I drove into town one morning and it was beautiful. The sky was Carolina blue as the sun peaked over the tree line and dew glistened on the grass. Then I noticed the filth on my front windshield. How much more spectacular the view would have been through a crystal clear window! I wonder if the daily grind of small business ownership tarnishes and impairs the vision of small business owners over time? Today we want to suggest 3 ways that a small business owner can regain the crystal clear vision she had when the business was born.
- Disconnect. Plan a weekend getaway with nothing but food, water, pen and paper. Try to reconnect with why you started your business. Ask hard questions. Do you still love your product or service? Do you have customers that steal your joy? Are you excited to start your day? Why not? What can you do to recapture that first love you had for your business? Write down all of your thoughts and ideas. On the long drive to your destination listen to the audiobook Good To Great by Jim Collins or The E-Myth by Michael Gerber. Either book is great to get your mind moving. (Ok, we don’t mind if you golf, fish, shop ,etc., for just a bit on Saturday to unwind, but then back to your notepad and thoughts!)
- Sweat. Start exercising and work up a sweat. Not only is sweat a great way to clear your body of toxins, the physical exertion will clear your mind. Natural feel-good hormones are released that boost your mood and metabolism. With a clear mind, a positive outlook and increased energy, you are better equipped to strategize for your business. This focused, high-energy alone time is a tremendous breeding ground for new ideas that would never surface in the routine grind of your day. It’s also a great time to continue listening to a good business audiobook.
- Mentoring. Seek out an older someone in your community who is successful and offer to buy his lunch. Be honest and tell him that you want to pick his brain about life, business and the pursuit of happiness. Schedule lunches often and pick up the tab each time. Great value lies in wise counsel and these lunches could be your best business education to date. New perspectives or age-old, tried and true wisdom can be gained to reenergize your efforts. Most people love to share stories of their experiences. And you probably need to get out of the office!
As a small business owner you are a leader and your team (and your profits) depend on you. Take some time to invest in yourself. Jack Welch said, “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.” If you aren’t feeling this passion, it’s time to wipe off some of the daily grind and regain your crystal clear vision for your company.
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