What changes can you make to positively move your business forward? Without getting overwhelmed with the idea of restructuring your entire business model, think of simple changes, or additions, you can make that will positively and effectively grow your business. Take a look at your systems, your schedules, your expenses, and your goals. Each of these areas could use a little ‘touch up’, so without getting overwhelmed, take a look at these suggestions and decide to make the positive change.

Systems – Systems are the foundation of what you work from. You can think of systems as the guide or rules for each particular area of your business. When your systems are effective and in place, you can spend more time generating business than crawling out from under piles of paper. What happens when you go away on holiday? Do you come back to a huge ‘pile’ of things to do before you can even dive into your work load. When your systems are in place, you can effortlessly assimilate back into work mode and take off running.

How do you write and implement your ‘to do’ list? How do you monitor contacts with clients? How do you keep records and important data? How do you organize your office, including your computer? What simple changes can you make to get more organized and efficient?

Schedules – They say, if you have a task to get done – give it to a busy person. It seems there are those that can get 1,000 things done each day, and there are those that can’t get 1 thing done. Usually the person who can’t get 1 thing accomplished has the most available time. Setting your schedule enables you to focus on what you need to get finished and weeds out the ‘time wasters’. Set your weekly schedule on Sunday and allocate tasks to specific days. Each night, review what you need to do the following day and get together anything you’ll need to complete those tasks. Of course, things get shifted throughout the week, but once the plan is in place, you can clearly see how to rearrange things to be sure everything gets finished.

Are you setting your schedule the night before, noting things that must get done and including things ‘if you have an extra minute’? Are you setting face-to-face meetings that could achieve the same thing over the phone? What are your “time-wasters”?

Expenses – It’s not just in today’s economy, this an important arena to pay attention to. Every little bit adds up. I tend to use this example often because many can relate to it. Let’s say you buy yourself a $3.00 latte each day before going into work. If you multiply that by each day, and each week, and each month – you are spending, on average, $600 a year. Although, you need to make about $900 – before taxes –to ‘take home’ $600. That’s just for coffee! Ok, so you allow that, but what about all the other $3.00 expenses that add up the same way. No matter what the expense, every little bit adds up and you need to ‘get real’ with your budget.

Do you have a personal budget? Do you have a business budget? What unnecessary expenses can you cut? What changes can you make in how you run your business, in order to save on expenses?

Goals – I saved the best for last! It’s not too late to write your business goals for 2009. This is an important component in reaching success in your business. What do you want to accomplish this year? Do you want to increase your database by 500? Do you want to close (4) deals each month? Do you want to generate enough business to hire an additional assistant? Do you want to extend your on-line marketing efforts? Do you want to make an additional $_____ (fill in the blank) each month? Regardless of your goals, write them down, visualize them, and take the necessary steps to make them happen.

Have you written your goals for 2009? Can you see your goal list while sitting at your desk/laying in bed/driving in the car? What changes and action steps do you need to make to reach your goals?

It may seems like a lot to ask of yourself, but gosh, aren’t you worth it? I urge you to make the necessary changes that will enable your business to grow in 2009. Establish your systems, set your schedules, respect your budget, and reach your goals. Be the change you need in your world!

Change is a good thing!

I know it’s easy to get settled into routines and schedules, but what if those routines and schedules are ineffective and fail to move your goals forward?  Maintenance is one thing, productively moving forward is another.  Are you simply maintaining?  Is that what you want for your business….basic maintenance?  No, you want to earn more, work less, get more satisfaction from your job – and it takes change to make things happen.  It’s no different than your health.  You can simply maintain your current health (weight, vitamin intake, amount of exercise, mind-body balance), or you can choose to be healthier.  If you choose the latter, you can make simple changes that can have great impact on your health.  Drink 2 extra glasses of water each day, take a vitamin, park far from store entrances and walk, and take 5 minutes out to meditate/think/ponder each morning.  These are super easy changes (additions) that can positively impact your health.

Continuing to move forward in 2009 – Effectively and efficiently moving forward in 2009 – embrace the change you need to reach the goals you want.

“The future you see is the future you get.”

-Anonymous

“The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, learn about them, or even seriously consider them as believable or achievable.”

—Dennis Waitley

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had vision boards. Basically, my vision boards have been 5×5 size corkboard with all kinds of pictures, phrases, and notes attached. Whether it was a picture of a great vacation destination I wanted to travel to, a quote that inspired me, or an invitation to an upcoming event, my vision boards give me an outlet for getting everything out of my head and putting it in front of me, so I could see it and focus on it. Things go on and off my boards all the time, but I know what is on the board is something I want to put energy into and see come to fruition.

Having a clear vision, or a desired outcome, helps filter out many time consuming commitments and opportunities that wouldn’t support your vision. You are inundated daily with choices of how to spend you time, your money, your resources, and when you don’t have a ‘plan’ you can tend to deviate from your goals. Writing a book was something I always wanted to do, and when the opportunity presented itself, I clearly saw how the experience would align with my vision. What is something you always wanted to do? Where is a place you’ve always wanted to visit? How do you want to spend your time?

The beginning of the year is the perfect opportunity to ask yourself those questions and set your goals. It is also a great time to get your vision out of your head and onto your Vision Board. So, without putting too much thought into what your board will “look” like (don’t wait until you get the perfect board, or wait to cover it with your favorite material, or wait until you cleaned off your desk), realize what you want (your ‘goals’) and find photos, phrases, and graphics that visually represent those goals.

For example, if you’d like to move to a different neighborhood, take a picture of that neighborhood and tape it/tack it to your board. If you’d like to earn more money, write yourself a check for a desired amount and get that check on your board. If you want your kids to be happy and confident, put up photos when they are laughing and proud. If someone gave you a greeting card that touches your heart – put it up there. Put on your board the things that make you tick, the things you want to see become reality, representations of things you want to see more of in your house, in your city, in your world. Think big. Dream big. Do big things to achieve your goals.

The beginning of the year seems to bring thoughts of change, moving forward, out with the old – in with the new, making resolutions, all with the overlying attitude of making things better. But what happens FIVE MONTHS LATER? Sometimes our best laid plans start to fail, so I’m here to remind you to keep your resolutions moving forward.

Some like to use the word ‘resolutions’, I prefer to use ‘goals’. Goals have always been a driving force in my success. Granted, I never knew the path my life would take, I did always have goals. I still make goals and take the necessary actions to achieve those goals. I think knowing what you want and having a clear vision of what that is, keeps you on track for success.