Are You Missing Your Blind Spot

Over the years while driving I’ve been surprised many times when I found someone hidden in my blind spot. Of course I’ve made it a habit to check my blind spot before making a move, and it’s certainly avoided many potential collisions. I’m sure you do the same.

However, are you taking a similar approach to other life and small business coach situations? All of us have blind spots. Maybe it’s in a relationship that’s having problems, maybe it’s around keeping in shape and healthy. But without a doubt most of us have blind spots in our businesses.

These blind spots can cause you to keep doing things even though they aren’t working. Are you working hard and not getting the results you want? Chances are you’ve got a blind spot. Most often, I see people trying to market their business in a way that just doesn’t work simply because they don’t know what they don’t know. You may be trying certain marketing activities and assuming they will bring in new subscribers and clients, only to be disappointed.  I call this your Marketing Blind Spot. Very simply, you need to pay attention to your blind spot and eliminate it so you can move forward.

What you don’t know can keep you stuck and frustrated. There are many areas in your business where you can unconsciously overlook a blind spot. This is often caused simply by a lack of knowledge or skills. I see people overspending on poor web design, or spending huge amounts of time doing things manually that could be automated, or chasing after every idea that comes along.  I see people struggling year after year with ineffective marketing because they don’t know enough about how to best promote their products and services.  But if you don’t know the elements of an effective website, or what it should cost, or if you don’t know what tools to use to automate, or that they even exist, or you really don’t have a proven marketing system, then those blind spots will cost you lost time and money.

Your blind spot could also fall in the area of what I call the “entrepreneurial mindset”. You could be blind to the true value of your services and what you really could be charging. Or you could be blind to an ingrained belief or habit that’s sabotaging your best efforts. That’s why it’s so important to get feedback from people who you trust and who will be very honest with you and hold you accountable. It doesn’t matter how successful you are, we all have our blind spots.

Here are a few steps you can take to identify and begin to eliminate your blind spots:

1. For one week make a list of situations in your business that make you feel stuck, overwhelmed, frustrated or confused.
2. Hold a magnifying glass up to each one and ask yourself—“Is there something I’m not seeing here that is causing this problem and that I need to change?”
3. Then ask yourself where you can go to brainstorm the problem and get a new, fresh perspective. Make sure you go to someone who doesn’t have the same problem. So for example, if I had a rough time being organized in my business, I’d seek feedback from someone I trust who is very organized.

Sometimes you will not be able to see your blind spot, so you’ll need to work with a coach, mastermind group, or trusted colleague who will delve deeper to identify where you are overlooking something important or where you need to learn a new habit, change a belief, learn a new system, gain a new skill or master new knowledge.

Make it a habit to check for blind spots every time you feel stuck or you’re not happy with the results you’re getting. Maybe you had a product launch that didn’t work (we’ve all been there). Maybe you’re trying your hand at article marketing and you don’t see any results. Maybe you’re having trouble closing sales with people that you know need your help. You can be sure there’s something you’re not aware of, something you’re not seeing, or something you need to learn to turn it around.

If you keep asking yourself and those you trust, “where is my blind spot in this situation”, rather than just feeling disappointed and discouraged, you’ll be able to not only avoid potential “collisions”, but you’ll gain the sight you need to really soar.

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