Do you believe in your plan?

Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless.
Thomas A. Edison (1847 - 1931)


Do you have a plan?

For your business? For your life?

I love this quote by Edison, it teaches me to come back to plans, to ponder, analyze, appreciate and revise. So often we create plans and because they do not work out we leave them by the way side and miss out of all the wisdom they hold for us.

When we are diligent, we continually re-look at plans and adjust actions and forecasts. I recently met with a very successful accounting firm partner. He described the quarterly review of their business plan and ongoing adjustment to marketing, staffing and resource strategies. He was able to speak with authority on where the company had been, where they are now, as well as where they want to go.

He had insights into trends and was able to speak intimately about the business with confidence and ease. As I reflected on the meeting, I was struck at the ease with which he spoke about the numbers. It was of course typical for an accountant t be able to spew out numbers with confidence. What I was struck by for myself is my lack of confidence as a business owner to talk with such confidence about the numbers, about the forecasts, the trends in my numbers. I was humbled, as I am sure most of us would be.

It really gave me deeper insight into the many facets of business and how we as responsible business owners need people around us and on our teams who can speak to the many facets of a business. Finance, marketing, business development, etc.

Is there a part of your business plan that needs a re-look, a readjust?

Marketing?
What are your three key brand values?

Sales?
What are your three key competitive differentiators?

Strategy?
What are your three key business drivers?

So take some time to analyze and possibly even bring in a pro to help!!

How does your current schedule support your growth?

The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice.
George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

Each choice we make has a result. Not choosing is a choice.

For me each day is full of choices how I best spend my time ad energy. I work to prioritize my choices and know which ones will give me the desired outcomes I am looking for.

Choosing to grow and expand is a choice we are all called to do. Whether we choose to grow or not grow consciously is where the opportunity presents itself.

Making choices to spend time looking at our choices, lives, dreams, relationships, etc, is critical to our growth and evolution in these areas. Oftentimes we set out upon a course of action only to find it is not yielding the results we are looking for, yet continue to make the efforts.

An ongoing review of strategy, plans and results will give us the best use of our precious time and resources. Looking at and making choices will energize and focus the investments and potentially ignite new growth.

What do you need more time for? Why?

How would you describe your scheduling Philosophy?

What choice is next?

What routines keep you aligned to your values?

Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one's values.
Ayn Rand (1905 - 1982)

WOW, this quote has always blown me away. The clarity and the precision of the thought is so in line with so many of my beliefs and experiences with my own journey and those of my clients.

Each day we are given 24 hours to make the most of. We sleep, we eat, we play, we work, we grow, we pray... the list is endless.

We have choices that ultimately affect our happiness, our relationships, and our sense of self. What we accomplish each day is the result of our ability to make the right choices that inspire action, creativity and results. The old adage, "Time is money", so under states the value of routine and planning.

As a business owner the adage helps me see clear as to the physical value of time, it does not however inform the way I feel when I fritter away time and do not bring my ideas and dreams to life. This for me is element of inspiration to drive me to action.

Living to my values...now that fires me up and inspires me to get busy with the calender and do to list. Lately, I have become acutely aware of how routines serve me.

For instance, when I am not routinely spending time with my coach and giving voice to planning and strategizing, I loose momentum and often direction. Similarly when I am not investing in my spiritual path, I become disillusioned and lost. If exercise and eating well are not committed to, sluggish and tired is the result.

Now, think about it...we create these amazing visions, and then struggle to bring them to reality because we as big thinkers and free spirits buck routines because we think they will rob us of freedom or something???

Well I have experienced that it is the total opposite. Routine brings freedom. Routine brings results, Routine brings happiness... woo hooo.

So I have decided that id I want the happiness of living to my values. I surrender to the routines that will help me to achieve them. Planning. Exercise. Meditation. Sleep. Play. Sales calls...you know the drill.

So..

What investment of time does your business need to move to the next level?

What routines need to be committed to?
Financially?
Physically?
Spiritually?