Business Success

It’s the time of year when folks tend to kick back, take some time off and celebrate.  And that is certainly an important part of the next few weeks. Celebrations with family and friends are a big part of a enjoying a happy lifestyle.

 

But there is something of vital importance that entrepreneurs need do at this time, and that is to take a long hard look at how your business fared this past year.  This is the time for a brutally honest evaluation of the past 12 months if you are interested in setting your business up for success in the upcoming year. You want to hit the ground running on January 1st so get your plan for next year in place now.

 

Did You Hit Your Goals?

That’s a simple question, but the answer might not come so easily. Be honest with yourself. If the answer is no, then ask yourself these 4 questions:

1. Did you have a plan; a clear roadmap to get you from where you are to where you want to be? If your answer is no, then I’m here to tell you that you can’t get there without one. It’s just that simple.

2. If you had a plan but you didn’t succeed, what happened?  Was it a lack of focus? Maybe something happened in your personal life that was so big that you got off track. Let’s face it; deaths, divorces and other life changing events happen and we do get off track. If that’s the case, it’s time to “get back in the saddle” as the saying goes.  It may not be easy, but you’ll need to dust yourself off and get back on track.

3. You might say that you “just don’t have a clue”. In reality, you probably know what the problem was but just don’t want to admit it. Was it too much time spent on social media or the internet? If that’s the case, what can you do to change this destructive behavior?  And yes, it is destructive. I am the first to admit that the email has been a problem for me. I feel the “responsibility” to respond to folks each morning that have contacted me since I last checked my email. That is a behavior that I am definitely changing this year, because it is cutting into my most productive hours each morning. Email can wait a few hours.

4. Maybe after looking at your goals, you have come to realize that some of them are no longer a fit for your business. That’s OK. Scratch them off and make a new plan for this year. It’s just inevitable that as we change and our businesses change, our goals will also change.

 

Planning for Success

Over the next few weeks I will be honing my plan for the upcoming year, and I would encourage you to do the same.  Put it all down on paper.

First of all, you need to decide where you want to go. What would you like your business to look like 12 months from now?  Don’t forget that your goal should be to create a “lifestyle business”.

In creating my lifestyle business, I know that I need to add some fun into my plan. Simply put, I work too much most of the time. You know what they say, “You need to stop and smell the roses along the way”.  I haven’t even stopped to notice the rose bush much less smell the roses for much too long. I haven’t decided exactly what “my fun” will be, but I’m committed to figuring it out. I love to travel so I’m pretty sure that will be part of my plan even if some of my travel is work related. I do know this; all work and no play tends to make “Sharon a dull girl”. Next December you can call me out on this one if I don’t put fun on my list for this year.

Once you have decided what your plan is and you have it down on paper, the next step is to start to break it down into manageable parts or steps. Take those 3 to 5 big goals and map out a plan to get them done.

 

Here’s your homework: 

Write down your 3 to 5 big goals for next year. Why are they important to you?  How will your life change as a result of accomplishing these goals?  You need a big “why”. 

  • Is it more money?
  • More free time?
  • Creating passive income for security?

Nail down your why and think big. Whatever it is, put it down on paper and let me know why these particular goals are important to you.  We can work on them together in the upcoming months.

For anyone that might be interested in some one-on-one coaching, I will have some eCoaching spots opening up in the next few weeks. So stay tuned for this information.

 

 If you haven’t already subscribed to the “Inner Circle”, be sure to do that today so you don’t miss any of the business building tips I have coming your way. I want this year to be your best year ever!  And if you enjoyed this article, please share it.

 

 

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