While working on a website refresh for my personal site, which has been online since the early 2010s…
I ran a broken link check.
Some links were broken because articles moved or were archived.
But many of the sites, people, and companies that I recommended were no longer in business.
It makes sense that people would move on from one project to another. Or, take jobs internally at companies and let their websites expire.
After all, the only constant is change.
It just surprised me how many people had moved on, and what motivated them to let go of their businesses.
What really made me gasp was how many tech companies had shut down, too.
I know I shouldn’t be surprised anymore because I’ve seen WordPress theme and plugin companies come and go…
But companies that looked “serious” and “established” and had a lot of users have been shutting down their doors.
Which I think goes to show how we never know what’s going on at the other end of the screen.
Maybe these companies shut down because of financial reasons or personal ones.
It could be the pull of a new and more exciting project or opportunity. Or the lack of traction.
All of this made me think of the staying power that we each have.
I have moved on from projects and businesses myself.
But I found a lot of stability in running AccessAlly with my husband and team. They bring a lot of grounded energy, and so does a sustainable recurring business model, too.
Remembering the human on the other side
The thing I’ve found to be the most motivating to keep me in a committed creation mode is remembering the human on the other side of the screen.
Whether that’s a client or customer who is expecting a certain result, or even just someone who may read something I’m writing down the line.
Continuing to show up in service of others and of creativity itself.
It’s not always easy, but taking the focus off myself helps a whole lot.
Now I’d love to hear from you…
What keeps you going?
-Nathalie
