How the need for 'monetisation' can block (financial) freedom

This was inspired from a conversation with a client last week and my own experience.

In this article I will explore the following:

• how most people focus on a path that will generate income (and don't notice other important signals)
• the path to the freedom of work you naturally enjoy will not be fully mapped out for you (there is no single foolproof path)
• our emotions are the feedback system that signals us on the next step to take

In this session, my client was talking about ideas to bring his business vision to life. I know the vision is important to him because it has remained consistent for several years. It always inspires him.

In the conversation he explored what was 'monetiseable' and specifically which customers he could choose to 'target' who would be able to pay enough. He was also questioning changing his LinkedIn profile away from his current role.

He had explored a partnership with one of his colleagues who had rejected this on the basis it would 'dilute' his current proposition as an Agile coach.

This is, in fact, a decision to sacrifice your individuality and conform to what is expected to keep you 'safe'.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this but it does need to be recognised for what it is. Nothing will change for his colleague because he has decided to accept the status quo.

My client did want change and he was stuck.

I pointed out an opportunity to work with a group of people that he enjoyed working with. He was excited about working with them. He was confident it would be easy to design and deliver a proposition for this group. It was clear that he saw this as being fun.

It was far from clear whether they were 'monetisable' and would be able to pay 'enough'.

These were the signals that this was the right next step for my client. He was energised and excited about this opportunity.

I couldn't tell him what the next step would be. I have discovered in founding my business and its transformation over the last three years that some steps I took (as a leap of faith) were necessary to support my own growth.

And that growth (where there was almost no income at all) played an important role in preparing me for the current version of Business Unusual which has a much bigger and inspiring vision. I am now ready to fulfil that vision. I wasn't three years ago when I formed The Bridge and The Campfire .

The path to doing work you naturally enjoy is as unique as you are. Too often overthinking and not noticing what your intuition is telling us slows your progress. If your natural creativity is overruled by logic then you will not be successful.

Ironically, financial freedom will also never be achieved or at great personal cost.

The pursuit of financial freedom suggests that work is always hard so the only solution is having enough money that you don't need to work. What will you do then? Too many people find retirement hard because they have never really discovered who they are and what they enjoy. They have bought into the idea that work is hard and just knuckled down.

I propose that work you naturally enjoy is a much better idea. If you feel excited and inspired and see your work as fun then you are tasting freedom.

The positive impact that you see resulting from your work gives you satisfaction.

If you are interested by some of these ideas and would like to explore how I can help you, send me a message.