If your business has been spinning it’s wheels or it’s growth is slower than it should be, this post is just for you.
I’m going to show you how to get your business flying, based on 2 questions that every successful business needs to answer. Yes, I’m going to help you find your answers too!
Here are the questions:
- What do I want to achieve with my business?
- Am I willing to pay the price?
What do you want to achieve with your business?
Many small business owners have no clear idea of what they want to achieve. They say things like they want a successful business or they want to be wealthy, but they never get specific. Here’s the thing: You can’t know if you are on track or not, with no clear destination.
The key, is to get specific. Describe in detail, what you want to achieve with your business.
A great way to get clear on this, is to ask yourself the following question: If my business was perfect in every way, what would it look like?
Then, start writing your answer down!
Avoid general terms and use specifics. Also, use numbers in your answer whenever possible.
For example, include things like:
- How much you want your business to generate in revenue and profits over the next year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years.
- How much you want to earn.
- How much you want your business to sell for, if your exit route is to cash in at some point.
Then, describe things like the type of clients or customers you want, what your typical work day would look like and where your business would be located, etc.
Build as clear a picture as possible and include everything that matters to you.
Once you have the specifics written down, it’s time to answer the next question.
Are you willing to pay the price?
The challenge with this question, is that business owners tend to give the wrong answer. We tend to say we work hard and that we work long hours.
That is not what the question asks!
The question is about our willingness to do what’s required in order to succeed. It asks us if we’re willing to leave our comfort zones… again and again. Paying the price for success means doing 100% of what’s required, not cherry-picking the things we feel comfortable with. It means committing to pay the price of success in advance, with no guarantees.
Here’s why we make the extra effort
It looks like this:
- Success belongs to those who take time to decide exactly what they want to achieve and who then determine to pay the price for success.
- Those with less clarity and less commitment, find themselves working hard and making too little progress.
Interestingly, although the difference in the rewards between those approaches is immeasurable, the extra effort required is relatively small.
The good news is that as you become more familiar with leaving your comfort zone, it gets easier and easier. Equally, the motivation to pay the price becomes greater, when you start to see the results and rewards coming in.
Tip: I recommend you read this — What everybody ought to know about Comfort Zones.