I have big expectations of my days out with Harry, and Monday was no different. I pictured us wandering to the toddler group, where he could play with the other kids and toys, before crossing the road to visit great-grandad and then catching the bus home. Perfect – he’ll love it!
But Monday morning didn’t quite go as planned. Harry woke up tired and irritable (possibly the start of the “terrible twos”). I spent the morning preparing the picnic, doing my hair and makeup, while Harry grew whiny and clingy. He just wanted to curl up on the sofa with milk and Bing (who could blame him?!). I thought that getting out would do us both some good! So somehow I managed to get his trousers on and get us onto the bus. And do you know what? We had a great time. It didn’t go the way I expected, but the outcome was the same.
That’s something parenting has taught me: stop being so focused on being right about the “how.”
What really matters is the outcome. Is he asleep? Fed? Teeth brushed? Sometimes I have to invent games just to get him dressed or out the door and that’s fine, it still gets us there.
Business is exactly the same. It’s not about being right; it’s about achieving the outcome you’ve set. The way you get there may look different to how you imagined, but if the result is the same, does it matter?
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The Trap of Being ‘Right’
Becoming a mum made me realise how many “right” ways society tells us there are. Babies must sleep in their own cots. They must sit nicely in their pushchairs. Must sleep through the night, behave in the car seat, sit still at the dinner table. In reality, kids aren’t like that! They’re unpredictable, free, and individual.
Business is no different. There’s always someone telling you there’s a “right” way to grow. Except that one rigid method doesn’t work for everyone. But no one talks about that, so you end up feeling like you’re the only one it doesn’t work for.
It’s just like parenting. I meet so many mums who feel like failures because their children don’t sleep through the night. But most children don’t! We’re all different, and so are our businesses.
When you compare yourself to “The Jones’” next door, you risk ignoring what actually works for you. Clinging to the “right” way can leave you frustrated, missing opportunities and wasting energy.
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The Outcome Is What Matters
I’m a breastfeeding mum, so a lot of the time Harry often falls asleep in my arms while feeding. For a while, I was told this was a “bad habit.” That he should fall asleep in his cot, alone. But I came to realise something: if he’s asleep, he’s asleep. The outcome is the same.
The same lesson applies in business. You’ll hear endless “gurus” telling you there’s a specific path to success. But at the end of the day, if you achieve the result you’re aiming for – without harming anyone and without breaking the law – does it really matter how you got there?
My days with Harry rarely go to plan. Just like in business, I can map out the “perfect day,” and it almost never happens that way.
The growth of your business, the clients you retain, and the impact you make matter far more than whether you did it the “right” way. I remember a conversation with my coach about filling my workshop. I was so fixated on how it was going to happen, that didn’t really matter as long as I got the same outcome. Once I let go of the attachment, things began to flow and I was able to try lots of different ways out!
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Listen, Have Flexibility, Create Trust
Have you seen those memes where introverts secretly celebrate when plans are cancelled? That’s me. Except when you change your mind, I’m already committed to not going out! That kind of rigidity in business can cost us.
Take one discovery call I had. I asked, “What do you need from a coach?” The client replied they didn’t have time for long calls and preferred shorter sessions with more WhatsApp contact. If I hadn’t asked – or worse, if I hadn’t listened – I’d have forced them into my structure. But could I adjust my programme to meet their needs? Absolutely.
That small moment built trust. It wasn’t about me being right. It was about creating the outcome they wanted in a way that worked for them.
Trust grows when you’re willing to adapt, to listen deeply, and to take actions you might not have anticipated – all while keeping the bigger picture in mind. Clients don’t stay because you insist on the “right” way. They stay when you show flexibility and a genuine commitment to their results.
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Doing Business Your Way
There isn’t a single “right” way of doing business. Just like there isn’t one right way of getting a toddler to nap.
I once had a personal training client who wanted to lose weight. I was adamant that I knew the right approach. Every time I told him what to do… and he ignored it. Then one day, I stopped trying to be right and asked, “What do you think you need to do?” He told me his way, and I encouraged him to try it.
It worked. He achieved the outcome, but in his own way. Because it worked for him, he kept at it.
That’s the power of communication; asking questions, listening actively, and being curious. When you’re willing to adapt and create solutions that work for your clients (and for you), you both win. If something doesn’t work for you, you won’t do it anyway. Enjoying the process is crucial because outcomes are fleeting – like chocolate. The anticipation is delicious, the taste is sweet, and then it’s gone.
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The Lesson
Running a business really can feel like negotiating with a toddler. You can dig in your heels and try to be “right” about the how, or you can focus on the bigger picture.
So ask yourself:
- Where in your business are you clinging to being right instead of focusing on the outcome?
- Where are you letting others convince you there’s only one “right” way to do it?
Remember: the nap is still a nap, whether it happens in your arms, in the pushchair, in the car, or in the cot. The toddler still got the sleep they needed.
And in business, the outcome is what matters. Stay flexible, focus on what works, and you’ll get there (in your own way!).
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