As a small business owner, no doubt you have a vision for your
business. To launch any new business endeavor takes vision, focus,
determination, persistence, and a ton of perspiration.
Yet you might find yourself having lost some of your initial
enthusiasm, and wondering what it will take to really bring your vision to
fruition. As it turns out, success is simple (but not easy!) when you have the
winning formula.
Taking your business from vision to reality:
Start with a vision:
Vision is what you see in your mind's eye, not something you see externally. If you've never created a true vision before, it may seem like an exercise that is vague and intangible, but I can assure you it's worth the effort! Start by crystallizing what you want long-term. Begin to imagine and create a colorful, clear picture in your mind what your business would look like when time, energy, people, space, and money were no object. What areas of your business need a clearer vision? How can your marketing, business development, products, services, or even customer service be markedly improved?
Vision is what you see in your mind's eye, not something you see externally. If you've never created a true vision before, it may seem like an exercise that is vague and intangible, but I can assure you it's worth the effort! Start by crystallizing what you want long-term. Begin to imagine and create a colorful, clear picture in your mind what your business would look like when time, energy, people, space, and money were no object. What areas of your business need a clearer vision? How can your marketing, business development, products, services, or even customer service be markedly improved?
Chunk it down:
Now, chunk it down into a shorter time-frame, such as 100 days. Create a vision for just this next 100 days based upon your longer-term vision and then break your vision down into focus areas, such as desired revenue and income, the size of your company, and where you want to work, and who you want to have on your team.
Now, chunk it down into a shorter time-frame, such as 100 days. Create a vision for just this next 100 days based upon your longer-term vision and then break your vision down into focus areas, such as desired revenue and income, the size of your company, and where you want to work, and who you want to have on your team.
Write Down The Why Do You Want
the Vision:
Your vision won't stand a chance against the "elements," the everyday events that take you off track, like illness, demanding clients, even holidays, if you don't have a clear purpose for achieving the vision. Once you've finalized your vision, write down why you want to achieve that vision in the first place. This is the fuel that will keep you moving forward when people and events threaten to slow down or even reverse your progress.
Your vision won't stand a chance against the "elements," the everyday events that take you off track, like illness, demanding clients, even holidays, if you don't have a clear purpose for achieving the vision. Once you've finalized your vision, write down why you want to achieve that vision in the first place. This is the fuel that will keep you moving forward when people and events threaten to slow down or even reverse your progress.
Define Your Laser Focus:
Now that you know what you want and why you want it, it's time to get extremely clear about what exactly your goals are and the action steps that support those goals. Your next most important action item is to set three specific, measurable, attainable and slightly risky goals based solely upon, and congruent with, your vision. Then, identify the daily action step or steps you need to take to move toward those goals, such as: I want to earn $100,000 in new business over the next 100 days (specific, measurable attainable, slightly risky and time-sensitive), my action items are to follow-up with existing outstanding proposals and make five phone calls first thing each morning.
Now that you know what you want and why you want it, it's time to get extremely clear about what exactly your goals are and the action steps that support those goals. Your next most important action item is to set three specific, measurable, attainable and slightly risky goals based solely upon, and congruent with, your vision. Then, identify the daily action step or steps you need to take to move toward those goals, such as: I want to earn $100,000 in new business over the next 100 days (specific, measurable attainable, slightly risky and time-sensitive), my action items are to follow-up with existing outstanding proposals and make five phone calls first thing each morning.
Who's On Your Bench?
If you're like most people (and you are, aren't you?), you must engage in some form of accountability to ensure your success or you will fail. You'll let yourself off the hook, or you'll get off track and never get back on. Find an accountability partner, mentor, or form a mastermind group. Additionally, it's important, almost crucial, to find a coach to provide the level of accountability, critical thinking and strategic planning needed to achieve new heights.
If you're like most people (and you are, aren't you?), you must engage in some form of accountability to ensure your success or you will fail. You'll let yourself off the hook, or you'll get off track and never get back on. Find an accountability partner, mentor, or form a mastermind group. Additionally, it's important, almost crucial, to find a coach to provide the level of accountability, critical thinking and strategic planning needed to achieve new heights.
My mentor used to say, "Success is simple, but it's not
easy." I sort of
agree, but I also believe that almost anything is possible with the right plan
and action items to support it, and these same plans and actions certainly do
make attaining success easier!
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