Here’s the story of when my piano teacher fired me for a lack of commitment.
When you start learning something new, it’s not too hard to find your commitment – and motivation – to want to do it well.
As time wears on, and the shine wears off, it becomes harder to keep up the initial level of commitment. We need to find ways to get motivated to keep going.
Much of the time if we don’t get help with motivation, we simply give up.
It’s why most New Year’s resolutions don’t last.
It’s also why my piano teacher fired me when I was 15.
I was a very good piano player. I could pick up a piece of music and hear it a few times and play it well.
I hated practicing, but I kept up with lessons for many, many years. I was definitely committed to going once a week for 30 minutes and working with my piano teacher.
She used to call me out for not practicing, especially as I got older (we worked together for about 7 years). She could tell, although I never thought she could. I’d cram my week of practice into the night before my lesson, if I practiced at all.
And even though I could rip through anything she gave me during our lesson, she knew I wasn’t committing to the new techniques she was teaching me. She finally told me that what I was doing was wasting her time and mine, and it simply wasn’t good enough to continue working with her.
She fired me and told me that I was only really committed to attending the lessons each week.
She was right, but hearing those words hurt. She actually fired me!
Left on my own, I had no motivation or commitment to practicing to get better. I needed her, and after many times of trying to motivate me, she gave up. I don’t blame her. I gave up on her long before she fired me.
In our VA businesses, it’s not much different. We are left on our own most of the time to do all the things we need to do.
We have to make connections, do follow up, manage our money, and so much more – on top of doing actual billable work for clients.
It can be really hard to keep up with all that on your own.
This is the main reason you need to have a great support network.
So you can reach out to people when you are struggling or unsure about something, and get some help.
So you can celebrate your good days together.
So someone can help to motivate you when things get boring or stagnant.
Someone who won’t give up on you.
Having support around you is absolutely essential, especially when you work by yourself as a VA all day. Being able to talk to someone about your business can be the difference between success and failure – honestly.
I’ve seen many VAs close up shop because they didn’t talk to anyone, and they judged themselves so horribly for mistakes they made, or decisions that they could not make, and it’s just not right.
We were not meant to do it all alone. We own the business, we do the work, but every business owner needs a great support system to keep things moving and light.
I’d love to help you. Join me for the Inspired Action VA Mastermind group. It’s a small group mastermind that meets weekly via Zoom. We can help you make decisions, implement strategies and plans, celebrate successes, and work through losses.
It’s just $100/month for 3 months. It’s private coaching for the cost of group coaching.
Stop struggling to get through your VA business alone. Join this small group and start taking inspired action to move forward to the success that you want to achieve.
Commitment is hard alone. It’s much easier with support. In fact, it’s even FUN!
I don’t play the piano much any more – hardly at all, to be honest. I think I need someone to motivate me to start playing again! Maybe that’s a new goal for 2021 – I’ll keep you posted!