You have permission. Now go and do it.

Let’s make a deal. 

I’m going to give you a permission slip, a bit like the ones we used to get in school but “virtual” because things have moved on since then. 

With your new virtual permission slip clutched in your sweaty palm, you are going to stop doing the things which you think everyone else is doing to be successful, and start doing the things that you do really well.

Right now. This instant.

Do we have a deal?

Somewhere, somehow we’ve lost our way a little bit, us entrepreneurs (or whatever we are calling ourselves these days). 

It begins like a twisted game of Chinese Whispers, played out on social media; 

“If you do this, then you’ll be successful.” 

“If you do that then the money will start rolling in.”

“Join this program, guaranteed success.”

And then we begin to question and doubt ourselves, 

“What do I have to do to be successful? This? All of it?”

“Is what I know I can do enough anymore?”

“Everyone else is doing it, shouldn’t I be doing it too?”

“I’m going to stop you right there.”

No. You should not be doing it, whatever "it" is. Just because it works for someone you know or someone you’ve read about online, does not in any way mean that you should be doing it. 

Unless, of course, you are utterly brilliant at it and it is the very thing that your business has been missing. In which case, smack your forehead that you didn’t do it sooner and off you go. Success awaits you.

Whatever your “it” is:

Do it because you are inspired to do it.

Do it because you are exceptional at it. 

Do it because you do it better than anyone else does it. 

But don’t do it, please don't do it, because everyone else is doing it. 

Every time you do that a fairy dies. 

I’m kidding, a fairy doesn’t die, but part of your business does. Every time you flagrantly copy someone else out of fear. Every time you slavishly follow someone else’s “golden formula”, you take a step further away from your business, from your skills, from your dream. You step back from the very reason that people want to work with you in the first place, because you do what they need, in the way that they need it.

Of course, it’s scary to walk your own path. It’s much, much easier to walk in someone else’s footsteps, but what’s the point in that? You didn’t start your business to feel safe, you started it to make a difference, to you and to them.

And that means it’s time for you to step up and do it.  Do it your way. Do it the way they need you to do it. 

You have your permission slip.

Now go and do it.