Episode 7: The messy, muddy middle

00:00 Before we get going, I have an invitation for you. If you're ready to find out how much easier it becomes to get things done when you have Make It Happen Club in your life? The doors are open to new members right now and i would love for you to join us! So Make It Happen club is a calm quiet sanctuary where you get the clarity focus and motivation you need Hello and welcome to Unfrazzle with me Louise Miller. If you're a solo business owner and you have a big exciting vision and loads of ideas that you want to get out in the world but without drowning in a sea of overwhelm, then this is the podcast for you. Each week I'll be sharing bite-sized insights to help you stop faffing and stay focused so you can make your brilliant ideas happen and make a bigger impact in the world It's time to step away from the hustle and find a kinder more sustainable approach to productivity So grab yourself a cuppa and let's get started

01:33 A few summers ago I went on a writing retreat and i say went but what i actually mean is, I went into the spare room and settled in there for a day of writing. As I settled into my space I knew what I wanted to create and was eager to get going! I'd got my notebook, pen, chocolate at the ready...I was ready to go And after five hours I'd scribbled eight pages of A4 and i would love to be able to end that sentence with which felt great but if i said that, I would be lying because it was a wonderful day but what I had to show for it the writing I had in my hand didn't feel great at all. Sometimes we put in the time and we do the work and we're not entirely happy with the outcome so when that happens to you how do you respond?

02:18 Do you consider it a complete waste of time and feel utterly disheartened and frustrated? Or are you able to take a wider view. At the end of our day writing together we were given the prompt, what I'm taking from this retreat is... And my response to that prompt reflected on the fact that sometimes we have to wade through the mud to find the treasure We have to get that first often excruciating layer of not quite rightness out of the way before we can get to the gold. I mean sometimes, sure, we might be feeling particularly inspired and land on fabulousness first time but more often than not it takes a bit of uncovering

03:01 And when that happens it's very easy to believe we've been unproductive, to berate ourselves for a wasted day. But what if you could accept that sometimes those days of mud wading are a necessary part of the process? Because...you know just because what I created during that retreat didn't feel complete or usable doesn't mean it was a waste of time or without value actually far from it That day of intense writing and focus provided me with insights and ideas I could return to, play with and put out in the world later. You know this podcast being one of those things so it's not always easy but just imagine how much angst we'd avoid if we could learn to be okay with our crappy first attempts at greatness And once we can relax and let go of needing to get it right first time who knows instead of getting stuck in the mud perhaps our trust that we're moving closer to the treasure

03:58 So how are things feeling for you right now? Are you in the messy, muddy middle of anything in your life or business. You know as I said earlier like it or not wading through the mud is often a valuable inescapable part of the process so giving yourself a hard time about it will only make it worse and you know as I tell my clients the key is to just keep moving So if you want to avoid getting stuck in the mud, what can you do? Well I've got a few little tips to share with you. To help you keep moving forward even when your in that messy muddy bit so the first thing is to keep your purpose in mind so that you know what you're aiming for whether thats your big why and mission with what you are trying to do in business or if its what you are aiming to achieve with this particular piece of work Keep that in mind and it will help you move forward

04:52 Another thing you can do is keep an eye out for perfectionism. Sometimes perfectionism can grab you by the ankles and stop you moving forward, so just keep an eye out for that! And also stay focused on the next teeny tiny thing that you can do that will move you forward...and as long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you will get to where you're going. As always I hope this helps and i can't wait to see you again soon Thank you for listening to Unfrazzle. Sharing is caring, so if you loved this episode please share it on your socials or head over to Spotify iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and leave me a review not only will I be hugely grateful Your ratings and reviews will help others to find this podcast So that even more people can make their ideas happen Thanks so much and see you next time