I was chatting with someone recently and was asking them about their experience using Instagram Live, Reels and Stories and if they were getting the results they wanted. The answer was typical to what I have seen. “I’m just doing it; I don’t have time to look at the results.”

That’s so sad to me. And it will keep them (and keeps so many others) on the hamster wheel.

Looking at your results can help drive decisions for what stays and goes.

Stories are a way to share on each of the platforms that allow for live video, graphic sharing, etc. They also disappear after a set amount of time. And, since it goes away, many feel compelled to keep creating and creating and creating. It’s a never-ending cycle.

If it’s something you love to do, please keep doing it!! Marketing that you love is just a bonus.

If you don’t love it, multiply those actions out to many platforms and you could be spending far too much time on social media–which may keep you feeling like you are doing “work.”

Unfortunately, it’s work that may or may not be moving the needle in your business but could keep you on the Hustle Hamster Wheel.

Without looking at your results, how do you know whether it’s a good place to spend your time? You don’t.

To be clear, results in this case are not about how many video views you got on one video or how many new people followed you – though those can be nice to see. It’s too easy to get tied up in those numbers, when often it’s not going to make a lasting difference.

One story isn’t going to do anything for your business. Consistent stories may, but you must try it out for a while and then measure the effectiveness.

Hustle culture has taught us to just keep going, keep doing and somehow, we will reap the rewards. But that just isn’t true. Hustle and grind culture have some other potential results in our lives and businesses.

It can:

• leave you exhausted. if you are always searching for the next big thing, whether a social media platform, new relationship, or business idea, it’s exhausting, disheartening and can keep you in struggle.
• crush curiosity. Staying curious can support us in so many ways, but when we are exhausted, it’s difficult to stay in that zone.
• lead to desperation. You may be doing all the things, but it isn’t resulting in more revenue in your business. When that happens, it’s easy to feel like you are just trying to stay above water. A friend once said, “Desperation is a smelly cologne.” Those words are not only true, but when it comes to how you are showing up online and off, it’s usually obvious to those around you.
• make you feel you aren’t enough. (This could be a completely different blog post altogether.)
• keep your in business and financial mediocrity.

Here’s an alternate idea.

Look at what you LOVE about your marketing.

Look at your success metrics. (New followers, subscribers, sales, website visitors)

Then, adjust and proceed accordingly.

If you aren’t exactly sure what I’m talking about or would like another set of eyes on your marketing and content, let’s chat! Or, get a head start and buy my new book! 

Hop off the Hamster Wheel