TOC #234: You can't mope your way to a (soccer) goal
(June 17, 2025) SARA'S SUMMER OFF: how not to play soccer and how to get more clients when "there's no direct line to a client"
I'm a really nice, supportive mom — until I'm not.
My poor child gets hit with the “not with that attitude!” advice more than anyone else, because needless complaining overstimulates the fuck out of me.
Last week at soccer practice, Woo was getting so pissed that he wasn't getting a chance to kick the ball.
For the first half of practice, he was a good sport, but once we neared the 30-minute mark, he was starting to get frustrated.
He was trying(ish), but his efforts weren't paying off.
Every time another kid dribbled the ball, he would jog after them, huffing a bit, then breaking into a full-blown Pout Pout Fish style frown when they scored.
Then, he'd slowly drag his feet to his team's end of the field, annoyed.
Just like you're not guaranteed your next client, you're not guaranteed a goal in soccer.
He moped over to the sidelines for his water, complaining “I never get to kick the ball!”
& because I have a threshold on how encouraging I can be — the tank was low that day — I told him that if he wanted to kick the ball, he had to DO something about it.
So, after I gave out all the “you can do it!”s and “awesome job!”s I possibly could muster, I had to stop lying and give him the harsh advice he needed if he ACTUALLY wanted to kick the ball:
Yell to the other kids to pass to you!
Run faster instead of sadly jogging! You're wicked fast! Act like it!
Keep your head up, stop moping, and look for the ball!
Don't stand at the other end of the field and hope for it! RUN!
Of course, he kept moping.
Guess who didn't score a goal that day.
He was acting like he was owed a goal — like kicking the ball should have been 100% granted and guaranteed to him.
Sorry, brother! That's not how sports work!
If you want something, put your best foot forward (literally lol) to do everything you can to make it yours.
BEACH CHAIR FRIENDLY BACK-END TASK
One of my favorite pieces of advice I've ever received was from my bestie Sarah Kleist, when, 4 years ago, I was complaining to her about how I didn't get 100 people enrolled in Site Series®.
She told me that she used to spend so much time wishing and manifesting and doing (seemingly) everything in her power to be cast in a specific show — she’s a very talented actor, FYI — until she realized that she isn’t the one that gets to decide who gets cast in what.
What she can take control of, though, is what she does to increase her chances of achieving a certain goal. She may not be able to control whether or not she gets cast in a specific show, but she can vow to go to 100 auditions this year.
Reframing that narrative has helped me a ton.
…and it has stuck with me ever since.
You cannot control the actions of others; you can only control YOUR effort.
That's how I felt about Wesley and his goal.
It's not up to him if he gets passed the ball.
But it IS up to him to run faster, ask for the pass, practice his dribbling, keep his head in the game, choose to have a good attitude, trade the moping for playing… you see where I'm going with this?!
You don't get to be in charge of how it ends, but you DO get to be in charge of YOUR involvement in the outcome.
So, here's my beach-friendly back-end task challenge for you today:
Make a list of 10 things YOU can do to be more proactive in reaching your goal.
(And you know my rule — if you can't think of 10, think of 30!!!)
SOARING THROUGH THE SLOW SEASON
You know that one thing your teachers used to always say that made you groan every time?
I personally would forge my mom's signature on a dismissal note every time I had math during “long block” — aka 2 hours of math with a half-hour break for lunch in between, which happened every 7th school day — just to avoid hearing Mr. B say “pencils out!”
(I had 64 absences in math my senior year. Clearly I skipped a bit more than long block.)
THIS is what *my* Success Story students hate hearing 👇
There's no such thing as a direct line to a client.
Sorry! Hate to break it to ya! There's just not.
You can't wake up one morning and decide “I'm gonna go get myself a client today!” and magically have your dream client appear in your lap.
However, you ABSOLUTELYYYY can wake up one morning and decide “I'm gonna try to get myself a client today!” and take strategic action steps to get closer to having your dream client appear in your lap.
You can only control what YOU can control.
Just like Woo at soccer practice, you have to DO SOMETHING if you want to get something in return.
*ahem* this is the part where I remind you about my 28-day sales challenge we talked about last week, in case you need a little more advice for the DOING part of it all. 😏
If you're in a slow season and struggling to keep your momentum, my self-paced sales challenge is the perfect way to spark fresh energy into your marketing, without feeling cringey or salesy.
It’s a do-whenever-you-feel-like-it, low-pressure activity, and packed with TONS of smart, non-sleazy ways to promote your offer, plus expert insights from pros in launches, case studies, Pinterest, and more.
(cue my infomercial voice) For just $40, you also get 30 days of Slack support and a bunch of helpful bonuses: a guide to shut down your "I'm so fucking annoying" doubts, two strategic workbooks to refine your offer and audience, and a giant list of places to actually market your stuff.
UNDER THE COPYWRITING UMBRELLA: THE #1 FRUSTRATION WHEN WRITING YOUR OWN COPY
“I don't know how to say it in a way that people will understand!”
…but I think the issue is a little deeper than that.
Most of the time, you likely *do* know how to say it in a way that they'll understand—you just think you have to Be Professional and Use Big, Fancy Words to say it in a way that Sounds Very Proper.
That's bullshit.
Sooo0o0o0o0o many times, I've heard my clients tell me “I wish I could just say…” or “what I'm trying to say is…” or “so I want to tell them that…”
& my response is always the same:
Just say that, then.
Like, seriously. Just say that. Say the simple, direct, not-buttoned-up thing. That's how people actually talk! That's what people WANT to read!
No one wants to read some fluffy Runaround Sue description of something when it could be summed up — in a way they actually understand and resonate with — using just a few words.
Here, I'll give you an example: I'm going to explain what I do for work in two ways. You tell me which one sounds better.
Option #1 - Contrary to popular belief, copyright and copywriting are two different fields of expertise. A copyrighter is a person who secures copyrights.
I am a copywriter, which means that I am an experienced professional writer specializing in the strategic crafting of text used in marketing and promotional materials for service-based business owners. This type of written content is often used to persuade a person or group as well as raise brand awareness.
Option #2 - I write words that sell things.
If you don't conclude that “option two” is the best, then, good for you; you're someone who has a lot of time to spare. That's lovely.
Most people aren't like you.
Most people, when they're reading a line of copy, want to immediately understand it, so they can determine whether or not it's relevant to them (or beneficial for them), so they can then move on to the next line of copy — or “x” out and move on to something else that may actually capture their attention.
SHELLING OUT MY BEST TIPS: 4 SIMPLE WAYS TO MAKE SURE YOUR READERS “GET IT”
June 17: 30 things I'd outsource for BTL if money were no object
June 18: 30 personal things I'd outsource
June 19: 30 ways to grow my community in real life
June 20: 30 compliments I can give a stranger
June 21: 30 ways to let my brain creatively explore
June 22: 30 things to do offline
June 23: 30 things I want to do with my last half of my 30th year!
THE LOVE-YOU-BYE LOVE NOTE
Before you go…
Don't forget about my my Summer Workshop series !!!! I'm teaching you how to write the best sales page and the best sales emails, so you can sell anything to anyone at any time 😏
Here's what's included with the 💰 WON'T SELL ITSELF 💰 workshop series:
90-minute sales page copywriting workshop on June 23rd
90-minute sales email copywriting workshop on June 30th
2 weeks of Slack community and support
Sales page Google Doc template
Sales email Google Doc template
Notion dash with more tips for writing sales pages + launch emails
& if you choose the VIP option, I'll personally edit your sales page AND your sales emails for you!
LOVE YOU BYYYEEEEE
—S
P.S. I may be off for the summer but I AM booking copywriting projects for the fall! I only have a few spaces left for done-for-you website copywriting this year, so make sure you inquire now if you're thinking of working together in 2025!
If we haven’t had the chance to *virtually* meet yet, hi! I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
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