Which Wolf Are You Feeding In Your Freelance Life?

Which wolf are you feeding today?

There’s a very pertinent Cherokee story that was highlighted during President Barack Obama’s inauguration prayer service Wednesday. And it ties in perfectly to what I’ve talked about here recently: the importance of focusing on the right things in your freelance business.

The story goes like this:

One evening a grandfather was teaching his young grandson about the internal battle that each person faces.

“There are two wolves struggling inside each of us,” the old man said.

“One wolf is vengefulness, anger, resentment, self-pity, fear . . .

“The other wolf is compassion, faithfulness, hope, truth, love . . .”

The grandson sat, thinking, then asked: “Which wolf wins, Grandfather?”

His grandfather replied, “The one you feed.”

I’m highlighting the story here because these are some tough times for freelancers and other small business owners. And this week, I was privvy to several conversations among freelancers I know about how difficult the market is right now. There’s no doubt about it. This is a difficult time to be a freelancer, and it’s a difficult time to be a small business owner. That said, I happen to know many freelancers who are still very busy despite the economic downturn.

As I’ve mentioned here recently, I really believe that you get more of what you focus on. So if you’re always focusing on the bad news headlines and all your freelance life frustrations, you’re choosing to feed the wrong wolf.

So how do you feed the right wolf?

You make a choice to think the right thoughts and to counter negatives with positives.

Here’s what it sounds like when you’re feeding the right wolf:

1) I’ve sent out six queries, and even though no one has contacted me back yet, I know that eventually someone will say yes.

2) I’ve lost a couple of clients due to economic conditions and cutbacks, but I know that I will find new clients with more marketing, LOIs, and footwork.

3) I know that many companies are laying off employees and closing their doors, but I know that I have the experience and ingenuity to do what it takes to make my business survive this economic storm. As a small business, I am more nimble and can adjust my direction more quickly than many larger companies.

If you’re feeding the right wolf, you’re not a Pollyanna—you hear the bad news. But instead of dwelling on it, you simply use the information to adjust your course so that you make the right business decisions. And if you’re feeding the right wolf, you’ll ultimately feel optimistic about the future regardless of what you’re reading online, hearing on the radio, or watching on the evening news. You won’t feel like throwing up your hands and saying: “What’s the use?”

But if you are feeding the wrong wolf, you are choosing to hurt your business. You can’t control all the thoughts that show up, but you can control how long they sit there.

Make the right choice for your business. Don’t feed the wrong wolf.

Which wolf are you choosing to feed today? And if you’re feeding the wrong one, what are you going to do about it? Drop me a line and tell me all about it!

-Jenny

Photo credit: dobak (Flickr)