Wordle can help you raise your game - in life and in business!
By now, you have probably heard of Wordle, the viral word game that everyone has been posting about. But just in case you have been living under a rock, here's the scoop. Wordle is an online game that gives players six chances to guess a randomly selected five-letter word. If you have guessed the right letter in the right spot, your tile will show up green. A correct letter in the wrong spot shows up yellow, and a letter that doesn't exist in the word shows up gray.
I resisted playing the game initially but finally succumbed to peer pressure in the hopes of escaping the stresses of the day. And yeah, FOMO is definitely a thing. :) After all, this shouldn't take too long, right? And they say it's not addicting!
Suffice to say, I was immediately smitten. Finally, a challenge that would stimulate my brain and engage my intellect!
Suddenly I was looking forward to my fun new mental exercise every day. To me, it became as important as my vocal warm-ups. And as I progressed with the game over time, I started appreciating the genius behind it. This simple game has so many wonderful elements and qualities that I can apply to both my life and business! Let me explain.
KISS
First things first. Keep it simple! The beauty of Wordle is its simplicity - it's easy to learn, easy to work with, and there is no homework. When you go to the website there are no ads, no clutter on the page to distract you. How refreshing!
We can apply this same principle in our businesses. Simplicity means focused, efficient, and organized products and processes that don't waste your time or your client's time. Make your product (YOU) and client relationship simple and effortless. That means keeping your lines of communication open and uncluttered. Your clients will appreciate the ease of working with you and want to come back time and time again. Make your online store uncluttered and easy to navigate. Keep your mind focused and clear of too much distraction - errr...Social Media much?
"Many successful products keep their complicated back end well away from the simplicity served up at the front." - Julia Hobsbawm
Rise up to the Challenge
There are days when Wordle's puzzles can be a challenge, and sometimes downright hard! But the challenge is what excites me - it's what keeps my mind sharp, and my skills honed. For me, making time just for ME is a challenge. I can't tell you how happy I am that I have risen to the challenge of taking precious time away from work to do something that brings me joy. It refreshes my brain and renews my creativity.
As an entrepreneur, we must rise to the challenge of moving our businesses forward every single day. Not just our business, but our own growth as well. Consider each voiceover script and audition a challenge - to find its purpose, to be the authentic voice of the character, and tell the story in a way that honors the copy. Wow. What a privilege it is to be able to do that for my job. I am grateful. Challenge accepted!
The Daily Word(le)
Every. Single. Day. Right now Wordle is available every single day (Unless your Internet is down or your phone battery died). Great for those of us who engage consistently to maintain our brain health or want to stay sharp. That's right - studies show that playing Wordle won't just give you something to chat with your friends and coworkers about — it can actually be good for your brain health.
That said, I'm a firm believer that if you are serious about your voiceover business, you need to exercise your craft on a consistent basis to stay in great shape and to improve your game. Even if it's for only a few minutes. Reading aloud daily is one of the best things you can do to improve your cold reading skills for sessions, keep your mind sharp, improve your vocabulary, increase your comprehension, and even strengthen your listening skills! I always encourage my students to read their scripts aloud for comprehension and pronunciation prior to recording their auditions. And on days when your business is officially "closed", you can still spend a few minutes doing vocal warm-ups to keep your product flexed and sharp.
Celebrate the Small Wins
Sometimes you just need a win. No matter how small. :) Even though Wordle definitely has its "unsolvable" days, for me, there are thankfully many more good days than not. I almost always solve the puzzle, even though some days it takes a lot more time and tries than others :) And I can share and rejoice with all the other Wordlers, and post my score for all to see. It's almost like having accountability buddies!
I have always kept a journal of goals and accomplishments for my business. Both really help me to strategize and pave a path to success. In past years, however, I only wrote my accomplishments at the end of the month, or every quarter. This year I got myself a Panda Planner (with really pretty sticky notes!), and I started to write my accomplishments every day and every week. It's amazing how much of a difference it has made for me while growing my business! Now I have a real reference point from where I started. My newfound celebration of small victories has led me to a more positive and focused attitude to really progress, more than I even imagined!
Tomorrow is a New Day
If you are down on your luck today, guess what? Tomorrow is a brand new day! And as competitive as I am, the simplicity and joy of Wordle make it ok if I don't solve the puzzle this one time. It's not a catastrophic business loss, and there is always tomorrow. I find comfort in that.
Wordle reminds me that it's ok to fail and that soon enough, there will be a new day with a new puzzle to solve.
Kind of like our businesses, right? As entrepreneurs, we constantly experience the highs and lows of the business, but if we are steadfast and resolute in our passions and business goals, there will always be tomorrow with new opportunities. There will always be another challenge, another audition, another client to find.
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So if you haven’t taken advantage of the many benefits Wordle can bring to your life and career, go ahead and give it a go! It's a great reminder for all of us to keep things simple, rise up to challenges, and embrace the journey every single day. Celebrate your victories and don't sweat the small stuff - tomorrow is a new day filled with all new opportunities!
Thanks for reading!
Keep on rocking your business like a #VOBOSS
HURRY - SEATS ARE FILLNG FAST!
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Creating Characters for Animation Mar 19, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM PDT
Wordle and VO BOSS - Helping you Reach Success!
In this episode, Anne & Laya give you all the tips, tricks, and programs they use so you can make the most of your time like a #VOBOSS!
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About Anne:
Anne Ganguzza is a professional voice actor and award-winning director and producer who works with students to develop their voiceover and business skills - including voice over Coaching and Genre-based Demo Production. She specializes in conversational Commercial & Narration styles, including Corporate, eLearning, Technology, and On-Hold Messaging. Located in Orange County, California, Anne offers private coaching and mentoring services to students via ipDTL and Zoom.