With 2013 now drawing to a close, many business owners are wondering what the coming year holds for them. If you’re one of them, you may find today’s post useful.
It’s about the three different types of business owner and why some will do so much better next year, than others.
1. For most, next year will be a lot like this year
They will keep doing what they have always done and keep getting what they have always got. Incredibly, this applies most to those small business owners whose businesses are stagnating or contracting. Those who most need to change are also those least likely to change.
It’s their resistance to change that creates their business problems and then allows their problems to persist.
2. For some, next year will be an opportunity to build on past success
These successful business owners will keep doing what they have always done and keep getting what they have always got. Every year, they decide what they want to achieve and then make the changes required. Even though they are doing extremely well by most people’s standards, they want to do better.
They rightly look to 2014 with a mixture of confidence and excitement.
3. For a tiny percentage, next year will be a transformation
These wonderful, rare people will take the opportunity of the New Year to learn from past failings and turn their fortunes around. They will STOP doing what they have always done and START getting what they have always WANTED. I have massive admiration for people in this group. It takes courage to change course — to invest in progress.
Question: Which group do you think is most likely to contact me for help?
You’d think that most of the people who email me to inquire about hiring me, would be in that second or third group. And you’d be wrong!
Although all my clients come from people in the second and third group, the vast majority of inquiries I get, are from people in that first group. They know they need to improve things, so they get in touch with me. However, the people from that first group never respond to my reply. They email me explaining how desperate their situation is, yet when I email them back to arrange a call, they disappear. They know they need to change, but the pain of change is just too much for them. So, they complain… and stay the same.
You and your business and 2014
I have no idea which of those three groups you find yourself in. What I do know is that if you want things to improve, then you need to improve — to leave your comfort zone.
A pound of action is worth more than a ton of intentions.