What kind of support do you need to succeed?

Recently, I met with a supporter of mine so we could work on some strategy for growing our businesses and find new ways to deal with obstacles that keep popping up. With my help, she clarified the mission and vision for her business, and with her help, I uncovered a crucial characteristic of my ideal client that I hadn't noticed before. By the end of the afternoon, we both felt excited and ready to get back to our businesses with fresh perspective and ideas on how to better serve our clients and help them achieve their goals.

When you're undertaking a venture, whether it's a business, a spiritual path, having a baby or graduate school, having supporters is crucial to getting you through the tough times and having people cheering with you during the good times doesn't hurt.

Images of your mom or your best friend might come to mind when you think about who supports you, but when it comes a business or a career, having professional supporters can make a significant difference. Friends and family love you, and they want the best for you. The thing is that they may not understand the ins and outs of what's important to your career, especially if you are self-employed.

This is where trusted professional supporters come into play. A mentor who's been through it before can help you navigate tricky situations or give you a perspective that you hadn't considered before.

My team of trusted advisors have been invaluable in helping me vision my life and business, and with their support I've been able to accomplish my goals much faster and more gracefully than I would have on my own. A mentor isn't the only kind of professional supporter out there though. Colleagues can serve as supporters too, especially if you both share a spirit of collaboration instead of competition.

Who can know better what challenges you are facing than someone who's right there in it with you?

Especially when you're self-employed, finding others like yourself to brainstorm, creatively collaborate, and share techniques with can keep you inspired and motivated, even on the most trying of days. Supporters can become trusted resources that you can turn to for help dealing with a difficult client, ideas for moving forward when you're stuck, and simply forming a community that will celebrate your successes with you and rally around you when times are tough.

Who are your supporters? Take a moment now and see if there's anyone in your network who could become a supporter. Don't be shy about asking, I bet that most people you approach would be flattered rather than put off by a sincere offer to reciprocate support.

If you're a practitioner in Eastern MA, the new Practitioner Business Success Group meeting on Sunday, Nov 21 at The Healing Center in Beverly may be for you. It's a facilitated, collaborative mastermind of practitioners whose intention is to help you overcome current challenges. You're welcome to join us!

And no matter where you're located, if you're feeling stuck about getting your practice to the next level, the collaborative Heart-Centered Entrepreneur Apprenticeship starting in January may be just what you need to get through your roadblocks and onto the path of success.