I once heard that, what you hear other say (negatively) about you, weakens you. But what you know of yourself to be true, empowers you. Mass hysteria that surrounds of the current market conditions only makes people scared to spend. Regardless of what spot you may be as we transition to 2009, you should set goals, always expect your business to be better, and in some cases, evolve. This is the key to survival.
Starting on the right foot will make 2009 your year. Here are 8 ways to claim it;
You are a priority-That`s right! YOU. If you don`t believe me ask yourself, if you are hospitalized today, who knows how to manage your business? Who knows your passwords? Your vendors? Your customers better than you? Glad you get it! How do you care for you? Have a set time schedule. Work your work hours and then stop. Take lunch breaks (would you give a lunch break to your employees? If the answer is yes, then have a daily break. See what happened to Walmart.) Studies show people are more productive when they take breaks in equal intervals. Here is a nifty article on software that helps you with just that.
Set a Mark-Just like when you travel, you map out your journey, the same should be done with your business. This is not about being greedy, but about having direction and making a steady profit. Per example, how much do you want to make? What is your monthly sales goal? Do you even have a monthly sales goal? Where do you see YOURSELF in 5 years? Where do you see YOUR BUSINESS in 5 years? They are not the same and require you to do some soul searching.
Set Your Standards-When I worked at the hospital, the standards were set very high for anyone wishing to acquire employment. Slackers need not apply. How would you set standards? Nix the time wasters-people or activities when working. Focus when working, play when playing. Don`t accept less than what you are worth. Make quality NOT quantity a priority. Make work time holy and YOU TIME sacred. Firefox has a nifty timer that allows you to track how long have you been online. If you minimize the browser, it pauses.
Make Your Standards Visible– Besides my prices, my rules and my standards are visible all the time. If you are still asking why, ask yourself, how else will people know your worth, your non-negotiables and your boundaries.
Make a Commitment-If a successful marriage is a product of 2 people making a commitment to forsake all others, then a successful business is the product of your commitment to the guidelines, standards and goals you have placed for yourself. It takes discipline, a product of commitment, and ACTION to maintain a successful business. Reaffirming to yourself the love for what you do, will create momentum for you to move forward and create success.
Make Space for Better-If a certain item doesn`t sell, why carry it? If a old computer makes you waste time because it`s old and slow, why keep it? Donate it or give it to the kids. You deserve to have tools that work and products that sell or else space is made for better. Also as I wrote in one of my Feng Shui articles, getting rid of the old allows you to have space to RECEIVE the NEW.
Dance me through the panic– When I first heard this phrase, I was clueless as to what it meant. After reading Fearless by Steven Chandler, I understood. It means to have fun when others worry. If you don`t have fun doing what you do and the panic is greater that the activity, you are more likely to give up. I love what I do. I have fun learning new things, new software new ways of managing my business. If I didn`t love it as much as I do, I would not have endured the hardships, the craziness and the lows only to be rewarded with the sweet taste of success.
Be fearless-Just take the plunge. Be smart and calculate your next step, but do it. Fear and panic can be paralyzing can even take you back a step or two. Your actions towards a healthy goal always pay you in a positive manner when everyone else is petrified with fear.
You have already taken the greatest leap of faith there is, you have employed yourself based on your skill. Why not act like you believe in you and create the income you desire? Have a prosperous 2009!
