Best Laid Plans
It will be great! You can make a living AND have time and freedom.
Owning your own business or being an independent agent sounds great! You do the numbers, see the projected earnings, drool over setting your own schedule, not having a boss, and designing the life that you want.
Then reality hits.
Now you don’t work 40 hours a week, it sometimes feels like you work 40 hours a day. Is that even possible?
You get discouraged, burnt-out and that hopeless feeling steals away your sense of commitment, perseverance, and joy.
Don’t let it!
I grew up in an entrepreneurial family. My Mom was a realtor and she, along with my step-Dad, owned a very successful real estate brokerage. My Dad owned a granite and tile installation business ever since I can remember – sometimes running over 15 crews!
Did they work a lot – yes. Did they show me how to be-your-own-boss but still have balance with family – absolutely. Did they encourage and support me when I wanted to start my own business – 100%.
Were they there to play ‘devils advocate’, yet also be my biggest cheerleader when things were tough – no doubt. And I wouldn’t have survived, much less thrived, without them in my corner.
But here is the thing: in all the businesses I have owned (and I am assuming even in their own), things didn’t always work out exactly as planned.
“It’s easy, I think, for an organization to get mesmerized by long-range plans. On paper, at least, they’re neat and squared off – and ALWAYS work!”
– Lee Iacocca
My first business was a ballroom/latin/swing dance studio. I had big dreams. Install a dance floor, slap some mirrors on the wall and a state-of-the-art stereo system and VOILA! We will be packed every night with eager dancers wanting to waltz and cha-cha the night away.
That didn’t happen.
There were many nights I sat, waiting for the doors to swing open with couples pouring through – dance shoes on.
I got discouraged. But, I laced up my 3-inch dance heels, modified my expectations, started focusing on the day-to-day operations, and a few years later I had a successful business, owned 2 international dance competitions and was traveling to provide competitive coaching and choreography while the studio back home was running without me there every day attending to the details.
Didn’t look AT ALL how I had it planned in my head. It was SO MUCH BETTER!
So why do most small business fail? Why do we get so frustrated, disappointed and give up on our dreams – our “best-laid-plans”?
Setting long-range plans and goals is absolutely a must in everything we do. Making sure they encourage us to reach higher, and strive for more is great!
But when it takes longer to get there, or when you do not have the short-game plan designed to execute, you will get frustrated and burnt out.
Sometimes your best-laid plans may need to be put to rest and new plans may need to be implemented.
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
– Thomas A. Edison
As Rodger and I work with entrepreneurs and professionals, here is what we have found are some common reasons for frustration and burn-out:
- Some well-laid plans are not clear or well thought out (passion only takes you so far) – maybe they are asking the wrong questions, or not clear on the problem they are solving or their target market
- Unrealistic Expectations – like Mr. Iacocca said – plans in our head ALWAYS work out! But are they realistic? We just KNOW people need what we have to offer – but do they? Do THEY know they need it or does the education part of that need to be in our plan?
- Lack of execution – no short-term, process-oriented action items. Focusing on results and not on process – you can get people fired up about what you do but then can’t keep them interested long enough to make a difference.
“To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act.”
– Anatole France
- Unwillingness or inability to change and modify the original plan.
- Lack of expertise or skills – or the perception and ability to deliver in the eyes of the prospects
- Ignoring marketplace facts. In other words – who needs it cannot afford it, and who can afford it doesn’t need it or needs a different delivery method.
“Do not try to make circumstances fit your plans. Make plans that fit the circumstances.”
– George S. Patton
- Loss of momentum – No persistence or perseverance – thought it was going to be easy – lack commitment, and ultimately lose drive.
- Don’t LIVE what they sell.
In your best-laid plans, make sure you can answer these questions – take a minute….
- What exact problem are you solving?
- Who do you solve it for (target market)? Can they afford it? Is the delivery method what they desire?
- Is it really a problem – or are you just wanting people to see it as a problem?
- Can you educate them as to why it is a problem?
- Do you have actionable plans for the day-to-day running of your business? What is it (list steps)…
- Do you have an actionable strategy to market your business? What is it (list steps)…
- Do you need to modify the plan? Have you? Do you need help?
- Do you have all the skills, knowledge and expertise needed to not only deliver your product/service but to market it, run a business, and scale it to match your dreams?
- Are you fully committed, ready to go all-in, do what it takes?
- Are you a living embodiment of what you do?
In our Growth & Success Journal we help you slow down, consider even more business growth questions, and make plans that are based on the ‘now’ and where you are headed. Grab your copy today and get started!
CLICK HERE and/or text journal to 216-303-6509 to grab yours!
We encourage you to answer these vital growth questions above and grab the Journal. And remember…
“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”
– Sir Winston Churchill
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