Ah!

The end of the first quarter.

It's that time when we:

1️⃣ Reflect on what we accomplished.
2️⃣ Judge ourselves for everything we didn't accomplish.

I know this because I constantly hear it from other Fractional CFOs and even see it in my own journaling.

The self-criticism sounds like this:

❌ I lost another client. I suck.
❌ I missed the revenue target. I suck.
❌ My firm still isn't as big as _______. I suck.
❌ I didn't get the processes documented. I suck.

There's a lot of guilt (and sometimes shame) around unfinished tasks and unmet goals.

And yes, I fall into that trap too.

PS - Have you ever considered the difference between guilt and shame?
Guilt is when we feel bad about something we did.
Shame is when we feel bad about who we are.

As Fractional CFOs, we demand so much of ourselves. We set the bar impossibly high. We push for excellence in everything we do.

👉 In some ways, that's a strength.
👉 In other ways, it's exhausting and unsustainable.

Here's the truth: the work we do is unique, powerful, and transformative.
And we don't take NEARLY enough time to celebrate the impact we have on our clients.

Just think about it:

As Fractional CFOs, we help our clients achieve things they might never accomplish without us.

We empower businesses to:

✅ Increase profits
✅ Improve cash flow
✅ Create additional jobs
✅ Pay people higher wages

The work we do doesn't just impact businesses—it changes lives. And that is not an exaggeration.

I challenge you to name another industry that has the same level of impact on everyday people that Fractional CFOs have.

👉 And I'm willing to bet YOU had a life-changing impact already this year:

✔ You helped a client pay off debt.
✔ You helped a client achieve a major goal.
✔ You helped a client determine if they could hire.
✔ You helped a client reduce their stress around money.

Our work matters.

So, as you push forward—whether it's the end of a quarter, a month, or just another week—I have a challenge for you:

👉 Keep striving and pushing yourself to do better.
👉 But also take a moment to acknowledge the incredible things you've already accomplished.

You've already done some REALLY important work this year.

Take a moment to appreciate that work before you let the "I suck" monologue dominate your mental narrative.

Now, get back in the arena.

They're counting on you.