How to do your best work this year

When you work for yourself, there are moments when everything clicks. When there is what feels like an almost spiritual alignment of conditions that make your best work possible.

For me? I feel the stars align when I’m: endowed with creative inspiration, at my optimal health, have a distraction-free environment, a crystal clear goal and a looming deadline.

They say business building is a marathon, not a sprint, but in my case, I think so much of what has made running this business possible for the last half decade are moments of intense focus.

Whether it was the period in which I focused on hitting my first 1k email subscribers, running Talent to Money Summit in 2022 (reaching live 700 attendees), ideating new services, launching group programmes or newsletter propositions… these moments felt more akin to sprinting.

Having recently just closed the doors to Authority Club for the fourth time, I write today from the other side of that sprint. If you’re eagle eyed you’ll notice I missed last week’s newsletter. This was a byproduct of that very intensity following a month of ‘launching’.

Last week I prioritised my remaining energy reserves for clients and everything else took a back seat. Sorry to let it slip — those moments are rare. And naturally, as is so often the case after the adrenaline wears off, I finally came down with the cold that every Londoner I know has had the pleasure of in recent months.

Whether you are planning on intense sprint-type work patterns this year, or simply want to align your work and energy levels effectively to do your best work; today’s email offers some tried and tested advice on how to do your best work in 2026.

1. Set a clear goal and intention

With so many goal-setting frameworks out there I’m not here to add a new one to get your head around.

But simply put, you need to know what you’re working towards (the outcome) and you’ll want to set an intention for how you’ll achieve said outcome.

The goal gives you the destination. The intention shapes how you’ll show up on the way there.

Your best work happens inside defined parameters to operate within. So for my most recent launch of Authority Club I had established the number of new members I hoped would join at this intake round, with three potential outcomes; “Good”, “Better” and “Best” goals.

Since the launch happened over the Christmas and New Year period, I knew lots of people (myself included) were less online than usual, and my targets took that into account. My intention was to still take time off and enjoy the break myself, and not overwork during a period that should be restful, just because of these goals.

I am happy to say I felt very rested from my Christmas and New Year period, and, was just shy of hitting my “Best” goal. Not only that, but the quality of the people who joined us is a data point I take even more pride in beyond the numbers.

2. Secure the support you need

Just because you work for yourself doesn’t mean you have to work solo.

With every single big sprint (and subsequent win) I’ve had in my business, I’ve had help. Whether it was someone to soundboard ideas with, a team member on execution, a coach providing their unwavering support, a mentoring programme providing offering structure and best practices… I do my best work with others by my side.

I do not outsource my intuition, final decision making power, or expect others to do the work for me. I always give my 100%, but my 100% is better thanks to the inputs I’ve had from others along the way.

My best work is to BE a support to other people. So it’s with my cup full that I can be of service to my clients in their quest to do their best work. They have my support thinking strategically, making big leaps in business, producing higher quality work and simply enjoying the ride more. Two examples of gratitude from just yesterday:

How to decide on the help you need?

Sometimes you know what to do but don’t do it consistently enough — that’s where it could either be a mindset or an accountability issue. Sometimes your ambition outpaces you, and that’s a strategic gap or knowledge issue. And sometimes you move faster than your systems can support — that’s an execution gap.

Help might look more practical: freeing up capacity elsewhere, such as at home, so you can focus on the work that matters. Understanding which gap you’re dealing with is key. Different problems need different support, and that’s why I offer free consultation calls as this helps both myself, and my potential new client, align on if I am the support they really need at this point in time.

I have one spot opening in February for a new 1-1 client — if you’re curious about support growing your Authority-led business, schedule a non obligation consultation.

3. Work in a lane that genuinely excites you

An absolute non-negotiable. You won’t do your best work this year if you’re bored, conflicted, or resentful of the work you’ve committed to.

At times, we have to take on the work that pays the bills, of course. But if you’re after your best work?

Check in with yourself:

• Does my current Authority area still energise me?

• Am I working in a lane that represents my future, or one that I’ve outgrown?

• Do I need to reposition myself, or is this chapter about doing deeper into what I already built?

If you’re excited and ready to run at this phase then great. Seek out the specifics about why these aspects of work light you up? Name them. Write them down. Be intentional about protecting them.

Since I doubled down on Authority-led business owners, I’ve had more enjoyment in work than ever before. I feel I have my creative and strategic brain working in tandem in the coaching sessions and trainings I offer.

What about your lane? Is it exciting and pushing you, simultaneously?

When it isn’t, our brains can sometimes sabotage goals and plans that make sense on paper because there is an emotional mismatch at play.

4. Commit to your craft

As Authority-led business owners you have the subject matter of expertise that you know about, and then you have the skillset that you provide your clients. This skillset creates the transformation and result that they pay you for. I call it your Horizontal in your positioning puzzle.

So yes, keep abreast with what’s going on in your industry but your best work most often results from a commitment to the depth of skill you’re bringing to it.

I always ask my clients: if you had unlimited time, resource, and budget, what would invest more time learning? That’s your answer. For example in my client base coach who helps leaders build more presence could take a meditation course whereas the coach whose work sits at the intersection of communication, leadership, and high-growth tech could take a negotiation class because their clients will value that insight.

The more clearly you understand your horizontal, the easier it becomes to deepen it, compound it, and be recognised for it.

5. Curate your inspiration and inputs

Your work gets shaped by what you let into your orbit. You’ve likely consciously curated your information diet, but have you considered your creative environment?

Think about the influences that surround you. Are you lifted up? Made sharper? Do you have expanders around you? (Expansion is one of our Club Values inside Authority Club — helping others believe in bigger possibilities).

This was demonstrated in a recent challenge members set themselves to focus on 3 months of high impact actions, where everyone rose to the occasion.

When I take on a new client, their pre-coaching questions always include “Who are your muses?” These are people whose work they find inspirational. Not to copy per se, but to uphold them to a higher standard.

To do your best work requires a high bar set for what that work could look like. Refine your taste. It also requires being in the arena alongside the people who will cheer you on, not hold you back.

And, a tidy desk and optimal working space, never hurts either.
 

6. Protect your focus with boundaries

Your best work is available to you, but like any great relationship, it’s symbiotic. It requires you to prioritise time and energy for it.

That looks like saying no to what does not constitute your best. That looks like clear boundaries around: the work you will and won’t take on, the clients you say yes to, and importantly, how many directions you allow yourself to move in at once.

Because real focus compounds, and fragmentation dilutes your efforts as I wrote about the other week:

The people who do their best work tend to go deep before they go wide.

That’s why I personally refrain from using the term ‘portfolio career’ to describe the set up of people I’m helping. Whilst they absolutely might use different skillsets in their work as I do (coaching, mentoring, writing), Authority-led business owners do this in service of building their message in the world. They bring these various elements together, and potentially different income streams too, under the banner of a big mission and vision they are building towards. Whereas portfolio careers might include all sorts of missions, activities and focuses, an Authority Entrepreneur builds in line with their One Big Idea.

If you’re still unclear on your big mission, message and idea, and trying to work out how the various skills, ideas and services you offer fit under it, that’s exactly the work I help you to align upon.

From there? You feel super clear on your value, you’ll craft compelling positioning reflected across your online presence, and you’ll create an offer suite that matches this exact value you bring. Less tangibly but even more importantly, you’ll feel clarity, confidence and conviction in what you bring. You’ll find the energy to keep going, month after month, year after year, to do better work than you ever imagined.

Wrapping up

Today’s topic is an underserved one in the online business space. So much focus goes into ‘finding clients’ and not enough emphasis goes into upleveling ourselves, and the work we are capable of creating, so that those clients cannot help but choose us, stay with us, and refer us.

It’s unlikely, as you explore doing better work this year, the question is just “what should I add to my plate”. It’s “What conditions do I need to put in place, so my best work has a chance to emerge?”

That’s where you’ll find real leverage lies. I’ll keep you in the loop with some of the plans I have in store myself, as the year goes on.

Thanks so much for reading as always!

Until next time,

Ellen

Ellen from The Ask is brought to you by Ellen Donnelly, Founder of The Ask, offering strategic business coaching & mentorship to Authority Entrepreneurs ready to grow a profitable business in a way that feels true to them. Get in touch for help growing yours.