Getting unstuck
Getting unstuck
You may not have noticed that clogged watering can
Anyone out there a gardener?
I’m a part-timer myself. I love having fresh herbs for cooking and a colorful garden of flowers. Problem is, my green thumb isn’t always all that green. Thus, the part-timer designation. My stuff grows for a while and I get super excited about that, then the weather or my less-than-green thumb happen and it all goes down hill. I mean, have you ever tried to grow cilantro in Florida? It’s not the easiest thing! (BTW, I’m open to tips from you pro-gardeners out there.)
But, I didn’t come here today only to talk about my gardening challenges. Last week, I was reading an article from Nathalie Lussier about a clogged watering can . It’s an excellent article about not staying stuck for too long in our businesses and how these blocks can build up without us even noticing. As it turns out, getting un-stuck is a great reason to do a little market research for your business.
I’ve talked about the FYW framework and its 4 easy steps for DIY’ing the clogged watering can analogy is a great reason to use the framework.
You can get the upgraded, video-guided version of the framework here.
If you’ve read this article about step 1, you’ll know that the first thing to do is to give yourself a really basic place to start. Your Starting Point Sentence is just that, it’s your first draft of what you are setting out to do, whether that’s just getting your business started, or introducing a new product, or even pivoting in your business.
The thing is, sometimes this very first step is where you can get stuck. What if you know you need to start, add, or edit what you’re doing , but you just really don’t know how to define your starting point?
Your watering can is clogged, so to speak.
Your ideas are kinda jumbled up in your head and there’s gunk in the watering can holes where the water is supposed to come out.
In this case, your best step 1 might actually be step 2 of the framework. This is when the un-gunking process needs a little extra help. Just to remind you, Step 2 is the one where you look at your Inspo-Competitors.
These are the folks out there who have inspired you in some way or offer something similar to what you offer. No, you aren’t copying what they are doing, but you are looking for inspiration about how your experience and expertise can create your own wedge of offerings in the same/similar market.
Sometimes it’s just on the tip of your tongue, but you can’t quite articulate it yet, not even for creating your Starting Point Sentence (Step 1).
You are absolutely allowed to start with Step 2 here!
Step 2 is supposed to help you see what’s out there in the market now, and to give you clarity around how your experience and expertise might solve some of the same problems, but just a little differently. Or, how your experience and expertise might identify a different problem that’s not yet being addressed.
I would recommend not skipping Step1 altogether, though. Once the water’s flowing a bit at Step 2, hop back to Step 1 and create your basic Starting Point Sentence. Step 1’s goal is to better guide you as you continue on through all 4 steps.
I’d love to hear how it’s going for you! Got a question about a Step? Stuck somewhere? Post a comment and let’s see if we can get that watering can going again.
Stay tuned,
Julie