At the start of the year, I had a revenue goal in mind for Inbox Collective. Revenue isn’t the only metric that matters to me, but it’s certainly an important measuring stick for a consultancy like mine.
This week, I broke my revenue goal for 2020 — with two months to go in the year.
But I’ve still had this odd feeling all week. Work is good, I’m as busy as ever, and thrilled about the clients I’m working with. I just hit a big goal, despite all of the obstacles that 2020’s thrown my way!
And yet, there’s this nagging fear: What if this all goes away? What if the business hits a rough patch? What if my clients leave?
What I’m recognizing is this sense of paranoia that I’ve seen in several founders I look up to. It’s a sense that you can’t get complacent, even when business is good. I know I have to keep learning and keep creating new ways to help my community. I know I need to think about new revenue streams. I know I have to start thinking about big choices for 2021 — where I might expand my work, and ways for me to better serve the clients I have.
I feel like I can see around the corner to what’s coming next, and I’m excited about what lies ahead. But I’m still nervous. None of this is guaranteed, and I know I have to keep working to move this business forward. I still have a lot more to learn.
Yes, I’m taking some time to celebrate the little victories — that’s so important! — but I can’t get too comfortable just yet. There’s so much more work to do, and it’s up to me to keep moving.
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That stock photo — of a motorcycle going through the mud, which, honestly, doesn’t have anything to do with this post — comes via Gabriel Sanchez and Unsplash.