“Why isn’t this working?”
That was the loop running in my head.
I’m hunching over my laptop, hiding from a spring sunburn in the Moxy lobby in Portland.
Refresh LinkedIn—again:
- 87 impressions
- Zero new followers
- Inbox—silence
My corporate professional brain kicks in: Push harder. Produce more. Fix it.
So I drafted three (sometimes more) LinkedIn posts a week, riffed on content while sweating on the elliptical, and sent a Thursday newsletter like clockwork.
(I’m not here fishing for extra likes—I’m showing you the messy middle, because the leap from corporate pro to entrepreneur comes with its share of bruised-ego moments, and marketing just happens to be the clearest mirror for that struggle.)
My cherished outcome? Quick traction.
Instead, I’m whisper-swearing at a screen while the lobby’s got-something-to-prove house music loops overhead like it’s trying to land a performance bonus.
The Quiet Click of Recognition
A few days later, back at my desk, it lands: I’d turned LinkedIn impressions into my only KPI.
In chasing likes, I drifted from my real objective—building a body of work future clients can lean on long after a post drifts out of the feed.
What worked in corporate (targets, deadlines, immediate feedback) doesn’t map neatly to entrepreneurship, where relationships grow on their own timetable—and where who you are in the long run matters more than how much you produce.
“Everything is an experiment”—My Sticky-Note Mantra
My coach’s reminder surfaces:
“Everything is an experiment. It’s not about you; it’s information.”
So I ran the test:
🧪 Write to one real person—not an imaginary boardroom.
🧪 Center their journey, not my timeline.
🧪 Measure progress by the library I’m building, not today’s notifications.
Funny thing: once I stopped gripping the outcome so tightly, curiosity—and eventually genuine engagement—had room to show up.
Why This Matters for Your Leap
Years of clear targets ride shotgun into a new venture—and they’ll drain confidence, motivation, and energy if you let them.
But this isn’t just about tweaking strategy; it’s about noticing what’s driving the urge to control, and what becomes possible when you loosen your grip.
My work with clients is centered around something else entirely: connecting you to a vision big enough to pull you forward—so progress feels like momentum, not the old corporate shove.
Trading rigid, senior-leader-dictated cherished outcomes for living experiments protects your fuel and keeps you stacking work that will serve your future clients (and future self).
What About You?
🌱 Notice one place this week you’re refreshing for approval—pause, and reconnect to why you’re sharing at all.
🌱 Ask “What does this reveal?” before you ask “How do I fix it?”
If this note resonates, share this with a friend who’s building something new. If they’re stuck on the hamster wheel of refreshing metrics, this might be the nudge they need.
Sometimes the most generous thing we can offer each other is a reminder: you’re allowed to slow down and choose meaning over momentum.
To your success,
Pierre
Certified Professional Coach
Photo by Felipe Ditadi for Unsplash.
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