Are you jaded? Look for solutions…

I think you all know by now that online marketing is my passion.

Not only do I plan and execute online marketing strategies, I read about online marketing. A lot. So when I ran across this post by David Rodnitzky at Search Marketing Standard called Are New Marketers Better than Experienced Marketers it had my full attention.

He talks about being a newbie to PPC, and then how seven years later he has bought a bajillion clicks (not a direct quote) and is jaded.

I felt sad for a minute.

I love what I do for a living. Marketing (online or offline) is a living thing that is constantly growing and changing…I cannot imagine anyone becoming jaded doing something that I consider half science and half art. I mean, what other job do you get to use your left AND right side of the brain doing?

That led to my next “big thought” – I think that a lot of people get jaded doing what they do for a living. I don’t care if you have the best job in the world or can do your job from home or a beach in Maui. Maybe the reason I’m not jaded isn’t because I love what I do, but the steps I take the minute I feel less than 100% satisfied with what I do so I never *get* to the point where I’d call myself jaded.

1. Call a friend with a crappy 9-5 day job. I have a lot of these friends from before I started my business. I don’t call them to make them feel bad, I just know that they will not be able to resist telling “work stories” during our conversation…and when they complain about Sarah talking smack about Billy at Ginny’s desk…I am reminded how much LESS cool my life could be.
2. Call a fellow business owner. They’ll tell war stories too. But they will be inherently different from the war stories you hear from your 9-5 friend. This can either make you feel like everyone has the same troubles from time to time that you do….or it will make you realize that your choice of business is cooler than theirs…either way it’s a “win” for your attitude.
3. Do NOT call your negative friend! We all have one, the “oh no the sky is falling” friend. Under no circumstance should you call this person when you’re in a rut or feeling less than peachy-keen. They will drag you down, and now is not the time to get sucked into the undertow.
4. Make a list of the things that make you excited. You got into your business/job for a reason. Now is the time to make a list and check it twice, reminding yourself why you did this in the first place. If you’ve ever talked to anyone in direct sales or an MLM they’ll tell you about their “WHY” – the reason they started. You need a “WHY” too. Several actually. Remind yourself why you rock at what you have chosen to do!
5. Last resort: Get a business coach. I’m not a huge fan of coaching in general. There is only one coach I don’t think is missing a few screws…but I’m sure there are others, and if you need a professional cheerleader…this is probably the best way to go. Also a good solution if you find you have peaks and valleys on a regular basis and your funk over your business isn’t a one time thing. They help you get to the root of the problem (so I hear) and help you find solutions to keep the cycle from continuing.

If you’ve just started in business and are feeling jaded…maybe you didn’t pick the right business. If you’ve been doing it a while, I’m sure you’ll have a bad day here and there…just remember that’s okay.

You’re human. Even if you’re cool enough to own your own business or have the job of your dreams, things are going to come up that make you wonder how you got where you are.