When you can’t enjoy something, that’s diagnostic information — not a personal failing. Joe coached a business owner who couldn’t enjoy their marketing. When asked what would make it enjoyable, the answer was: make it authentic, let the team say things that are meaningful, stop performing for customers. Joe’s response: “That’s exactly what you need to do to solve your marketing problem.”
The marketing wasn’t working because it wasn’t enjoyable — because it wasn’t authentic. Everyone could feel that. Within a quarter of making it enjoyable, the marketing started working.
“Let me guess that your marketing isn’t working… because you’re not enjoying it, it’s not authentic to you, and so everybody can read and feel that.”
This principle generalizes: if you can’t enjoy a process, ask what would need to change for you to enjoy it. Those changes often reveal exactly what’s broken. Lack of enjoyment is a signal, not a character flaw.
Related Concepts
- Authenticity transforms business
- How you do it determines if you do it
- Procrastination has wisdom
- Making enjoyment the priority dissolves procrastination