Here's Why Investing in Your Craft Is an Ongoing, Courageous Practice
I just spent two days attending the Mike Drop Era Retreat, hosted by Mike Ganino himself. This was my fourth retreat in three years, and each one keeps getting better — because of the experience, yes, but especially because of the deepening 3D relationships and insights I carry home.
But, also because of what I leave committed to do.
So yes, I am tired today — but for all the right reasons! :)
My soul is convicted: When asked about one of my takeaways, I shared how “it’s not just about working hard, but doing the right hard work.”
The question I’ve been sitting with is how do I increase my discernment in order to recognize the difference between hard work that is simply busy work vs. hard work that is moving me closer to the payoff I envision.
My mind is buzzing: with ideas for tweaking my keynotes and masterclasses to make them even more impactful, and with new clarity around the business models of speaking — especially the two I’ve realized I can optimize even further.
My goals just got elevated: On a scale of “what’s the worst-case” to “what’s the best-case” scenario, how do I avoid the worst entirely and how do I shorten my time-line to the best-case? And, really, this is about not just what do I need to do differently, but who do I need to be to make the best-case possible? What courageous choices and actions do I need to make?
One of our guest speakers, Laura Gassner Otting, delivered a line that hit me square in the chest:
“If your goals don’t scare you, they’re just tasks.”
Well, damn! That one’s staying with me.
In short, this weekend was about investing in my voice, my value, and my vibe. This was an opportunity to intentionally choose to deepen my expertise — not just as a speaker, but as a storyteller, teacher, and business owner.
This was my way of investing in my craft.
And guess what? It almost didn’t happen because when Mike initially announced the dates for the NYC event in the fall of 2024, I had conflict — ironically, a speaking engagement.
That engagement falling through made it possible for me to have my version of being in the “room where it happens.” #Iamgrateful
Investing in Yourself
How do you invest in yourself?
Is it an on-going practice for you? Or, a process you engage with on an as needed basis? If the latter, what triggers your “yes”?
When you do invest in yourself:
Are you clear about why you said “yes” to the experience;
Do you have an idea of what you hope to gain; and
What makes now (whenever that is) the right time?
Do you truly appreciate how big of a deal investing in yourself is — what it means to put yourself in a position to be both vulnerable and ambitious?!
For me, my “yes” was unequivocal! Working with Mike as I have over these years and seeing how much my speaking game has improved, I never once questioned if this was the right investment to make.
Plus, I knew I would leave with more insights. Yet, as usual, I was still surprised (a) by how you can hear something several times and always learn something new, and (b) to recognize how much more self-trust I now have… Whew!
Y’all my first speaking gig was in 1996. This means I was well-versed in the classic rhetorical structure of scripting and delivering my talks. And, I knew I was great. But I sought out Mike because I wanted to dial things up and go from great to remarkable!
Working with him has been a whole vibe!
Particularly since I’ve tweaked how I script and deliver my talks. The changes may be few and subtle, but they’ve had a profound and significant impact on how I feel about the design process, as well as my delivery.
For example, I had to:
Unlearn the traditional speaking advice of "tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em, tell 'em, and then tell 'em what you told 'em;"
Give myself permission to open with a story;
Give myself permission not to “hide” behind my expertise by jumping straight into how-tos — before making the case for why they matter in the first place; and
Tweak my own self evaluation and base it less on how well I memorized my talk to how well I embodied my talk.
As Mike often says, and I paraphrase:
You don’t need more slides…you need to create more moments.
Given the central theme of my talks — money — creating moments is precisely what will enable people to make the changes they’re hoping to make.
There’s a Parallel
Sure, I’ve used my retreat experience and the speaking arm of my business to talk about the power of investing in your craft.
But you could just as easily swap out my example of “speaking” for your own — be it professional development or running a business or your approach to managing your money. These, too, are examples of “craft.”
These also represent opportunities to go from good to great to excellent.
They are also areas where you rarely improve entirely on your own without the support, guidance, and advice from a qualified third-party professional.
They also represent key areas where staying stagnant comes with hidden costs.
I look at investing in my craft as an ongoing practice.
I view it as a courageous act precisely because it is a vulnerable experience — whether that vulnerability is exposed in a 1:1 situation or as part of a group experience. And vulnerability requires trust - both self-trust and trust of the other person and the people they’ve gathered when in a group format.
And here’s something else: how can I expect others to work with me to help them improve their craft if I’m not doing the same?! (Feels incongruous and disingenuous to me.)
So, just as I am grateful to Mike and the role he plays in my life and business. (And how he pushes me to always go deeper.)
I am grateful for my clients (coaching & speaking) that trust me to play a similar role in their life and business…and with their money.
And now I ask:
What would it look like for you to invest in your craft? Or, to re-commit to your own growth?
How can I help?
If you’re feeling the nudge to grow — or re-commit to the version of yourself you’re becoming— send me a DM on Instagram and let me know.
About Jacquette
I love to ask questions and spark aha moments. I love to talk about why success with money is about more than just the numbers, and how the cultural impact on the intersection of money, business, and life matters–A LOT! And, I really hope I help people feel seen, heard, and not judged—especially since money is emotional and personal.
