Have you ever struggled with a problem for what seems like an eternity, only to have the answer appear when you least expect it? This happened to me while talking to Marisa Haedike before we started recording last week’s podcast. She asked me how business was going, and I told her the truth: it was slow. Ever since the economy took a nose dive, my regular copywriting assignments have all but disappeared.

“But  I’m moving away from copywriting anyway,” I said, “and stepping into more of a coaching and consulting role. So in a way, my business is still in its infancy stages.”

Hearing those words spill out of my own mouth made me realize it was true: I was taking a new direction in my business, so no wonder things were a little slow … a little confusing … a little stressful.  Up until then, I was blaming myself for not being as successful as I wanted to be, and wondering what I was doing wrong.

The truth took a huge weight off my shoulders. It also made me realize that I have a lot of work to do to get this new stage of  business started on the right path.  And I’m not talking about the everyday work of sending invoices and returning e-mails. I mean inner work.

So when not preparing for a new product launch, I’ve been spending my time  journaling, meditating, reading and making plans for the months to come. Fall is the perfect time to  analyze what’s working and what’s not, and then making a new set of goals and priorities.

These books can get you started  in the right direction:

• The Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa Sonora Beam. I recently purchased this one, and it has become one of my favorite business books of all time. It even has creative exercises for creating a marketing plan.

• Spiritual Doodles and Mental Leapfrogs by Katherine Q. Revoir. This book has some great journaling springboards to help you discover more about yourself and get life in order. Plus, it encourages doodling. I love that.

• The Seed Handbook by Lynne Franks.This book is out of print, but it’s still the best resource available for creating a new business plan or just revising an old one. I turned to this many times to help me get focused on my new direction.

Are you switching gears too, or just preparing for the fall months ahead? Share your story with me!

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