A Dream Without A Date
You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do. C.G. Jung
Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening.
No matter how many awesome ideas you have. Or how badly you want something. Or how passionate and excited you are. If you do not set a deadline to “ship” that idea, it’s just another idea, un-launched.
As I have said so many times, execution and consistency come down to one thing, a decision. It’s not complicated. We make it complicated.
Set A Date!
- You want to launch a program? Set a date.
- You want to learn something new? Set a date.
- You want to create and share a blog? Set a date.
- You want to send monthly newsletters? Set a date.
- You want to launch a new website? Set a date.
- You want to keep your promises to your team? Set a date.
You see, something will always get in the way if we let it. And there are way too many things on our to do list, so something will always get lost.
There are several tools you can use to manage your time and get organized, iCal works awesome for me. But a tool is simply that, a tool. It is what we do with the tool that matters.
Dream all you want. But a dream without a date is just that, a dream. #truth
Love + Awesomeness-
Nina
Choice & Change
“Change almost never fails because it’s too early. It almost always fails because it’s too late.”
Seth Godin
Here is the audio version of this post. Background music (snoring) compliments of Zen Louis Kovner. Thanks so much for listening.
I work with small business owners every day, myself included, and one of the themes that runs through nearly all I work with is the challenge of making the choice to make a change. Whether it be a change in systems, strategy, people, resources, planning, whatever. Sounds like a simple theory, but not so simple to commit to and ultimately execute.
One of my favorite Seth Godin quotes is… “You don’t run a punch press or haul iron ore. Your job is to make decisions.”
As a small business, whether it be one person or 10, in order to create awesome and achieve our dreams, we have to get really comfortable with making decisions. And that begins with a choice to do so in order to get the change we are seeking.
We are so good at over complicating things. But it really is as simple as making a choice. If we want to change the outcome of our efforts, we have to look objectively at what choices we are making, every single day.
There is so much freedom that comes when we accept the fact that we have a choice. It also totally freaks people out because when we accept that, all the responsibility for the outcome comes back to us. Ugh!
Here are a few examples I experience on a daily basis, do any of these sound familiar?
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You want to increase referrals and you are a service business? Create a referral program and embrace referral platforms such as YELP.
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You want to increase holiday traffic and reservations, try an inbox marketing campaign like my buddy Benjamin Jay did at the Hair Loft ltd (check out our Facebook chat about it from November 11th)
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You want to have a happy, healthy culture? Get rid of the bullies and tantrum throwers.
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You want to get out from the day-to-day and begin to work on your business vs. in your business? Begin making the decisions today that will allow you to transition from worker to leader.
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You want to build relevant social platforms? Wake up a half hour earlier, stay up a half hour later, or find someone in your world who is passionate about it and create meaningful content, and share it.
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You want more time to do the things you love? Make time. It’s a choice.
So I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. We all have the power to make choices. The key is in making the decision to choose the action that will ultimately get us to the result and change. I see it every day. It’s not easy, but it can completely change the way you lead and manage your business, and in the end, help you create more awesome.
(shared with LOVE from Nina)
The Blame Game
“Stop pointing fingers and placing blame on others. Your life can only change to the degree that you accept responsibility for it.”
Steve Maraboli
(image via Google)
Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening. Enjoy.
Many of us are guilty at one time or another of pointing the finger. I know I have.
The same energy that goes into blaming the world for our problems can also be used to take responsibility, make different choices and make a difference. Yes, I know, it seems a little tough love ish and it is.
As the awesome Jim Rohn famously said, “If you don’t like how things are, change it. You are not a tree.”
When we blame others, we give up our power. When we take responsibility & action, we become empowered.
If you do not have the clients you wish you had, instead of blaming the owner, the location, the manager, or the economy, use that energy to learn, build and grow.
If you are not happy with the performance of your team; educate them, inspire them, coach them, love them or remove them.
If you are not as profitable as you want to be, take the time to look at your P & L, your biz model, your marketing plan and your culture. Blaming the salon down the street, or even worse, the industry as a whole, is a waste of time and energy.
Blaming an industry, a company or a generation for your problems is not going to get you any closer to your dreams. Just as blaming your boss for your unhappiness or lack of clients is not going to bring you more clients or make you happier.
As the dreamy Don Draper (of Mad Men) said, “If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.” Life becomes so much more awesome when we realize that we have the power to choose our realities.
We can choose to point the finger or create awesome. The best news of all, it’s a choice.
(shared with LOVE from Nina)
Are You Too Busy?
“It is not enough to be busy. The question is: what are we busy about?”
Henry David Thoreau
