At this time of year everyone is talking about planning – including me – it’s a very important piece of running a successful business.
But one of the things I talk about also is reflecting on the previous year.
How did things look financially? How did my goals work out? And I inevitably come to that one question … what’s left to do? I mean, what did I start but never finish?
Have you ever made a list of the things that you ‘intended’ to do during the year, and assessed that at year end?
It’s a really good exercise to do – not from a negative standpoint, but from (I think) a very positive one.
Here’s what I mean …
- Make a list of the training classes you have purchased in the past year.
- Identify what you intended to learn from each class.
- Indicate if you completed the training.
- Indicate if you implemented the training into your business
Do this for everything that you started during the year … books you bought, opt ins or lists you signed up for … whatever you can think of.
Now, if you are a serial learner like me … 🙂 … you may have a long list. And there’s nothing wrong with that!
But it’s the exercise that’s the important part.
Even if your list has incomplete items on it (welcome to the club!) here’s the positive piece of it … the intention was there each time, for you to build your business or to make some kind of improvement to it.
So now I want you to make a different list … what’s left undone?
- Training stuff – what courses did you sign up for but not really finish?
- Books to read – what did you buy that is collecting dust?
- Networking event follow up – who did you meet that you didn’t connect with after the event?
These kinds of things are great ways to jump start your new year. Because you have already started!
Don’t look at it as a failed attempt – look at it as an easy opportunity to move forward.
Every year we want to be building and growing our business – change is the one thing that can be so much fun. It keeps your business interesting and keeps you interested in doing it!
My list is long … I’m not going to lie! I have 3 self study programs that I signed up for (all paid!) and I haven’t done the work in any of them. I am looking at 5 books that I purchased through the year, for various reasons, and they sit collecting dust on my desk and my bookshelf. I purchased a CRM system that is all set up and ready for me to use every day, and I am still doing my follow up manually.
What do I take from these things? That I had great intentions at some point – and my goal – I’m stating it here publicly so you can hold me accountable! – is to complete all of these things in the first quarter of 2016.
I will make a plan to read those books and do those self study programs, and use my CRM. But my plan will include a proper schedule, and a reason for doing each piece. When the intention to better your business hits you – and you buy something (or download something), implementation is the key. You are interested in that ‘thing’ for a reason. It’s important to implement right away!
Now although my list above is long, I also look at the things that I purchased that I DID implement. I don’t want you to think I’m a quitter LOL – I am constantly learning and growing in my business. It’s really important to congratulate yourself for the things that you did get done as well. It’s a balance.
I’d love to hear what you have left to do that is sitting on your desk – and what you will commit to getting done for the new year!