No More Expensive Learning Experiences

I admit to it.

I took a project I shouldn’t have.  It was outside my niche and outside my expertise.  I got lured in by dollar signs and gold coins and paying the bills.

Did I enjoy it?  Not really.

Do I ever want to do another project like it again?  Nope.

The thing is, I knew I wouldn’t likely want to do a project like this again, but I took it anyway.

And I went through all the pitfalls that happen when a project is totally unlike any you’ve done before:

• I had to guess at the hours and scope of work
• I had to guess at the technology required when I wrote the scope of work
• I didn’t foresee some of the hiccups I should have
• I spent way longer on it that I anticipated, and it turned out to not be all that profitable

The project still came together well and is serving the client well.  It just added more to our stress level than the bottom line, and that’s not a joyful way to run a business.

I was telling my husband about all of these things, and he said to me:

“Well… you know for next time.”

Wait, but do I really?  I don’t really want to do another project like this one to apply these lessons to. I feel like I wasted a lot of time and money on an expensive learning experience that won’t directly apply to future work.

I’m all for learning experiences if they help me do a better job on the services I’ll offer in the future.  Unfortunately, I just don’t think this will.

So here’s what I really learned:

No more expensive learning experiences outside my specialty.

No more taking on projects that aren’t like what I really want to specialize in in the future.

No more taking on work if I don’t feel the excitement for it that I should.

…Hold me accountable?

Private Unpublished Video

PS: I made a whole separate video on this “too-personal-for-public” situation and shared it with the super supportive people on my email list.

I’d be happy to share more of the details, what kind of project this was, and what I learned in a private email to you.