As a small biz owner and entrepreneur there is always too much too do and not enough time to do it. With BIG dreams, BIG ideas, BIG hopes and little budget, resource and stretched time… the BIG and LITTLE sides don't always line up.
Truth is, it's all how you look at it. Many businesses owners give up just as they are on the cusp of making it.
Don't ever let go of your dreams, your passions and your desires. Don't let the “Debbie Downer” inside of you talk yourself into thinking you're just not fit to make it.
Instead, hold on tight to the big DREAMS, HOPES and IDEAS you have for your biz, your customers, your family and yourself. Let them instead be the foundation for which you live not just work. For me there is no PLAN B. Plan A is it and it will never be successfully executed if I give up on the purpose, the cause that got me here to begin with.
Take time to enjoy the ride, the bumps, the big and little wins, the curves and the friends who drive up beside of you.
Take time to embrace the flat tires and learn from them. Appreciate the sweat of riding in the hot sun when you reap the benefit of a goal met, a deal won or a deal lost but a lesson learned.
You are writing your own book, one chapter at a time. Make sure it's based on a drive of good memories, laughs, tears and passions.
Here are a few tips I use to hold onto my dreams and enjoy each second of this fun ride:
1. Remember what motivated you to start your own biz in the first place. Good or bad, it's why you're here.
2. DREAM BIG: Don't let the lack of $$, people and time keep you from dreaming. As Seth Godin discusses in his book, the Purple Cow… what is the purple cow that makes you different, unique from competition and something that will make a difference in your market, community and life?
3. CELEBRATE the little wins. Celebrate the little and the big. Remember, it's the little wins that lead to big wins. Its the little wins that give you turbo to zoom!
4. KEEP an IDEA BOOK: Keep a notebook handy. Write down every single BIG IDEA you think of. You'll be surprised someday how many of the big ideas you thought weren't possible get executed and how many of the little things you thought you needed to get to the BIG THANG are untouched.
5. KEEP a RECORD of ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Keep both a hard copy file and soft copy electronic file. I keep an email folder for “kudos”, wins and feel good emails. On the hard days I love reading past blog posts, the kudo file and more as a reminder of how far we've come.
6. FIND a CO-PILOT to ZOOM with! Every good drive needs a good buddy. If all the folks on your team are “Debbie Downers” you might need to make some changes. Support to drive a vision is a requirement not an option.
7. GET ORGANIZED: If you find yourself feeling too overwhelmed, then unwhelm. Clean out your desk, your office, your car and your life. Take a day off and head to the beach, relax, pray and find yourself. Usually you'll come back inspired to take on the desk, the mountain and the list of to do's.
8. Behind every good entrepreneur is a good white board and marker! Go buy a whiteboard if you don't have one. You can buy HUGE sheets of white board for $12 at home depot. Nail them on your home office wall and start capturing your dreams and plans.
9. Don't stuck in the details. I am not saying details don't matter as they do. However, too many details can destroy your biz. Stay focused on the BIG things that are needed to build, grow and maintain your biz. Yes, there are many tasks that will need to be done to execute these big ideas. However, it is not the little details that make the DREAMS a reality. Instead it's the BIG DREAMS that are executed with agility that matter.
Just yesterday my co-founder and I were reviewing our plans, cleaning off the white board. What I found was the list of tactical to do's were only half done. Yet, our biz is rockin, we have a new Social Media book deal soon to be announced, are teaching social media classes at the chamber, gearing up power women and social media seminars, organizing tweetups and the list goes on and on. And guess what the list of tactics my managers from the corporate world of 15 yrs use to base my performance on are not what is growing my biz. It IS the DREAMS, the DESIRES, the PASSION, the BIG IDEAS and God that will ensure my Plan A is a success.
10. Get on the road and start pedaling friends. Keep your eye on the prize and enjoy the ride until ya' get there! You'll be zoomin' in no time!
I am enjoying my ride. I hope you are too! Please share your ideas for how enjoy your ride, stay focused and zoom!?
