Business Built With Strategy

Are You Creating or Just Reacting?

• With Victoria E Strange • Season 1 • Episode 5

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Being busy doesn't mean you're building a business that will last. There's a crucial difference between working in your business (spinning, firefighting) and working on it strategically.

• Busy looks productive but may not lead to sustainable growth
• Busy is reacting while building is creating
• Staying busy feels safer and gives an illusion of progress
• Ask yourself: "Is this moving me closer to where I want to be?"
• Building requires intentional actions that aren't always visible
• Key questions: What am I building? What do I want to be known for?
• Success comes from strategy, not from having a packed calendar
• You're allowed to stop doing things that don't move the needle

Come and get on my list - the link is in the show notes for the upcoming freebie that will help you map out what you want to build so you're not wasting time staying stuck in busy mode.


Speaker 1:

Hello everyone. It's Victoria here and welcome back to another episode of Business Built With Strategy. So let's dive in to the topic we are speaking about this week. Let's get honest about something being busy doesn't mean you're building a business. I know I can hear you now. What do you mean? I'm really busy, but actually it doesn't always mean that you're building the business that you want. There's a difference between working in a business and working on it. Now, come on, you must have heard that one, and most people stay stuck in the first. You know spinning, firefighting or however you want to put it, doing it, all the things that you know, without actually stepping back to ask if any of it's actually moving the needle, moving them forward. And if that's you today, then this one is definitely for you.

Speaker 1:

So what does busy look like? Busy looks actually quite productive. Your to do list is full. It's full to bursting. Your calendar's blocked out. You're answering messages, posting, replying to emails, everything.

Speaker 1:

But here's the truth you can fill every hour of your day and still not be building the business that actually you need to last, something that's tangible, something that doesn't just last for the next few weeks, few months or even a couple of years. You want something that actually has longevity. Busy is actually reacting some of the time. Building is creating. Busy is ticking boxes. Building is making decisions that grow the business long term. If your energy is going everywhere but your strategy something's off, something's definitely going to stall at some point.

Speaker 1:

So why do we stay busy? Because it feels safer. It gives us an illusion of progress. We get to feel like you know we're working hard, but without having to actually face the harder stuff like are my offers right? Is this content connecting? Do I even like the direction that I'm going in anymore?

Speaker 1:

Sometimes busy is just a bit of a distraction from the truth and, you know, something that we actually don't want to face. So what do we do? We do a simple check-in and here's something that it is something that I ask myself when I feel like I'm doing a little bit too much and you know obviously a lot of. You know I've been an entrepreneur for over 20 years. But I still ask myself this when I feel like you know, I look at my calendar and I think, okay, that it's too busy. So I ask myself is this moving me closer to where I want to be or just keeping me busy? That one question, as simple as it is, just cuts through the noise, because sometimes we're redesigning a graphic that no one asked for, tweaking our bio for the 10th time you know in a month, or saying yes to clients that we don't want, just to feel like we're achieving something.

Speaker 1:

But, being honest, it's not always progress. It's just motion, motion, literally just motion. So, um, building looks very different. It might be a little slower, it might be quieter, it's not always visible to everyone else, but it is intentional. Building is saying no to what doesn't align you, planning your visibility with actual clarity.

Speaker 1:

Simplifying your offers. You know, no one wants a complicated offer. Honestly, come on, we've all read complicated offers and we don't stay on wherever we're seeing these offers because they're complicated. We haven't got time, you know. We know what we're looking for, but if we're trying to work out for like five, ten minutes, if this offer is for us, it it's nah, it's not good. So you simplify your offers offers, should I say, creating systems, protecting your energy, so you can focus on what matters. It doesn't always look exciting, but it does work. So if this issue right now, if you're in a time season, however, you want to put it where you're doing a lot, but it feels like nothing's changing.

Speaker 1:

Don't panic, because I think that's what happens. I think a lot of us panic and and then it actually doesn't get us anywhere, because we spend then the two months panicking. Just stop. Stop in your tracks, step back. Ask yourself what am I actually building right now? That's the first one what do I want to be known for? Because if you don't know what you want to be known for, how's anyone else gonna know what you're known for? How do they know if they want to work with you if you don't even know what you're known for? How do they know if they want to work with you if you don't even know what you're known for? And where is my energy going?

Speaker 1:

That's so important, because being busy doesn't make you successful, but being strategic does. You're allowed to stop doing things that don't move the needle. You're allowed to say okay, you know what. This is not working for me anymore, and you're allowed to protect your focus, because that is what builds your business. So here's your little nudge, if you need one don't let a packed calendar convince you that you're progressing. Look at the bigger picture, check in with your direction and choose to build, not just stay busy.

Speaker 1:

And if this has hit home for you today, come and get on my list. The link is in the show notes for the freebie that I've got coming soon and it will help you map out what you actually want to build so you're not wasting time staying stuck in the busy mode. And if today you needed a reminder that busy isn't always better, you've got it. You're not here to tick boxes absolutely not. It's time consuming anyway. You're here to build something that matters and something that is substantial.

Speaker 1:

So if you have enjoyed today's ep, please go and give me a follow, because it really does help. Also, you'll get Monday's eps always dropping in to your inbox and you'll get notifications as well. And come and follow me over on my socials and again, the links are in the show notes. So I will talk to you all next Monday with a really exciting topic that I have planned. I'm really excited about that. It's a little bit of a passion. Have a fantastic week. My DMs are always open, so if you've got any questions about business, come and send me a dm and I'll do my best to help you. Take care, everyone.