Crossing Thresholds

I’m not generally a fan of the Romantic Age poets, but William Blake enchanted me with his reflection:

“In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.”

Crossing new thresholds has captured our collective imagination for thousands of years. Gracefully moving from one phase of life, one stage of business, or one type of relationship to another is a challenging, often joyful, sometimes vexing transition.

I think of all life transitions as new thresholds to cross. Everyone experiences them – but not everyone can plan ahead.

That’s the advantage you have in building and exiting a business. You can determine the approach, timing, and outcomes you want. You can think through scenarios of what works best for you and your family. You can plan and implement to achieve your goals.

But whether they are good, bad, or indifferent transitions, strong emotions hide behind every door.

Today’s Question:

At what threshold are you now standing and what is the opportunity once you cross it?

What is holding you back?

But Here’s the Twist . . .

We all have difficult points in our journeys – they make us who we are: adaptable, resilient, intuitive, and powerful. If building a business were easy, everyone would do it!

As high-achieving women business owners, we are more demanding of ourselves than we are of anyone else on the planet. Our expectations of ourselves are regularly unrealistic.

Would you speak to your child, grandchild, or parent the way you speak to yourself? Would you require the same levels of perfection and accomplishment you require of yourself?

Certainly not. We are generally more compassionate with everyone else than we are with ourselves.

This dynamic loops right back to The Broken Cookie Effect®. We give the whole cookie to everyone else, and we live on crumbs.

 -- Excerpt from Patty’s book, Your Hidden Advantage: Unlock the Power to Attract Right-fit Clients and Boost Your Revenue

Now What?

As exciting as crossing new thresholds can be, it can also be terrifying – and sad – and frustrating.

In the case of your business exit, you're not just selling a company; you're transitioning a piece of your identity. Your business is an embodiment of your passion, hard work, and aspirations.

At some point, you will exit your business, whether it’s voluntary or not. Are you leaving your life’s work, your impact, and your legacy in the hands of fate?

Exit readiness is a strategic and ongoing process that involves setting the stage for a smooth transition, maximizing business value, and ensuring your legacy endures.

Women who have successfully exited their business have shared with me that the most successful way forward was having a trusted, knowledgeable business advisor who could be objective and caring.

That’s the role I fill, helping the owner with the practical, emotional, confidential, and logistical puzzles that plague the exit process.

An Elegant Exit™ requires a new way of thinking, new skills, a simple and elegant design, and an advocate on your side. Contact me to learn more. 

Discover your Exit Readiness Index™ with this assessment: http://she-exits.com/