Being able to effectively create boundaries is a very important skill for everyone to master. But, creating boundaries can sometimes be a bit awkward and uncomfortable.
For the first few years of my career I was terrible at creating boundaries. I said yes to everything and everyone until I finally got burned out. One day I realized that I wasn’t actually doing anything I needed or wanted to do, instead I was doing what other people wanted me to do!
It was time for a change. I learned how to say no to other people and things so that I could say yes to myself and the projects I wanted to work on.
There are 3 effective strategies you can use for creating boundaries.
1) Find a nice way to say “no” – You don’t have to be a jerk. For example, when someone asks me to do something that I don’t want to do, I might respond with something like, “Thanks so much for the opportunity, I really appreciate you thinking of me for the project but unfortunately I’m not a good fit, best of luck with it though!”
2) Don’t fill the space – This is especially crucial in the world of sales. Oftentimes we tell someone how much something costs and then we get so uncomfortable that we start filling the space with noise. For example, “I’d be happy to help with you project, this is something I charge $10k for.” …. silence…. “But, I’m happy to do it for $8k for you.” …..silence….”How much do you want to pay for it?” Say what you need to say and then shut up! Let the silence linger.
3) Don’t bend the rules – If you set up certain policies or rules for yourself then stick to them. If you don’t do work with friends or family members then stick to that rule. If you don’t do work for free, then stick to that. If you don’t offer discounts…then don’t! Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but you get the idea.
My lovely wife Blake Morgan, made a video about this which you can see below.
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Blake and I made lots of mistakes during our entrepreneurial journeys and learned things the hard way, but you don’t have to.
Whether you are considering going off on your own or you already have, this will be a valuable resource for you. Download our PDF on the 7 things you need to master if you want to be a successful entrepreneur.
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