Why do people make this so difficult? Business, like life, is just a series of decisions one must make to help move in a direction that is needed or wanted. At home, you decide to wake up, you decide to stop pushing the snooze button (at least some of you do!), and you decide to drive in to work every single day. Why? Because it’s your life. It’s how you take care of your family. If you decided to choose another direction, make another decision every morning, your life would be vastly different wouldn’t it? Would it be as successful?
Business is exactly the same. We all strive, wish for, want growth and development. I’m not sure I’ve ever known one person who was okay with being stagnant. I don’t think I’ve ever talked with someone who said “You know, I never want to achieve anything great.”. Do you know this person? I sure don’t…. In business, like life, we make a series of decisions that impact us one way or another. Those who are successful plan, set tasks that, if achieve, push person and business growth. They understand what it is they have to do in the short term and the long term. Every single day, or most days, they pick up the phone and call prospects, they keep a structured calendar, they do the little things it takes to succeed.
But Josh, I’m just not that person. Yes you are! You can be! The problem tends to be where to start. How do we go from A to B? How do I start on the right path in business? Well, let me give you three important first steps:
- What does the end point look like? In business, what do you want to achieve? What are your LONG term goals? Do you want to retire in 10 years? Do you want a big house on the lake where your kids and grandkids (someday) can come and visit you and hear stories of how Grandpa slayed the business giant? In order to get started, you must know where you want to go. This doesn’t mean that the direction won’t change at some point, but if you don’t have an initial idea, you will continue sitting there.
- What do you do better than most? We all have talents. God has given each of us something that we do better than others. What is that one thing? Too many times business owners struggle with trying to help improve areas that are weak instead of spending time on those things the person excels in. Figure out what it is you do really well, what it is you love, and sculpt your business around that. Do you love sports? Figure out how to do business around other sports fanatics, put on game watching parties, tailgates, etc… Do you love music? Figure out how to incorporate it into what you do. This will make you more genuine to potential clients and it will help keep you from burning out!
- What will it take to start? Deciding you want to do something is not enough. Sit down and figure out what it is you need to really start. If what you want to do requires $10,000 and you only have $100.00 in the bank, you have to either find the money or pick a different idea. Find something that you can do, that fits your talents/loves/wants/desires and know the good and bad. Do a SWOT analysis and figure out what you are up against.
You have a big opportunity once or maybe twice in a lifetime. Our lives are normally surrounded by the mundane in business, the typical. Because of this we must make sure that when the next big thing does come through, that we are ready to pounce on it. I would always suggest you know what the end goal looks like, that you know how to fit the opportunity into the talents you already have, and that you know exactly what it’s going to take to start. Once you have these ready, you are well on your way to being successful.
Until next time,
Josh
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