Thinking about WHERE to invest can be totally overwhelming. There are so many coaches out there, so many programs and courses and guides, so many different service providers who all seem to be selling exactly what we think we need, and so many software or task management systems that we’ve convinced ourselves we’ve just got to have.
So, the question becomes, how do we cut through the clutter and actually figure out what’s best for us at this moment in our businesses and lives? (Cause, yep, it does change!)
Here’s my secret formula for deciding WHEN and WHERE to invest.
1. Follow your intuition.
Instead of making investments based on what others do, what previous coaches tell you, what your awesome boss lady friends are saying…make investments based on what your intuition says. For me personally, intuition has never led me astray. Other people have, which means I’m insanely careful about which I’m listening to.
I ask questions like…
Does this feel like the right fit? Am I lit up, energized, and open when thinking about this investment opportunity? What does my body say when connecting with this coach, service provider, or program?
If I’m feeling open and expansive, rather than constricted and closed off, then I’m usually in the right place. Note: You can, and likely will, feel a sense of expansion, openness, AND fear. That good kind of fear is not the same as your intuition telling you it’s not the right fit.
So, if you’re considering an investment – which is simply an idea you have to invest in something or someone in particular – and that investment feels good…take action. Amazing things almost always occur in those moments. But, to be available for those ideas to pop up in the first place, you’ve got to be willing to really listen in. Give your intuition the chance to speak to you, whether that’s through quiet time, walks, journaling, meditation, etc. And then, ACT on them. Don’t stay stuck. Don’t second guess when your intuition is screaming at you.
2. What you want isn’t always what you need.
When clients invest in working with me, they always think they need more of what they have. Meaning, if they’re a strategy person they want MORE strategy. If they’re a mindset person, they want MORE mindset work. If they’re an executor, they want MORE to-do lists and tasks.
Seriously. Every. Single. Time.
Don’t worry, I get it. I’ve done this, too. I’ve hired the wrong people or entered the wrong program, BECAUSE I wanted the thing that was comfortable (rather than the thing I NEEDED).
When it comes to deciding when and where to invest, I have to listen closely to my intuition and make sure that I’m leaning into the areas I really don’t want, but really do need.
Will it be comfortable? Probably not.
This means that you want to invest in a coach – or a program – ready to call you out on your bullshit. Who’s not afraid to push strategy even if it makes you a little uncomfortable. Who’s not afraid to GO THERE, so you can create results. Invest in someone ready and able to reflect, redirect, and remind you of what you really need, not just reiterate what you want.
How can you apply this today?
If you find yourself always wanting to learn the NEXT strategy or dive into the NEWEST mindset course, or that you just CAN’T. STOP. TAKING. ACTION. – then I REALLY implore you to ask yourself… what do I actually NEED here (even if it’s going to be a b**ch to tackle)?! Because I promise you… that’s where the magic is.
3. Do your research.
Before making an investment in your business, make sure to do any necessary research. Aim to understand whether or not the opportunity is aligned with your values, mission, goals…and the place you’re currently at in your business / life.
Ask questions like…
Is this the right time? Do I trust what is being offered or promised? What previous tangible and intangible results have come from this investment? Do the blog posts, social media accounts, and promotional copy attached to this investment feel consistent, authentic, and true. Does this coach walk his or her talk?
4. Choose someone with the same values.
Do our values align?
This is a question I make sure to ask before investing ANYWHERE. This is because value alignment is SO key for me in choosing both my mentors AND my clients. I can’t say that I’ve always done this perfectly, but as I continue to know my values more, to tune in, and do my research I find that it gets easier and easier.
5. Stay detached from the outcome.
Your ability to create money is DIRECTLY related to your ability to detach from it. So, if you’re investing in your business in the hopes of making more money, then you must practice the art of detachment. Because investing in your business is often a REALLY good thing, but when you’re REALLY attached, it can bite you in the booty.
(That’s also why some things sell REALLY easily and other offers feel like pushing a boulder up a hill….)
So, what do I mean when I say “stay detached from the outcome of the investment”? You both desire, name and claim what you want from the investment AND you do not force, push, or create desperation around it.
You don’t NEED the outcome {because that energy always, always pushes it away}, but you can FEEL that this investment will move you toward it. Instead of putting all of the “I need money” energy into your next investment, you remind yourself that you’re going to keep showing up and doing the work to make the money… because you are a powerful woman (who is IN HER POWER) and who trusts in a HIGHER power that supports her.
It’s not always action – result – action – result, or about finding the one perfect investment, and when we get attached to it looking that way, we simply block our power and energy. When we go into the investment believing wholly that it will move you forward because it’s inevitable? That’s when you win.
Now, I’d love to hear from you! How do you choose when and where to invest? What filters are most important for you?!