I don't always have to be busy. Repeat that again, I don't always have to be busy. There is a natural ebb and flow to our business that we need to learn to embrace more fully. In a society that promotes 24/7 access, it's hard to give ourselves permission to not get caught up in the mindset of always having to be busy.
Just look to nature to better understand that there is an innate rhythm that allows times of growth to be offset with times of rest. When we fight this, we are fighting the flow of nature. The slow times allow for regeneration and reenergizing. It doesn't mean we don't do anything; we just alter our course a little bit and take the time to reconnect and refocus.
Embrace the slow times to really get centered on your business and your goals. Always have a running list close at hand that identifies business development opportunities. As ideas come to mind, write them down. Use the slower times to map out these opportunities. Identify the necessary steps and the resources needed to get you from point A to point B and then here is the key, IMPLEMENT! The slower times really are there to give you breathing room so you can plan and grow to that next level. I don't mean to suggest you leave business development to only the slow times, it truly should be part of every week if not every day but you can leapfrog your business development during the slow teams if you adequately prepare for them and know "what to do next".
Growth is a process. While we've all heard the "overnight" success story, typically we're only hearing about the present and when you dig a little deeper into the story behind the headline, you uncover a journey that was filled with ebbs and flows. It is how these individuals worked with these ebbs and flows that contributed to their success. They didn't accept the ebbs as defeat but rather dug in and re-evaluated and uncovered something that could make them better and stronger. That is the true measure of success.
Don't ever accept clients just to keep "busy". While it may initially seem attractive because they'll pay the bills, accepting clients that may not be your ideal client will preclude you from being able to fully embrace the intended ebb in your business. While short term goals may be met, the longer term goals will the be opportunity cost and you'll remain where you are even longer.
Resist the urge to always stay busy and accept the ebbs in your business as just a natural part of the process. Plan and prepare for those ebbs so they can create more flows in the future. When you match your business to this natural rhythm, you'll start to feel and see the difference in your bottom line results.
ACTION STEPS:
Buy a notebook or journal and dedicate it to recording your business development ideas and strategies. Having this in one place simplifies the process and allows you easily to track your progress. I used to jot down ideas and thoughts on random pieces of paper but as you can guess, that bright idea I had got buried in the business of things and was ultimately lost and forgotten.
I can't tell you how many wasted hours I've spent searching for those random notes! My little notebook has saved me and it's fun to look back and see how the little ideas have flowed and generated into even bigger and better ideas. The initial seeds are captured and given the opportunity to bloom into their potential. Embrace the ebbs in your business and look at those times as laying the foundation for your next big leap forward. You'll soon discover the wonderful benefits of working "in the flow".
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Dunlap
Just look to nature to better understand that there is an innate rhythm that allows times of growth to be offset with times of rest. When we fight this, we are fighting the flow of nature. The slow times allow for regeneration and reenergizing. It doesn't mean we don't do anything; we just alter our course a little bit and take the time to reconnect and refocus.
Embrace the slow times to really get centered on your business and your goals. Always have a running list close at hand that identifies business development opportunities. As ideas come to mind, write them down. Use the slower times to map out these opportunities. Identify the necessary steps and the resources needed to get you from point A to point B and then here is the key, IMPLEMENT! The slower times really are there to give you breathing room so you can plan and grow to that next level. I don't mean to suggest you leave business development to only the slow times, it truly should be part of every week if not every day but you can leapfrog your business development during the slow teams if you adequately prepare for them and know "what to do next".
Growth is a process. While we've all heard the "overnight" success story, typically we're only hearing about the present and when you dig a little deeper into the story behind the headline, you uncover a journey that was filled with ebbs and flows. It is how these individuals worked with these ebbs and flows that contributed to their success. They didn't accept the ebbs as defeat but rather dug in and re-evaluated and uncovered something that could make them better and stronger. That is the true measure of success.
Don't ever accept clients just to keep "busy". While it may initially seem attractive because they'll pay the bills, accepting clients that may not be your ideal client will preclude you from being able to fully embrace the intended ebb in your business. While short term goals may be met, the longer term goals will the be opportunity cost and you'll remain where you are even longer.
Resist the urge to always stay busy and accept the ebbs in your business as just a natural part of the process. Plan and prepare for those ebbs so they can create more flows in the future. When you match your business to this natural rhythm, you'll start to feel and see the difference in your bottom line results.
ACTION STEPS:
Buy a notebook or journal and dedicate it to recording your business development ideas and strategies. Having this in one place simplifies the process and allows you easily to track your progress. I used to jot down ideas and thoughts on random pieces of paper but as you can guess, that bright idea I had got buried in the business of things and was ultimately lost and forgotten.
I can't tell you how many wasted hours I've spent searching for those random notes! My little notebook has saved me and it's fun to look back and see how the little ideas have flowed and generated into even bigger and better ideas. The initial seeds are captured and given the opportunity to bloom into their potential. Embrace the ebbs in your business and look at those times as laying the foundation for your next big leap forward. You'll soon discover the wonderful benefits of working "in the flow".
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Dunlap
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