Why Hiring a Consultant is Worth It

Have you ever noticed that things you are good at for other people, you are the worst at for yourself?

I’ve been writing for a long time and often, people will ask me to proofread their work. My husband and kids fear my red pen. (Insert slow, evil-ish laugh.)

My problem is that when I am writing something, my trusty red pen flakes out and misses stuff. (Yes, I am blaming an inanimate object. Whatever.) I can typically spot a spelling error from a mile away, but when it comes to looking back over my own work, I will completely miss typos, run-on sentences, and bad transitions.

It’s probably because I am too close to the work.

For example, I have to eat gluten-free, but there is no way that’s going to stop me from eating baked goods. However, each attempt at soft, fluffy cake came out more like a fuzzy and rubbery brick. (Yes, I totally see the contradiction there. I’m not kidding – That’s what it was like.)

I couldn’t figure it out! I followed the recipe and the steps correctly but time and again something went wrong.

It wasn’t until I attended a gluten-free cooking class that I finally figured out that I have to bring the eggs to room temperature before using them! That small tweak made all the difference.

IT TOOK SOMEONE ELSE WHO HAD A LITTLE MORE EXPERIENCE TO TAKE AN OBJECTIVE LOOK AT WHAT I WAS DOING TO HELP ME SOLVE MY ISSUE.

I was amazed at how something so simple could make such an impact! I’ve been making fluffy, delicious gluten-free cakes ever since.

I try to apply this idea of getting help in other areas of my life, especially in business. When I have a frustration or issue that is stumping me, I look for an expert and ask a few questions. Most of the time, what I need is a simple and quick fix.

IT’S FAR MORE EFFICIENT TO ASK FOR HELP THAN TO STAY FRUSTRATED.

I used to be pretty stubborn about that stuff because I had this twisted belief that I should know it already or at least be able to figure it out. I didn’t want to be embarrassed if my issue was the kind of thing a monkey could figure out.

But here’s what I’ve learned. Not asking for help is more about my pride than my goals.

If I get stuck on something that I find challenging and stressful, I’m not doing anyone any favors. That mindset hurts me, my business, my audience, and possibly my family. Why would I do that when reaching out to someone more skilled than me in that area can solve my problem?

I’D RATHER SPEND MY TIME ON THE PARTS OF MY BUSINESS I LOVE THAN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE THINGS THAT STRESS ME OUT. ULTIMATELY, IT’S JUST GOOD BOUNDARIES.

If you also find that it’s hard for you to edit your own work, find someone (that isn’t Google) and ask a few questions. You may even be able to share your expertise in return. Win-win!