Get Off the Hamster Wheel You Call Your Business
How long has it been since you took time for a reality check about where you are in your business? If you're anything like most small business owners it's probably been a while - so maybe this is a good time.
Typically business owners get so busy working in their business they feel they lack time to stop which is quite understandable with so many jobs to be done, clients to attend and accounts to catch up on - BUT, and here's the rub, unless you stop you will never realise the difference between what you ARE doing and what really needs to be done.
Hugh Hefner came to this realisation whilst riding on a Japanese Bullet train.
He suddenly became aware how his whole life was flashing by at 200km/hour and how he hardly ever took time to stop for what was really important.
As you may have guessed, he got off at the next station and spent some time admiring the scenery.
The story goes that he then made a decision to slow down and create greater balance in his life.
So what's this got to do with you and me? The answer is simple.
How many times have we fallen into the trap of running faster and faster on our own little hamster wheels - going nowhere very fast but never getting any closer to our intended destination? Often there are good reasons (or should I say excuses) for running faster - we have to be available for clients when they can get to us; we have to 'make hay while the sun shines' or there's no time to stop because of all the other tasks we HAVE to do when not working with clients.
Typically these reasons are based on fear or lack - our concern about there not being enough customers OR there being too many competitors.
Sadly these reactive work practices keep us away from our direction (what we are aiming for) because we spend so much time, energy and effort on allowing everyone else's needs to be more important than our own.
As I said earlier - this is your time.
So stop, take a look at where you're heading and get real with answering the questions about whether you are performing activities that are taking you towards your destination or keeping you from it.
At these times of introspection it's also good to get real about the 'who, what, why and how' you are being distracted from your targets.
Are family members suffering because of clients (or vice versa), are you always tired or listless because the adrenalin you've been running on is depleted, are you attempting to juggle to many balls at the one-time OR are you heading for burnout or loss of health that will do more harm to your business because you haven't established appropriate work/life boundaries and balance? If you're like most people I coach, it's usually a combination of several of these things rather than one that's holding them back - which is the very reason to stop, take control and create balance once again.
After all, the alternative's not really working for you - is it?
Typically business owners get so busy working in their business they feel they lack time to stop which is quite understandable with so many jobs to be done, clients to attend and accounts to catch up on - BUT, and here's the rub, unless you stop you will never realise the difference between what you ARE doing and what really needs to be done.
Hugh Hefner came to this realisation whilst riding on a Japanese Bullet train.
He suddenly became aware how his whole life was flashing by at 200km/hour and how he hardly ever took time to stop for what was really important.
As you may have guessed, he got off at the next station and spent some time admiring the scenery.
The story goes that he then made a decision to slow down and create greater balance in his life.
So what's this got to do with you and me? The answer is simple.
How many times have we fallen into the trap of running faster and faster on our own little hamster wheels - going nowhere very fast but never getting any closer to our intended destination? Often there are good reasons (or should I say excuses) for running faster - we have to be available for clients when they can get to us; we have to 'make hay while the sun shines' or there's no time to stop because of all the other tasks we HAVE to do when not working with clients.
Typically these reasons are based on fear or lack - our concern about there not being enough customers OR there being too many competitors.
Sadly these reactive work practices keep us away from our direction (what we are aiming for) because we spend so much time, energy and effort on allowing everyone else's needs to be more important than our own.
As I said earlier - this is your time.
So stop, take a look at where you're heading and get real with answering the questions about whether you are performing activities that are taking you towards your destination or keeping you from it.
At these times of introspection it's also good to get real about the 'who, what, why and how' you are being distracted from your targets.
Are family members suffering because of clients (or vice versa), are you always tired or listless because the adrenalin you've been running on is depleted, are you attempting to juggle to many balls at the one-time OR are you heading for burnout or loss of health that will do more harm to your business because you haven't established appropriate work/life boundaries and balance? If you're like most people I coach, it's usually a combination of several of these things rather than one that's holding them back - which is the very reason to stop, take control and create balance once again.
After all, the alternative's not really working for you - is it?
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