In previous posts I gave practical advice about how to grow your web traffic — specifically blogging and the importance of storytelling, but I also provided tips for writing better. Today’s post is a pep talk.
There comes a time in every person’s life (whether they’re entrepreneurs or not) where they feel discouraged. “Will I ever find what I’m looking for?” It could be a job or a partner or client/customer. Doubts set in and the person may give up hope. They’re trying so hard, they’re searching so tirelessly, all to no avail. Something I remind myself is what I’m searching for is also searching for me.
Author and spiritual teacher Doreen Virtue appeared on Jaden Sterling’s blogtalk radio show several years ago to share some insights. One of the things she said was, “As much as you’re looking for something or someone, they’re looking for you too. Whether it’s a soulmate or a job or a home to live in. It’s all law of attraction.” She recounted a story of how a few weeks prior she created an oracle card deck (kind of like a nicer, gentler version of tarot cards) that her publisher wanted on the market right away.
Typically, it takes an artist a year and a half to paint the 44 pictures needed to accompany the text of the oracle cards. Doreen needed something right away and knew exactly what she wanted. She didn’t know who the artist should be, but she had a picture of the artwork in her mind. She went to her computer and said, “Angels, I need to find this artist but I need her to have 44 images available.” Doreen found an artist immediately and sent her a personal email. The artist said she previously had jobs that were really high paying but they all dried up. She was working for magazines creating art she didn’t enjoy. She made a new year’s resolution that she would never again compromise in her artwork and say no to all jobs unless they involved her true passions. Doreen contacted the artist within 20 days of the New Year with a big job to not only license her artwork, but license 44 pieces of her artwork that would give her enough money to survive.
“That’s how the universe works,” Doreen said.
The same day I heard that story I settled down in my living room to watch a movie that sat on my coffee table for literally a month. Every time I thought about watching the movie previously my lip curled up and I said, “Meh.” But that night I felt it was time. I won’t tell you the movie because I don’t want to ruin the plot for anyone, but a very tiny piece of what happened is at one point a character in the movie says to another, “You’ve been looking for me, but for the past year I’ve been looking for you.” I cried in that moment — it was so sweet, so poignant to think I’m not the only one searching.
As a business owner as well as a person, frankly, I think I have to do everything. I have to go out in the world and find clients. I’m the one searching, pitching, researching, visualizing, etc., but Doreen’s story reminds me I’m not alone in this. I’m not the only one searching, pitching, researching, visualizing, etc. What I’m looking for is also looking for me, and that means clients too. There are people out there who would be thrilled to work with me and vice versa.
The same goes for you as well. What you have to offer, people out there want. It may seem like you have to do all the work to find them, but you don’t, because they’re also looking for you. Our job is to boost our chances of meeting each other. What can you do to help facilitate that? Tell me in the comments below.