Lessons in Entrepreneurship from Lego Wii
Have you ever been a gamer?
One of my guilty pleasures is a good video game. In fact, I love all games — board games, video games, word games, puzzles, AR games — you name it, I love it. Gaming is my favourite way to procrastinate.😆
When my kids were little, we had a Wii. They played mostly sports games on the Wii, but whenever they were sick, I would “splurge” and head down to the Video Stop down the road and rent a Lego Wii game.
As much as my kids loved to play, I think I loved it more. I would keep them home an extra day from school just so we could finish the game together. Yes, the snuggles and quality time with my boys were amazing. But I was also known to send them back to school and finish the game on my own before returning it to the store. It can get wee bit competitive over here…
We would spend the day finding jewels and coins, smashing down walls, crossing rivers and rocky terrains and navigating tricky jumps and maneuvers so we could level up and capture the prize at the end.
So why am I telling you this?
Because entrepreneurship is like a video game.
The first level, we think “this looks fun!” so we dive in, swinging our sword willy nilly, hitting all the things just to see what happens and how it works. We accidentally run into a wall and it crumbles and huzzah! We level up!
So we continue this for a while, trying new things, testing new moves, and things get a little more difficult with each level. We find that running into walls doesn’t always get us what we want. Going in a straight line isn’t the most efficient way. Jewels don’t pop out of every flower pot.
Suddenly, we find ourselves stuck in a room full of debris, with no way to get across the river to the magic castle. We find ourselves doing the same things we have always done over and over — because it worked!! — yet this time we don’t get the results we want.
Many people just throw in the towel. I mean it can be hard! It can be frustrating! You can lose all of your coins and all of your energy! I heard a stat the other day that more than 50% of new businesses closed up shop in 2021. Entrepreneurship is not a walk in the park!
(Sidebar — notice I didn’t say failed. They did not fail. They just returned the game to the video store).
Sometimes — to level up, we need to backtrack. We need to retrace our steps and look at things with a new lens. We may need to go into unchartered territory to try something new. Maybe step into the water to see if there’s a line of turtles that will provide a path across the river.
Or a duck 🦆.
If you find yourself slamming into the same wall over and over again, expecting it to crumble and open the vista before you, I hate to say it, but you may need to go around. As a coach I can help you to take a step back and see things differently. I can step in beside you with my own sword and clear the path. I can lift you up to that platform and help you reach the Tarzan swing.
Level up.
Play bigger.
Capture the jewel crown in the castle on the hill.
Let’s chat. I would love to be the Short Round to your Indiana Jones.
PS: Whether it’s a group mastermind or 1:1 coaching you’re looking for, I can help! My Flying V Mastermind starts on Jan 12th, and I’m looking for 2 more amazing women to step up! Or, I have my 90 Days from the Muck to the Magic 1:1 coaching program is perfect for those that want to tackle a particular roadblock, transformation, or business challenge.
PPS: If you have never played a video game and have NO idea what I’m talking about, here’s a short video snippet from Lego Wii Indiana Jones that will at the very least date me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Teri Kerr is an Executive Coach and Empowerment Strategist with the Unstuck Duck Coaching. She helps smart, competent women entrepreneurs create a career (and a life!) that is both fulfilling and profitable by overcoming the self-sabotage that keeps them stuck in the muck!
Learn more about Teri at www.unstuckduck.ca or join her Facebook community The Empowered Entrepreneur — from the Muck to the Magic.
