Plan For Chaos.
Recently I was having a conversation with my friend, Nikki Groom (stay tuned for that podcast episode) and we were talking about planning for chaos.
If that sounds super nerdy, you’re absolutely right & I love that about us.
Essentially, most of the planning apps/agendas/courses out there will have you plan for a best case scenario. They assume that you won’t have unexpected “unproductive” (aka rest) days. They assume that you’ll be consistently producing. They assume that you won’t get sick and that your kids will be at school without sick days.
In short, they only plan for stability.
But when you consider the fact that shit happens and sometimes plans go sideways (chaos), it changes the scope of not only your schedule but your entire business model.
When you plan for chaos, making enough money to thrive is legitimately necessary. This includes a reasonable cushion for the unexpected. When you plan for chaos, ensuring that you have margin and flexibility in your calendar to care for yourself and your loved ones isn’t just hyperbole, but integral.
This is where many of us entrepreneurs get mixed up around the idea of profit. We tend to equate profit with extractive capitalism. And that’s simply not the case.
Extractive capitalism requires the exploitative labour of others, human and ecological. Profit puts away extra harvest for the winter. It ensures you can share your surplus. It creates ease in your heart and your relationships.
In many ways, planning for profit (again: not exploitative profit) is planning for chaos. It means that if you need to take a break — for whatever reason — you can.
What does this look like inside your business?
⭐️ offering services that make sense not only for your clients but your schedule, your capacity, and your external responsibilities
⭐️ continuing to market your services throughout the year — even when you aren’t launching
⭐️ updating your copy so that it continues to represent you
⭐️actively building margin into your calendar for consults, creativity, and flexibility
⭐️ building systems throughout your business that are easy to share, duplicate, and delegate
The next time you start getting up in your head with your money story, remember: plan for margin, plan for the unexpected, plan for chaos. Then, when everything is stable, you’ll be laughing.
Do not mistake yourself for an evil tyrant hoarding your wealth when all you’re looking to do is slow down (or get off) the hamster wheel.
To your profit…
