Having trouble discovering what makes you unique?
There seems to be so many people doing what you want to do.
You don’t want to drown in a sea of sameness, so you do nothing.
You never start.
But doing nothing is not the answer. You know that.
Deep down you know what needs to be done. But you’re held back by what ifs.
So let’s get you unstuck, shall we?
Standing Out in Your Market — The Video
As always, the video below complements the article, so I recommend you watch the video, and then read the article.
And if you want more videos, make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel.
What Does It Mean to Stand Out?
Standing out is about tapping into who you are.
You already have a story to tell. You have strengths. You have weaknesses.
However, time is needed to develop what you have inside. Look at it like a seed. You plant it. You nurture it. And it grows.
You can’t force progress. All you can do is take care of it, and let nature do the rest.
The Truth About Standing Out
You don’t have to figure anything out.
All that is required is that you take the next step. Use what you have. See what happens. And keep going.
If you’re a writer, write flash fiction, start a blog with no readers, or whatever is easiest.
If you want to become a coach, start by helping one person. Offer free coaching sessions. Do something.
Standing out is less like a formula, and more like a process.
When you take action, you get valuable data. Data on what makes you come alive, and what people want.
You don’t need to know where you’re going. You don’t need clarity. All you need is to start with what you have.
“It is easy to begin once you have accepted that what you produce may not be very good, and that this is normal.” – Megan Mcardle
A Concrete Example
When I started this blog, I didn’t know how I was going to stand out. All I knew was that I wanted to share my story.
I wanted to help.
The more I put myself out there, and the more I listened, the more I could help. I discovered where my readers were struggling. I uncovered what I was good at, and what I wanted to do.
I didn’t obsess over standing out. I focused on creating, and improving my skills.
Rarely do I know what’s next. But I don’t have to know. All I have to do is notice what next step feels the most magnetic, and then take action.
The Thing About Competition
Competition is a sign that there’s demand in a market.
But demand is not as important as what feels magnetic to you.
It doesn’t even matter if you think you will succeed. You have to be willing to start, because there’s no telling where the path leads.
Stop waiting for clarity, because it may never come.
When I started this blog, the odds were against me. But it felt right. I kept going. And here I am. You just never know, so trust your inner GPS.
The Bottom Line
What I keep pointing to is to follow what feels alive to you. Do the work. Stop looking for shortcuts.
The better you become, the more you stand out.
So do what you can with what you have.
Follow what feels magnetic.
Need I say more?
Have a good one!
Henri
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Thank-you Henri again…
For keeping it simple, yet compellingly profound.
Being calm, and then listening to what feels right, acting on that intuitive blessed guidance, and then walking it out one day at a time.
Not being hurried, just focusing on one completion at a time, and then having faith, that the next desire intuit and action step towards completion will effortlessly appear, apparent to nobody else, but yourself.
Cheers!
Geary
Absolutely, Geary 🙂
I continue to be glad to have access to training and consistent messages from someone who is steadfast in the mission and transparent about the realities of doing this business. Thank you!
Thank you, Anne!
I love your comment to stop waiting for clarity-it may never come. I also have a tendency to overthink things rather than do what needs to be done.
Yup, I think we all tend to overthink. Thanks Leslie!
Thanks Henri for this post. I too am a bit out of place right now since I am starting out not sure of where I am going but I have started and very happy to be writing. I am learning as I go along thanks to people like yourself who not only encourage but teaches me a lot about the staying the course and taking the first step.
Your posts have always given me courage, motivation, inspiration and a sense of I can do it too.
Yes the competition is great as in everything else but why not me. Why not tell my story or my version of the story. I have a voice and I am using it the best way I can.
Thanks again for that encouragement.
Couldn’t agree more Henri!
I think we’ve all been at the point, asking ourselves why anyone would listen to us.
When my students ask me how they can stand out of their markets, I tell them exactly that. In the first step they need to find out why they actually do what they do, what drives them and what they believe in. “Start with why” by Simon Sinek really resonates with me in this point.
Being clear about your “why” will automatically attract people who resonate with your story and your offers.
Love how you broke it down Henri, great job 🙂
Hey Henri,
This article hit home for me as I am starting my online business from scratch. I decided to take my focus off of my other blog, EndingTheGrind.com and instead work on something that I love AND have a great deal of experience in; fitness.
My new site is about helping father’s get and stay fit and I am struggling to find my audience in this market. I decided to forget about all the things I “should” do and instead am trying to provide helpful resources and videos that can help the people I really want to help. Time will tell if I am doing a good job, but I am going for it!