The Chrissie holidays are always good to break away from the day-to-day of business life and consider those big-picture goals. But when you get back to work, usually even after the first day, most of us generally find ourselves going straight back to ‘business as usual’ and picking up right where we left off a couple of weeks before.
Those big visions and dreams are still there, but more of a niggling feeling that you shove to the back of your mind while you get your hands dirty in today’s issues.
It doesn’t take long for the gusto and motivation of the New Year to completely wear off, and you find yourself and your team slipping straight back to old habits and patterns.
It’s classic Ground Hog Day syndrome – it’s common and it’s insane.
It’s common because it’s very easy to get caught up working in our businesses day to day. You don't have the time to stop and think outside the box to find solutions and answers that will make changes that make an IMPACT.
It’s insane because it is so simple. If you do what you have always done, you will get what you’ve always gotten.
We all have barriers to change and excuses that pull on the handbrake of progress.
“The business needs me on the tools right now”
“My team are not performing and I have to do everything myself”
“I have all these urgent disruptions to deal with. I don’t have time for business development or planning right now”
To really reach your potential, you need to think deeper, push further and dream bigger.
Setting your sights further into the future and reaching further is what creates truly life-changing opportunities – not just “business as usual” or a “little better than last year”. Seeking and identifying the opportunities for growth is what brings out the passion in us and our clients.
So, do yourself and your business a favour, and take 30 minutes to work on what you can you do to free up your time & allow you to focus on important business development strategies that will smash through the barriers limiting your success.
Follow this simple but effective strategy:
STEP ONE: PRINT OUT THIS TEMPLATE and start your four lists.
MORE OF –
What should you be doing More of – What works, what’s important, what helps achieve your goals and are aligned with your vision and values. Schedule these things in first and make them happen – no matter what.
DREAMIN’ OF –
What aren’t you doing at all that you want to be doing? Write it down, even if it doesn’t seem possible right now. Imagine you are in an alternate universe where everything is possible. Don’t limit yourself with doubts and negativity. What will it take to make it happen, write an action plan and take small steps every day towards this goal.
LESS OF –
Perhaps these things are necessary to some degree but aren’t really that important and can easily hijack your whole day if you let them (aka emails and staff issues). Can someone else do them? Or set aside a limited time to spend on these things each day and make yourself move on once your time is up – Discipline.
RID OF –
My favourite. What does not fit with your priorities, your vision, your values. What is actually getting in the way of allowing you to have the time to focus on what is important. This one takes courage but is “the game-changer”. Be honest with yourself and let go of these things. Break with to Break Through!
STEP TWO: Implement and Make it Happen!
Print out the template and take the first steps towards making change happen in your business.
If you would like some accountability around implementation or would like to work with your business advisor on this template, get in touch with us today!
