Shouldn’t We Treat Every Day like New Year’s in our Business?
Imagine the Impact from Such Optimism all Year Long
It’s awesome how everyone starts the New Year with a positive outlook for their business. The feeling of making this ‘the best year ever’ inspires people to set goals, become laser-focused, and get things done. We feel like anything is possible, so we dream big.
Often times, this motivation fades by the end of January, or sooner. Our business and lives return to our former routines until the start of the next year. What if it didn’t have to be this way? What if we treated every day as the first of the year – filled with optimism, confidence, and dreams? Imagine the impact and ripple effect!
While I can’t make every day New Year’s Day, I do have a workaround that I follow myself to keep me motivated. Once the sun goes down and I fall asleep, I put that day behind me. If something didn’t go as planned the previous day, it doesn’t matter because it’s a new day. I give myself a fresh start when I wake up. Every morning is a Mulligan, a do-over. It’s my opportunity to have a positive outlook again.
If a daily mulligan feels a bit much, try a less frequent interval. You could have a do-over every Monday, every first of the month, or every quarter. Pick the duration that works for you – the length of time that keeps you energized to set and implement big goals.
At a minimum, treat the start of each quarter with the same enthusiasm that you have for the New Year. Quarterly is the perfect time to refine your annual goals. It’s also the perfect duration for implementation. Long enough to accomplish something substantial. Short enough to stay focused and motivated.
What should be in your quarterly goal-setting plan? Keep it to just three things so the plan is very simple. Create the goals and the implementation plans to:
1)Take Advantage of your Biggest Opportunity
What one action could 10x your business? Maybe it’s finding a strategic referral partner or landing a big speaking stage filled with your ideal clients. Perhaps it’s launching a new product that will generate substantial revenue. Find a path to snatch and implement that one opportunity, so you massively move your business forward.
2) Identify your Biggest Threat
What could realistically happen that could impact your business. Maybe it’s losing your biggest (or only) customer because you put all of your eggs in one basket. Perhaps technology is changing the way you need to do business, or the competition is increasing. It’s better to know and address potential threats and defuse them while you have the upper hand. Companies that don’t take action could be the next Blockbuster dinosaur.
3) Remove your Biggest Blocker
What is the one obstacle hindering your success? Maybe it’s money or time. Perhaps it’s lack of confidence or another mindset challenge. The quicker you can smash through the blocker, the faster you can experience even more success in your company.
I encourage you to implement these tips so you stay energized and excited about your business more than once a year. Being a business owner is a privilege. We get to create jobs, transform lives, and make an impact with our products and services – as long as we don’t get complacent or coast which slows momentum. Following these easy suggestions should help keep you on track for 2018.
Please share and leave a comment about these ideas.
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For those who need help making a quarterly plan, consider booking a Rapid Results Day with me. We define your implementation road map around these three items so you know exactly what to do each day. You will change your business in just one day in this done-with-you experience.
