Is Your Work Changing Lives? Here’s How to Tell

The greatest compliment we can hope for as entrepreneurs is to find out what we’ve built actually means something, that what we’re doing matters.

A few days ago, a Fizzle member wrote a post in the forums titled “What I really think about Fizzle.” When you see a title like that about your work, you can’t help but feel a little nervous to read the judgement that follows.

In this case, the post was from Tom Ross, one of the most ambitious and generous members in the Fizzle community, so I was even more anxious about reading what Tom had to say. His opinion is important.

This kind of feedback is what really matters. Traffic, followers, signups, and even revenue can all lie about your progress, but having an impact says something important.

If you can find a way to create this kind of transformation and experience for just one of your customers, you’ll know that what you built actually means something. Changing lives isn’t clichéd, it’s the source of everything good in business and life. Aim to change lives and yours will change too.

Changing lives isn’t clichéd, it’s the source of everything good in business and life. Aim to change lives and yours will change too. (TWEET THIS)

How can you tell if your work is changing lives? If your impact is important enough, you’ll hear about it. You can solicit feedback as well, but nothing feels better than a big compliment out of the blue, like we got from Tom last week.

I just had to share Tom’s feedback with you, because I’m so proud of what we’ve built at Fizzle and how much the community feels like family.

Here is Tom’s complete, unedited post:

I came to this community a few months back after a crushing business blow that was outside of my control. It was pretty much a case of pack this whole thing in and retreat with my tail between my legs, or keep fighting, and get some clarity and direction in the process.

I came here thinking that it would be too basic for me, more aimed at beginners, and that I wouldn’t really learn anything new.

I was half right.

I already knew my way around WordPress.

I knew email list growth was important.

I knew a lot of things.

Two things I wasn’t so hot on?

Taking action and doing the right work

Fast forward just a few months and here’s where I’m at:

I’ve gone from 10 email sign ups per week to 160+ on my blog

I’ve abandoned a posting schedule that was stressing me to death and now publish great content once a week, stress free. I can now enjoy holidays away from the internet, whereas before I’d be constantly working, annoying those around me.

I’ve gone from not knowing my audience, to understanding them really well, and getting personal with a good number of them

I’ve gone from almost getting a traditional job to knowing through and through I’m in this entrepreneurial thing for life

I’ve gone from working with annoying, selfish clients to working with the most respectful, grateful clients I’ve ever encountered, who I now call friends

I’ve gone from feeling alone on this journey, to having a great community of contemporaries and friends all in this thing with me

My sense of design has evolved at a quicker pace then ever

I’ve learnt more about online business and marketing in 5 months than I did in 5 years.

I make daily progress, as opposed to stagnating and plateauing

I found motivation to pick myself up and start a new company, with a great team that looks set to do spectacular things

I discovered a joy for teaching that was always there, but never properly uncovered

I’ve been lucky enough to help a good number of people with their designs and businesses

I feel matured and changed as a person, with more clarity and direction in life

I’ve cut away the crap. All the meaningless work and pointless metrics. The wasted time, and wasteful people.

Fizzle doesn’t create greatness in lazy, greedy people. It let’s you do what you’re truly capable of.

I talk about minor successes and general progress on these forums, but this place has been nothing short of life changing.

Three Tips for Having More Impact and Finding Out How You’re Doing

1. Visualize and articulate the transformation you want your customers to go through. How will you meaningfully impact their lives with your coaching, courses, services, software, podcast, etc.? Care about their success more than you care about your own.
2. Measure things that tell you how much of a difference you’re making. Give up metrics like traffic, followers and social media shares, in favor of metrics that measure customer progress and satisfaction. Constantly ask yourself how things can be reengineered to deliver more value to your customers.
3. Ask your customers for feedback and take it to heart. Give people easy ways to share what they think. Tell them you’re listening and that you care.

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Learn more about Tom Ross at the design-focused sites Fanextra or psdfan, his biggest “Fizzle fueled ventures” as he puts it. In Tom’s design program, he gives all members unlimited design feedback on their projects.

Of course, you can also see Tom in action inside Fizzle, where he and 700+ other entrepreneurs are collaborating and holding each other accountable to build businesses that matter. Your first month in Fizzle is just $1.

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Have you seen evidence that your work is making a difference or changing lives? How do you plan to measure whether your work matters to your customers?

Please share in the comments below.