Having started my own business there are SO many things I
thought I would never do; read business books, wear flesh coloured tights, be a
boss. But I am a true convert to business books and by extension using a
business coach. If you want to get better at something then make the effort to
learn, even if you already know it – be motivated to apply it.
So to take three hours of my time to attend ‘Make 2016 the
best year ever’ with Penny Tunnel of DD Capace was a no brainer. Over the Christmas
period I read Eat That Frog!: Get More of the Important Things Done – Today by
Brian Tracy, got a dedicated note book, wrote a list of goals and plans for
2016, 10 things I wanted to achieve in 2016, like I had achieved them. In
2017…
1.
Push Start Marketing HAS doubled its turnover
2.
I am earning my old salary
3.
We had an awesome Christmas do
You get the idea..
I had certainly started to think
best year ever, but how will I actually get there and what will all that look
like?
The fluffy Part – A reintroduction to my values
Since I started working with a
coach in 2013 I have been aware of my personal values and trying to hold true
to them; honesty, trust, hard work, motivation, helpfulness, generosity,
inspiration, value.
But as an extension to those what
am I at my best? When I am in front of the room, in consultation with a client,
working on a project?
Inspirational, motivated,
solution driven, action orientated, future focused, supportive and fearless.
What lessons will I leave on my
death bed? ‘Enjoy the now’, ‘fight not flight’ and ‘their circus their
monkeys’.
And on my gravestone (hopefully)…
She will be missed and remembered, but we’ll smile when we do.
The focused business planning part
Running your own business you
have to be on top of so many 'things', and if you start to think about it are
you? And if not what’s the worst, and what’s the priority?
I could see in a simple exercise
where I was with all of these 'things' and what needed addressing.
1.
Brand and product
2.
Strategy and planning
3.
Financial management
4.
Profit and cost
5.
Marketing
6.
Sales
7.
People/HR
8.
Customers
From those eight, I could then create 24 goals (three per
area) to achieve them, this is all practical things to do with my business I
know need doing – but all of a sudden I have a 24 step plan to achieving 10/10
in all of those eight areas.
What is stopping me??
Great question. The answer is me.
1.
Time management
2.
Fear of failure/success
3.
Prioritising
4.
Distraction/focus
5.
Overload
Having to bullet point all that really hit home. I can
overcome all of those, they are totally doable. How can I remove those barriers?
1.
Time management – planning and diarise
2.
Fear of failure/success - Just do it
3.
Prioritising – numbered lists, use dates to help
4.
Distraction/focus – turn off emails and phone
when focusing
5.
Overload – Delegate, organise and ‘delete’
what’s not relevant
So now I have goals, a 24 step plan to get my business in
tip top shape and I can now break that down into monthly actions.
But can I actually do
it?
If you want to get anything done you’ve have to be in the
right mind set. Overcome and eliminate anything that is holding you back, get
the environment right for being the best I can be. So I need to look at what
has to go, and what I need to do more of. Not just in business planning but
socially, relationships, clients. What shall I say no to and yes to, who or
what has to go.
What and who are the ‘drains’ or the radiators.
Now I have identified those, I can make the changes I need
to give me the best chance of success. With a clear plan, a release of
everything holding me back and the mind set of ‘eating that frog’, I will have the confidence and freedom to achieve
even more as the day, week, month and year progresses. Bon appetit!
Thank you Penny.
