we’re in the game of business, we tend to look at what the competition is doing as a kind of indicator of the market and to evaluate ourselves in comparison.
The problem is that we’re comparing our backroom to the marketing showcase of others!
This had 3 negative effects: I often felt behind, it influenced my strategic choices and (even unconsciously) it put me in the position of a follower.
Since I stopped watching several years ago, I feel more confident and creative! I focus on my business and my customers!
2️⃣ Toxic relationships
I’m no longer interested in people who complain all the time and always see problems without a solution!
Also, when you change, you become more and more misaligned with some people. Some relationships drag you down. Personal evolution inevitably leads to an evolution in our environment.
I have a rule: it’s not up to me to get down, it’s up to others to get up!
3️⃣Listening to the wrong people
There’s no such thing as good advice or bad advice. There is advice, but it has to be compatible to the context and personality.
Something may work for someone but not for us! The best people to advise us don’t give universal answers; they’re really interested in our vision, our strengths, our personality…
Not all advice is good advice! When I listened too much, I messed up…
So I’ve learned to listen better (subtly) by filtering (people who share my values, my vision and understand) and here’s an example…
4️⃣ Chasing more and betting on hypergrowth
I set out to become free! Then, by listening to advice and getting carried away, I ended up with a bigger and bigger team and higher and higher stakes.
I started holding more meetings, managing and working 10 times more with heavier processes, until I didn’t feel free anymore…
I finally decided, after some reflection, to reduce my team and get back on track by returning to a model that left me free !
It’s important not to forget why you started out in the first place, but I think I needed to do this experiment (which was calling to me at the time) to sort out what suits me and what doesn’t.
Today, I prefer to have my own small team, cool customers, creative projects and the freedom to manage my schedule without meetings every day…
5️⃣ Trying to be right and be loved!
My greatest liberation !
For a long time, I wanted to be understood and appreciated by making content. It turns out that no matter what you say, do or share… It’s impossible to please everyone, let alone always be understood!
What’s more, wanting to be right is a never-ending quest, especially on the Internet where it seems like you’re always justifying yourself.
In the end, I don’t care: I share to the right people that decide to follow, those who disagree… well… don’t…. Everyone understands what they want, and we move forward 🙂
Sincerely, this freedom (my #1 value, and I’m sure we all share it) really comes to life when you let go of all that:
Stop comparing yourself and focus on your own progress and creativity
Stop listening to everyone else and filter the advice by adapting it to ourselves.
Detach ourselves from competition and numbers to cultivate more freedom in a model adapted to our own definition of success.
Stop trying to be liked or understood, just focus on the right people and start loving yourself!
Be and stay Free !
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