For some, 2013 was a year to forget and for others it was a year where businesses flourished and business owners achieved more then what they had anticipated. Now is the time to start planning what your year will look like in 2014
So why did some slow down? Why did some fall over completely, and how are they different to those who managed to maintain momentum in the turbulent waters and even thrive in such an uncertain time?
Working with many business operators both in and out of the franchise sector, we have noticed that those who consistently do the right things, in the right order, seem to stay on track to building the business of their dreams. So I thought I would take the opportunity in this article to briefly share some of the key areas that seem to help business owners maintain momentum and help close the gaps between where you are and where you want to be, FASTER.
Remember though, knowledge is all but useless unless it’s applied. So may I encourage you to implement what you read, or, if you have in place most of the points outlined in this article, may I encourage you to review these elements of your business and work towards strengthening them as much as you can to help you maximise the potential in your business. Not just today, but over the next year, two or three.
I have come to realise there are two types of business people in the world today – one is committed to their success the other interested in success. Those who are interested simply do what is convenient to them. Those who are committed to their success do whatever it takes to succeed – no matter what.
Which one are you?
Vision
“A vision without a plan is just a dream. A plan without a vision is just drudgery. A vision with a plan can change the world.”
-Old proverb
No matter where you are and what stage you are at in your business, it’s important to have a strong vision. A vision paves the way, provides clarity of where you are taking your business. Without a vision, there is no focus and without focus it is easy to get off track and start heading in a direction that can set you back months and sometimes even years.
Building the business of your dreams starts with creating a big enough and bold enough vision. If you have never sat down and taken the time to create a clear vision for your business and your life, then may I encourage you to take some time to create a clear direction for where you want to go in your business. This is the first step in creating a solid foundation for your future success. It is the core centre that provides the direction and purpose for the entire business. For those who do have a vision in place, be sure to review it to see if you are on track or if it or the actions you are taking need revising.
TIME TO TAKE ACTION
• Review or create your vision. Be sure it’s big enough and bold enough and something that’s worthwhile.
• Be sure to write your vision down.
• Be sure to set a clear plan of action to take so that you do, in fact, achieve your vision.
Taking 100 per cent responsibility for your success
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. “ -Jim Rohn
If you want to be successful, you have to take 100 per cent responsibility for everything you experience in business and in life. This seems simple – but for most of us we have been so conditioned to blame something or someone outside of ourselves for all the shortcomings in life and when things just don’t go right. With such a long term conditioned habit, it’s sometimes hard to look at perhaps the real problem – ourselves.
As a franchisee you have bought into a system and a brand. In order to be successful and truly build the business of your dreams, it’s important to partner with that system and brand and take consistent daily action to produce the results you want. Spending so much time and energy on focusing on what’s not working will only result in poor results. Maximising the time you spent on taking daily action, focusing on income producing activities, focusing on going the extra mile with your customers and assuming 100 per cent responsibility for your success will produce the long term results you want and is the very reason you bought into a franchise in the first place.
TIME TO TAKE ACTION
• It’s time to stop looking outside of yourself for the answers.
• Give up blaming and complaining.
• Start assuming 100 per cent responsibility for your life and all your results – both successes and failures.
• Learn to replace complaining with making requests and taking action that will achieve your desired outcomes.
Adopting a mindset for success
Your mind is a lot like a parachute. It works much better when it’s open. If you were to take an honest look at your life and your business, is it everything you had planned, imagined or hoped it would be? In order to start building the business of your dreams, it’s important to create a mindset for success.
Once you have started to assume 100 per cent responsibility for your results, you can move into looking at your thoughts and beliefs. Our mind is the most powerful tool you have. It can either work for you or against you.
Successful business people all over the world have mastered how to develop and maintain a positive mindset so that it works for them.
New thoughts lead to new actions. If you are not happy with your current results, then it’s important to understand that how you think, what you believe to be true and your existing habits have all got you to where you are today. If you want to change your results, you’ve got to adopt a positive mental attitude, some new thinking habits so that you will take some new actions in order to produce different results.
Small business owners have been mentally conditioned to behave a certain way. They have specific beliefs such as: ‘in order to make more money, you have to work harder’;
‘Money is the root of all evil’; ‘No pain, no gain’; ‘Money doesn’t grow on trees’; or, ‘If I don’t do it myself, it will never get done.’
Their belief leads to a specific action which is to work more hours and put forth more effort in a vain attempt to increase revenue and profits. That leads to specific results, which are feelings of being overwhelmed, anxiety and frustration, so more and more effort is required, even though results don’t seem to appear.
If this sounds like you, then may I suggest you start to change your thinking. Once you understand how to change your thinking you will be amazed at how quickly your results will change.
The easiest way is to start to focus on what you want rather than on what you don’t want.
Now it’s not enough to think new thoughts – you have to be sure to take consistent daily actions. Be sure you focus on income producing activities and not just any activity.
Try delegating the activities that don’t earn you money, or you are not good at, and it will free up your time so that you can focus on the activities that do produce income and that you enjoy. A key point to make here is that there are people who play and activities that you have to work hard at.
Delegating these tasks will free up your time and your mind which will ultimately allow you to build momentum in your business faster.
TIME TO TAKE ACTION
• Start becoming aware of your ANT’s.
Automatic Negative Thoughts.
• Learn to create Automatic
Positive Thoughts.
• What do you WANT? Once you know, write it down review it daily.
• Start focusing on What You WANT! Do not focus on what you do not want.
• Start saying ‘positive statements’ daily like I am a successful business person.
• Start taking ‘Consistent Daily Action’ so you can achieve your goals.
• C all Vision Alliance for additional support.
These are just the first key areas that you can start focusing on over the next couple of months. By the time the next issue of Business
Franchise arrives you will be ready to move onto the other key areas. Key areas that will continue to help you maximise your potential including: Your Ideal Customer, 7 Ways to Increase Profits & Networking for success
