Focus, Focus, Focus
22nd September 2011 · 0 Comments
It is often said that the three rules for success in real estate are location, location and location. Likewise, the three rules for creating business success are focus, focus and focus. The ability to create focused business plans and strategies often explains why some business owners are successful while others are not.
To power a locomotive, steam must be confined. To generate electricity, Niagara Falls had to be tunneled. To build a successful business, our plans must be focused.
A successful business strategy is all about making choices. You can’t attempt to be all things to all people and call it a strategy. Our ability to think strategically often determines the difference between mediocrity and greatness.
With 2012 just a few short months away, we instinctively set goals. Some will be achieved; others will not. Having failed to achieve past goals, the question often becomes, “how do I create the self-discipline needed to focus myself and my business to achieve more?”
Thomas Huxley, the 19th century writer, expressed the essence of self-discipline as, “Doing what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.”
To develop the focus needed to create a successful business, internalize these four simple principles:
Principle No. 1 – Put your goals in writing
To increase the likelihood of achieving your goals, write them down. Brian Tracy, a motivational guru and best-selling author, is known to often tell audiences: “Only three percent of adults have written goals, and everyone else works for them.”
People with goals enjoy more success than people without them. And, people with written goals, that are periodically reviewed an updated, are less likely to get distracted and fall back into their old ways.
Principle No. 2 – Only include goals you are intent on achieving
Goals and intentions are linked, and intentions dictate outcomes. If you are not truly intent, truly committed to achieving the goal, it is no more than a hope or a wish. If your intentions are connected to the appropriate actions, however, the desired outcome will be achieved. It is a simple, yet effective, concept.
Principle No. 3 – Limit your number of goals and prioritize them
By definition, business owners are busy. We all wear many hats and time is of the essence. As a result, we are better off achieving a few goals rather than pursuing many. It is my experience that setting three to four goals at the most is a manageable target.
Principle No. 4 – Set deadlines & monitor performance
A deadline serves as a forcing mechanism that keeps us on-task. You will work faster and more efficiently when you have a deadline. It is often said – there are no unrealistic goals; only unrealistic deadlines.
By: Michael J. Audit, TAB-Certified Facilitator, Oshkosh, WI
http://www.tab-new.com/
