Have Another Sip Of Coffee, Pop!…..

Sunday afternoons at our house are not quiet. After church, our home slowly begins to fill up. Sometimes it is my mom. Sometimes my sister. Sometimes two or three of our kids when their schedules allow. Occasionally a friend drops by.

But there is one group that never misses and is ALWAYS welcome. The GRANDCHILDREN. 💕

This is the day my wife and I look forward to all week. We actually start planning for it on Wednesday. Groceries get picked up on Friday. Saturday turns into a cooking day so Sunday can be about people instead of preparation.

We try to have something ready for them whether it is a craft, a walk, a playground trip or even a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood. Our living room transforms into what can only be described as a toy explosion. Blocks, stuffed animals, puzzles, trucks, and dolls take over every available surface and we love every second of it.

After lunch, however, the house changes. The littlest ones go down for naps, and that is when I pull out a few books and gather the older grandchildren. Now when I say older, I mean three, four, and six years old. So “older” is relative.

They love story time. They listen to every word like it is the first time they have ever heard it even though we have read some of these books at least twenty times. They hang on the pages. They study the pictures. They ask questions I cannot possibly answer about fictional animals.

And every single Sunday the same thing happens. I start reading. My voice gets slower. My eyes get heavier. Then the book slides into my lap.

The first time it happened, they thought Pop (that’s what they call me) was joking. That honestly would have been very on-brand for me. But eventually they realized something unusual.

Pop was actually asleep.

They would shake me awake, I would come to, apologize, and we would finish the story before going back to play. But it kept happening. Every Sunday. You would think my body would prepare for it by now, but no. Reading a children’s book after lunch apparently triggers a system shutdown.

Then one Sunday my oldest grandchild leaned close to my ear and loudly announced, “Have another sip of coffee, Pop!” They know I love coffee, and they also know coffee fixes things.

And from that moment on, a cup of coffee magically appears right before story time. Because everyone now knows what is coming.

So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!

Running an online business has a lot in common with reading the same children’s book for the twentieth time on a Sunday afternoon.

It starts exciting with a new website, tools, ideas, etc. You are energized and motivated. But then the repetition begins. Writing emails. Creating content. Posting again. Learning again. Trying again. Some days it feels like you are just turning pages instead of making progress. And that is usually when the mental fatigue shows up.

Here is the important part. Fatigue does not mean failure. It does not mean you picked the wrong business. It does not mean you lack ability. It means you are human and your mind needs stimulation again.

My grandchildren did not tell me to quit reading stories. They told me to grab some coffee.

Sometimes in business, you do not need a new plan. You need renewed energy and focus.

There will be moments when your excitement fades, when results feel slow, or when you simply lose concentration. Those are not stopping points. Those are signals. You need something that wakes you back up and pulls your attention back into what you are building.

And just like that sip of coffee during story time, a small adjustment can completely change your engagement.

When things feel stagnant, try one of these ideas:

• Change The Environment – Take your laptop somewhere new like a coffee shop, patio or even the library. A different environment wakes up your thinking more than forcing yourself at the same desk.
• Consume Instead Of Create For One Day – Watch a training. Read a helpful article. Study someone ahead of you. Learning often restores motivation faster than pushing harder.
• Help Someone Else – Answer a beginner’s question in a community or comment section. Teaching immediately reconnects you to purpose.
• Shrink The Task – Do one small action only. One email. One paragraph. One post. Progress restarts momentum.
• Reconnect With Your Why – Go back to why you started. More time, less stress, more freedom and a whole host of other reasons. When purpose returns, focus follows.

Before I wrap this up, I want to hear from you. What part of your business is putting you to sleep right now?

Is it content creation, learning the tech, staying consistent, or simply staying motivated? Share it in the comments. Someone else is probably facing the exact same thing and your honesty may help them more than you realize.

And if what you really need is that “sip of coffee” for your business, that is exactly why I often recommend the Internet Profits Academy. It gives structure, training, community support, and step-by-step guidance so you are not trying to figure everything out alone. Sometimes clarity is the energy boost.

Every Sunday I still read those books, my eyes still get heavy right before it happens and a small voice says, “Have another sip of coffee, Pop!”

In business, you will get tired and you may even lose focus. You will feel like you are just turning pages. But maybe you do not need to stop the story. Maybe you just need your coffee.

The forecast for Sunday says it’s going to be nice and sunny. So, I’m planning an afternoon filled with making paper airplanes, coloring them and having paper airplane races. I don’t think I’ll need coffee for that activity. 😉

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” — Lena Horne

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:

I finally achieved laser focus today. Unfortunately, it was focused on a cookie.

I didn’t fall asleep reading to my grandkids. I was demonstrating a dramatic pause.

Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!

 

 

 

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