It is important to realize that, without focus, evaluating, setting goals or trying to start the new year on the right foot is an uphill battle.
Before we get started, we want to clarify that we’re talking about your overall focus on your business, your personal life and the balance between the two. We’re not talking about turning off your email so you can tackle a big project or getting up for a glass of water when you get stuck. In this post, we’re talking about the big picture.
Basics: As our businesses grow and evolve, they often get more complex. Sometimes that complexity is good because it allows you to have a variety of revenue streams and to adapt, but sometimes it makes it too hard to wrap our arms around the challenges we’re facing. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and your business is struggling, even if it’s not financially, it’s time to get back to the basics. Where did you start, what are your key products and services, and what do you need to do to build a successful future? We’re not saying make a slew of tough decisions all at once, but start peeling back the layers until you find your bedrock. Having your feet firmly on that bedrock is the first step to finding your focus.
Step Back: Once you’re back to that bedrock, it should be pretty easy to see which parts of the business are struggling and, perhaps more important, which ones stand entirely on your shoulders. As a business owner or leader, you can’t be the go-to person for every project, product or service. You have to build out a team to support your company so you can focus on sustainable, responsible growth. You can’t refocus your business if you’re pulled in too many directions. Where are your challenges and opportunities and where can you push to keep your feet on solid ground?
Rebuild Your Vision: Stepping back and finding that bedrock is a huge part of what we do with our clients, but once you find that clarity, what do you do next? That’s where you start thinking about what you actually want out of your business so you can start setting goals and creating plans to reach and exceed those goals. We won’t spend too much time on goals here – we’ll get to that in January – but now is a good time to check in with yourself and think about what your vision should be moving forward.
Make Time: This is the most important part of finding your focus. You’re busy – we’re all busy – but you have make time to find evaluate, find focus and set goals. You have to make time for your business, yourself and your family. You have to set boundaries and create business systems to keep those boundaries intact. For some, that comes down to creating schedules, setting out of office reminders and taking real vacations. For others, it’s just taking yourself out to lunch or meeting a friend for coffee. Owning a business isn’t just about the bottom line – it’s about building a future and you need focus to get there.
