Mindset #2: Protect the Asset - You

In my late 20s, I was married with no kids, and my business was new. I spent most of my waking hours building something that I believed in and that was uniquely mine. For years, I overworked and underfueled. I overinvested and underdeveloped. I felt overwhelmed and flew under the radar. 

Hustle culture is a real thing - something that is (still) pervasive in our industry. Many of us do this to ourselves - we hustle (and I mean, really labor, strive, grind) early in our careers, especially those first few years out of grad school. We’re trying to “earn” our spot and prove that we have what it takes. In the process, we end up burning the candle at both ends - until we’ve reached some state of impact or recognition that makes it all feel worthwhile. Maybe this was learned from being an athlete. Pushing and striving can be helpful to some extent, but long-term, it’s not sustainable - something I didn’t learn until much later.

Despite my neighbor practically dragging me out of the house for lunchtime walks, at that point in my life and career, I didn’t get it, not really. “It” being that I was the asset - me, myself, my being. Not my to do list, not my social media following, not my client list - me. I was the asset that made everything happen. And I certainly didn’t get that if I didn’t protect the asset, it would eventually all come crumbling down. 

Earlier this year, we introduced our 10 E Mindset blog series and then officially kicked off with Mindset #1 - do good work, first & always. Welcome to the trek where we create time and space to dive into each mindset, the actions they can create, and how they ultimately impact your business in a positive way. By embracing each of the 10 mindsets, we believe you’ll give yourself the best opportunity to find your own success, fulfillment, and well-being as a mental performance entrepreneur. 

Here’s Mindset #2: 

Protect the asset - you. 

Let’s break this down. 

Mindset

The belief or attitude behind this mindset is this: you are the asset, and you are worthy of protecting. By definition, an asset is a useful or valuable thing, person, or quality; a resource that has value. When you boil it all down, you are the most important part of your business - so it’s not just important to take care of yourself, it’s absolutely vital. Without you, your business doesn’t function, thrive, or even exist.

If you’re planning to be in private practice for the long haul, it’s not just about getting through this week, this month, or even this year - it’s about making it for years to come. So at its core, this mindset is about sustainability through self-care and intentional decision-making. 

Action

When you embrace the mindset and importance of protecting the asset, your actions will follow. If you’re like me, this might mean that you gradually warm up to this idea and make progress little by little - that’s okay! When you choose to protect yourself as the most important asset to your business, this might look like:

• Taking care of your basic needs - stop skipping meals (yes, I see you over there - no judgment, that was me too); instead, invest time in fueling, hydrating, hygiene, and sleep (one of my favorite ways to do this is with a habit tracker)

• Slowing down to speed up - pause to listen to your body, build in rest and recovery, and intentionally take time off (e.g., work-free Sundays, plan a vacation, end of year down time)  

• Engaging in self-care - have a variety of ways to take care of yourself (Quartiroli et al., 2023) and complete stress cycles, so that you can move through emotions instead of burning out 

• Working on yourself - get your own therapist and/or coach, practice what you preach (Filion et al., 2019), and embrace self-compassion 

• Making aligned decisions - instead of saying “yes” to everything, thoughtfully consider what aligns with your values and your definition of success (more on these in upcoming blog posts), and say “no” with purpose and clarity 

• Setting boundaries - decide when you’ll “turn off” work, be present in other parts of your life, and let that email sit in your inbox for a little while longer - then thank people for their patience when you do respond (instead of apologizing) 

• Having a life outside of work - engage in your own hobbies, spend time with friends and family, and enjoy whatever makes you feel alive 

Benefits

Protecting the asset (you) - as a mindset and action - ultimately helps you and your business to not only survive, but thrive. Here’s how:

Because you’re ensuring your basic needs are met, you’re not only able to be functional, but you open up space for the rest of the pyramid (i.e., safety, love, self-esteem, self-actualization). Because you slow down to rest on a consistent basis, your body is less likely to do it for you (i.e., cue a week-long illness that wipes you out completely - or worse - if you don’t take this seriously). Because you engage in self-care and complete stress cycles, you’re less likely to burn out (it’s really very unpleasant and startling, 0/10 recommend). Not to mention that self-care improves our professional quality of life and sustainability (Quartiroli et al., 2022) and helps us to engage in ethical service delivery (Quartiroli et al., 2023). Because you work on yourself, you continue to learn and grow; you can show up as your best self for others and you model what “right" looks like. Because you don’t say “yes” to everything, you can invest your time and energy where it really counts. Because you set boundaries, you gain respect for yourself and teach others how to respect you. Because you have a life outside of work, you develop other parts of your identity, find fulfillment in relationships, feel a sense of joy, and have experiences that help you to connect with others. 

Your business, your work, and your calling are too important - the world needs what you have to offer. There is a cost if we overinvest in what we are doing and underinvest in our being. There will always be more to do, but there’s only one you.  

Time to reflect (with curiosity, not judgment): are you protecting the asset on a regular basis? If not, what’s missing, and how can you start to move the needle?