“If” thinking

How do I know I’m not doing a great job of explaining my job? People have to ask me what a big chunk of it actually means.

Listing a made-up title like “Climate-First Business Coach for Solo creatives” is probably not a smart move, so I do a lot of explaining at the moment.

The Climate-first part goes over plenty of heads, but it’s a huge component that can be weaved into literally any business, and I’m always looking for ways to integrate climate-first thinking into solo service-based businesses.

Product businesses are somewhat easier by comparison (use recyclable material, less packaging, less shipping etc) but services aren’t tangible in that way, so it’s far less obvious how to make any impact.

So what does climate-first look like for a service business?

It’s switching your thinking from starting with an interrogative (who/what/where/when/how/why) to starting with if.

Eg:

Not just deciding what to buy, but if to buy.

Not just how to travel, but if to travel.

Not just what car to drive, but if you should even own a car.

Not just which supplier to use, but if you really need the things that supplier offers.

Not just who to work with, but if you should work with them at all.

Not just where your office should be, but if you even really need an office.

It’s opposite to everything we’ve been trained to think – ads are designed to get you to buy more things, do more stuff, consume as much as you can.

“If” thinking is retraining your brain, and it’s hard.

Look past the immediate promise this brand or ad is making you, and picture yourself at some point after the purchase, when this thing is just another thing you own. Are you proud to own it? Do you use it as much as you thought you would? Would your life have been drastically worse if you just kept walking that day?

We rush to which one before we consider if we even really need one.

If the answer to the “if” really is “yes”…

…then ask which one.