We have just entered the third quarter and the goals you formulated last year for 2013 are still just beyond reach. You put in the time the past 6 months, never less than 60 hours weekly. So what happened?
Well, let’s take stock. You are a sole proprietorship, a home-based business. Your business plan passed muster with your business advisor. Goals were well defined and, with hard work, they were achievable. Yes, there were the unforeseen events. Let’s call them variables. You missed the mid-year assessment of your strategic plan due to family demands at the end of the school year in May. Also, you were late filing your taxes for 2012, and you had to complete several important projects already behind schedule. Moreover, a friend recently buttonholed you with a new opportunity that keeps buzzing in your head. There were several issues but the distractions listed were time-consuming.
Although this is a composite of several clients, my purpose is to sketch a portrait representative of many entrepreneurs and small business owners trying to succeed in an uneven economy. Frequently, they come up short of their expectations. They get stuck and they need help.
My suggestion is to stay positive. Remember, you are your greatest asset and only you bear the ultimate responsibility for your life, your success, or your failure. Here are several practical questions I would like you to internalize and act upon.
First, where is your focus? Are you focusing on things you can control? Each of us can legitimately chase things on someone else’s agenda by thinking, “I can get it done more quickly than I can show someone else how to do it.” Or, a close friend wants you to help evaluate a new opportunity and it’s hard to say no. The list of possible distractions is endless but, each distraction represents a conscious choice to utilize your time, talent, and energy in ways that contributed to your current dilemma. Remember, the key word here is CHOICE.
Accept the responsibility for working at cross purposes with yourself. That was a choice!
You developed a plan last fall but you did not work the plan. That, too, was a choice.
No, you’re not in a rut! You just need to take stock and be willing to ask for help.
Second, take a look at your plan and ask yourself, “If I am not where I projected myself to be by the beginning of the third quarter in 2013, why not?” “How far am I from meeting my goals?” And, “what do I have to do to bridge the gap? What decisions do I have to make?” You already know how easy it is to utilize your time doing things that seemed important to you at the time. The object now is to choose to utilize your time in pursuit of your goals, to achieve your dreams.
You have to choose not to be distracted. You have to choose to hold yourself full accountable – no excuses!
Third, prioritize your goals. Focus on the goals with shorter timelines: 30 – 60 – 90 days. Again, focus on what you can control. Why? You need to put some successes on your board. Success restores confidence; success helps you to maintain focus and impose self-discipline.
Fourth, learn to say No and mean it! The ability to say no politely and firmly can be difficult. It is, however, necessary.
While you are your most valued asset, your most precious and limited commodity is time – your time. Each of us is allotted 168 hours weekly. Therefore, how you manage and choose to utilize your time offers insights into your values. It is also a prime determinant of your success. Those who respect your ability to say no, to set priorities, to hold them accountable, can become allies and multipliers in your pursuit of success. Here’s why: You have an obligation, under certain circumstances, to inspire, teach, and mentor. You do not have an obligation to assume the responsibilities assigned to others. Earn their respect; do not become their crutch.
Fifth, assess what works and what doesn’t. Integrate choices – actions – and outcomes. If the right choice followed by the appropriate action produces the desired outcome – repeat it!
Be flexible, be willing to assess, and be willing to grow.
Sixth, keep an eye on your tomorrow. Now that you have gained a perspective on your third quarter activities, become more intentional about your future. Your intent to succeed sets in motion a focused mindset, a sense of direction, and the will to persevere.
Let’s summarize. Your commitment to your success wavered. You also took a very popular course: “Distractions 101.” Not a good idea!
Get back to fundamental principles: develop a success-focused mindset; develop habits that foster success; and manage your time efficiently and effectively. Jim Rohn calls these principles “Vitamins for the brain.” Vitamins should be a daily habit as should your adherence to these principles. There is no proven alternative principles. There is always “Distractions 101.”
