My Top 5 Lessons from Year 1

I’m feeling reflective as I wrap up 2021, my first year in business for myself.

My love for being a coach, growing self-confidence, and opportunities that remote work created made 2021 the perfect time to invest in myself and launch my own leadership coaching practice.

Here are my top five learnings from this past year:

1. Consistency matters.

Habits and routines to support myself, my business, and my clients led to repeatable success.

2. So does flexibility.

Developing the courage to experiment and try something new or to shed something I was “sure” was going to drive results but led only to crickets was vital to growth.

3. Mastering a process was more effective than chasing a result.

It was better to lean into doing a few things really well and learning from them instead of giving into the urge to “throw spaghetti against the wall.”

4. A committee of one is a blessing and a curse.

There was great freedom in executing without numerous reviewers, stakeholders, and opinion givers. At the same time I did miss collaborating. It was challenging sometimes to evaluate, debate, argue, or critique by myself.

5. Leverage my network, but escape the echo chamber.

Confirmation bias is tricky to avoid. I combined voices and viewpoints of those with backgrounds and talents similar to mine with those that are more distinct and complementary.

Whether you are a solopreneur, entrepreneur, or an employee, what were your keys to success in 2021?