There are good obsessions.

Like… fervently dreaming up new ways to uplift & entertain your business audience—say, serving up some advice to help them master a new skill.

Like… world-changing Nespresso machines that transform your entire morning (I’ve already had 4 cups today!)

Like… trolling YouTube to watch fan compilations from your favorite TV dramas, because it makes you sooo happy (maybe just me?)

I believe it’s super important to be obsessed with your business & the people you’ve decided to serve. (If you’re not obsessed, why bother?)

But not all obsessions are good obsessions.

Some are very, very bad.

Dangerously bad.

And not in a sexy, romantic thriller kind of way.

When I work with entrepreneurs, I notice time and time again that people are completely obsessed with the wrong things. I know, because this was me in the early phases of my own biz.

Over time, all of these bad obsessions eat away at your health, your productivity, and of course, your revenue. (After all, when you’re occupying so much of your time with meaningless obsessions, who has the time to create anything of real value?)

Are you guilty of indulging in one of these 3 bad business obsessions?

Read on & find out…

BAD OBSESSION #1:

“OMG whyyyyyyy did my last post only get one comment? My life is a disaster!”

Obsessing over comments, likes, and shares likely means one thing: you’re focusing on validation instead of delivering value.

Time for a gut check. Business is about service. If your work makes a positive impact on one person this week—that is an actual human being whose life you have changed for the better. That is a big deal. You are a big deal!

Besides, sometimes people see something they love and don’t always feel the need to add commentary. Or, they’re pretty private and don’t engage publicly on social media. The amount of “commentary” you receive often has nothing to do with the quality of your content.

Ask yourself, “If ‘comments’ didn’t exist, would I be proud of what I posted?”

If the answer is “Yes, I would!” then take a deep breath and let this bad obsession go.

BAD OBSESSION #2:

“Did you see what so-and-so is doing??! Ugh! They’ll probably get a million sales because they’re more famous-er than me.”

Eyes on your own paper.

Know this: no one has the exact same personality, style, tone, worldview (or true stories!) that you do.

Imagine if the people behind the show Gossip Girl had said, “Ugh, such-and-such TV network already created a show about sexy rich young people being sexy and rich and young! We’re screwed. We quit.”

THEN WE WOULD NEVER HAVE THE WONDER THAT IS GOSSIP GIRL.

And that would be tragic.

You—not releasing your helpful, inspiring, beautiful work into the world—is tragic, too.

You serve your audience. They serve theirs. There’s enough love & money to go around.

BAD OBSESSION #3:

“I’ve been interviewed on some podcasts, and quoted in a few magazines… but I WHY haven’t I been featured in Oprah Magazine yet?!? Ugh!” 

While it’s great to have a sense of direction, having insanely-specific goals is always a recipe for disappointment.

There are so many factors that can contribute to you getting featured in a specific media outlet—or not. Like seasonal trends. Topics they’ve covered in that issue, already. An editor who just got dumped by a douchey personal trainer and doesn’t want to read anything about “sculpting your abs” ever again, dammit! Who knows?

You don’t have total control, no matter how mind-blowingly-fantastic your contribution is. So let it go. By clinging so tightly, you’re shut off from the beauty all around you. (Like that gorgeous sunset you’re missing, just over the top of that laptop you’re glued to…)

Set goals, but release rigid expectations. Then, you’ll begin to notice all the magic, beauty & opportunities coming your way!

Ready for a new obsession?

Shaking off all of those bad obsessions is going to leave you feeling so light and free. I’m excited for you, already.

Now, let’s talk about healthy obsessions.

Like:

I want to get obsessed with …

🧡  Serving and helping

🧡  Thanking clients/customers/followers/subscribers

🧡  Learning a new skill

🧡  Taking more breaks throughout the day (I call them pleasure breaks!)

🧡  Challenging yourself to do something a little scary (like reaching out to 5 people this week and ask for their business!)

Go! 🙂