Image to the left of Jess (my new employee) and me working in the new office!
2011 was a big year for me on so many levels. Not only did I surpass my sales goals, but I was also able to hire my second full-time employee and hire a mentor that I once only dreamed of working with. I now get a regular paycheck, I’ve been traveling at least once a month meeting with awesome and inspiring clients, and we moved into a bigger, brighter office space.
I tell you this not to brag and not so you will send me congratulations notes. (Those of you reading this who do send us notes, keep ‘em coming. We love hearing from you!) I share my successes with you because, as you are planning for 2012, I want to encourage you and remind you that you can achieve whatever goals and dreams you have.
I spent years struggling to be where I am today—yet it only took me 12 months to finally achieve the level of success I’m currently enjoying. What I noticed along the path to success was that three things were present in my life that were not in the previous years.
Keep these three tips in mind as you are planning for 2012, and I can guarantee you will soar to success:
#1: Clarity. I’m a visionary. I have a big vision for my company and a big mission to accomplish in my lifetime. But I never took the time to get clear on exactly what that vision looked like. Until 2011, it was just a lofty idea that impressed people.
Here are a few ways I got clear:
1) I wrote down what I wanted in 2011 (note: not what I thought I could have / do / become, but what I really wanted). I was very specific, and I even created a mind move and watched it daily.
2) I wrote down where I currently was. I looked at what I had accomplished the year prior, took inventory on where I was mentally and spiritually, and took a hard look at my financials.
3) I created a budget for 2011 I set milestones for each quarter and each month, and then I worked backwards to figure out what I needed to do to get what I wanted.
4) I wrote everything down and kept track throughout the year.
#2: Action. You know when you get that feeling that you should call somebody, or a past client pops in your head, or you’re a meeting with your team and you come up with an idea that’ll help you move closer to your goal, but you don’t take action right away? I’ve learned that these instances are my signal to take immediate action or to delegate a specific task. And do so right away.
In these bursts of energy—when you seize the moment without questioning it—this is where the magic happens. Taking immediate action is how I got what I was asking for. This is where the real opportunity shows up. Yes, it’s important to plan, and yes it’s important to stay on track, but the success I’ve achieved has come from taking immediate action on opportunities as they come.
Another thing about action is it you can’t do it all on your own. You have to have a team of reliable and dedicated people who understand the big vision and who are ready to take action to see that vision become a reality. (See #3)
#3: Ask for Help. I thought I understood the saying ask and ye shall receive, but until I started to really get clear on my vision and what I needed to do to make it a reality, I realized I didn’t understand the meaning behind it at all. You see, I was wanting to receive all the things I said I wanted, but I was missing the KEY piece to the puzzle…asking!
The image above is of me at a mentor event.
All you entrepreneurs reading this…listen up: You CANNOT do it on your own. You just can’t.
This was a hard lesson for me to learn, and I’m still learning how to ask for help and delegate, but I’m more aware of when I try and hold on to something instead of passing it off to someone more qualified and someone who can do a much better job then I could.*
**This is an opportune time to thank Britt for being my rock, Jess who helps me daily, to Kathy for her virtual support, and Melody, Spencer, and Brenna for all that you do!**
To learn more about us and our business success tips, visit us on Facebook.
If you like this post, you might also like:
- How to Get Into the Zone for 2012: Interview with Tim Goodenough
- Five Ideas for Investing in Yourself in 2012
- Preparing for Business in 2012: Take Inventory Now
- Gratitude and the Growth of Your Business
Pingback: Investing In Yourself and Your Business in 2012