Are You At Risk of Complacency?

When you first start your business, there is so much to learn. But that's ok because you're open to learning. You seek out opportunities to learn, improve and develop your skills.

You read the recommended books, listen intently to all the advice that's being given, you read articles, watch videos, listen to podcasts, sign up for newsletters, attend events and webinars, enrol on courses, and seek out information.

You want to give yourself the best chance of success. You want to make sure you're "doing it right."

Gradually, you find your rhythm. You find what works for you (and what doesn't). You start to get comfortable with your way of doing things.

And that's great.

After all, you can't follow every piece of advice, so there has to come a point where you pick a lane. And having efficient and effective processes prevents a lot of headaches.

But getting too comfortable can result in complacency. And the more experienced you get, the easier it is to become stuck in your ways.

You get used to your way of doing things, so you're less open to new ideas or change. You no longer seek out help and support, and you're too busy, too tired or too comfortable with your current way of working to think about self-development.

But this isn't a good place to be. It's easy to miss opportunities when you stop looking for them.

Customer needs constantly change or evolve, and you need to evolve with them

I'm not saying you should shake things up just for the sake of it, but don't neglect your learning and development. There are always things that can be improved or built upon.

Ideas for self-development

There are loads of ways you can invest in your own development, and they don't have to be expensive.

Experiment with new platforms, tools or software

At the start of the year, I embarked on an experiment. I decided to test out three platforms I'd never used before (and document the learnings).

It has been brilliant.

I've discovered new tools and ways of working, my marketing content is more consistent, my week is more structured, and I've had a boost in motivation. Most importantly, I've got new knowledge, expertise and skills that will benefit my clients, so my business is better as a result.

Recently, I've been playing around with different AI tools. I haven't been blown away by the results, but it's good to have a basic knowledge of what's available. And just because I haven't integrated these tools in my business, it doesn't mean they won't be game-changers for you.

Be open to trying new things, even if it is just to build your knowledge of what's out there.

Seek out new perspectives and opinions

It's easy to stick with what we already know. It's why so many people read the same newspaper every day or listen to the same podcast on their morning commute. But if we only get information from the same sources, we never get any fresh perspectives.

So mix things up. Look for a new newsletter or publication to subscribe to, or read a book by an author you aren't familiar with, or listen to a new podcast. You don't have to stick with it forever, and you don't have to give up your regular content. Just keep things fresh by adding something new every now and then.

Learn a new skill or develop an existing one

When was the last time you completed a course? Or learnt a new skill? Do you stay informed about the latest developments and research in your industry? It's always nice to learn something new, but doing a refresher course can be just as beneficial.

You don't have to do an accredited qualification or invest thousands of pounds into online courses. There are loads of affordable and free courses on offer. For example, I offer a free email course that covers the very basics of copy and content marketing.

I always think that if you do a course and learn at least one new thing that benefits you, then it has been a worthwhile investment of time or money.

Get a mentor

It's hard to understand exactly how useful having a mentor is until you have experienced it for yourself (assuming you don't get a bad one of course). They definitely help you improve your business and approach things with a new (or renewed) perspective.

I recently wrote a post about what to expect when you work with a mentor so I'm not going to go into huge detail here. But I can honestly say I've found having mentors hugely beneficial, and I know my mentee clients have benefited from working with me.

Join my membership

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know this is blatant self-promotion, but I developed my membership to help freelancers grow and thrive, so of course I'm going to recommend it.

My membership includes two online events per month. One is a co-working event where you not only get support and advice, but you also get focused writing time, so you leave having done something productive. There's also a chance to learn from and be inspired by me and other members, plus you can share your own insights and ideas too.

The second event is a monthly lunch and learn that focuses on a different marketing topic each month. I share my thoughts on the topic along with my tips and advice, then open it up to the group. You can ask questions and get advice, share your own thoughts, or just listen and learn from others.

And on top of the events, you'll also get member-only content and email support from me. So if you have any questions about freelancing, marketing or sales, you can just drop me a message.

So how are you going to prevent complacency?

You've made it this far down the page, so you must be at least a little bit concerned about complacency.

And if you are, then you need to take action. Don't rely on things that worked in the past if they no longer work for you now. And don't think that just because things are ticking along nicely there isn't room for improvement.

There is always something new to learn or an area to develop. So have a think about how you can give your business a boost, invest in yourself and prevent things from getting stale.