So you’re stuck.
Your business isn’t growing the way you want it to.
You’re not reaching the goals you set for yourself.
It feels like you’re treading water and in danger of drowning.
What do you do?
Is more hustle the answer?
You might think you need to work harder.
Put more hours in.
Turn up the hustle.
And that could be the answer.
If you’re not working hard as a minimum, then you need to start there.
But I’m assuming you’re already working hard.
If that’s the case, just putting in more time may not be the answer.
So what then?
S-T-O-P
My Swedish Special Forces friend told me about the STOP acronym they use when lost or when a mission isn’t going according to plan.
So, let’s apply it here and now, and give you some practical steps you can use to get out of your jam and back to moving forward.
S is for “Stop”
Literally stop what you’re doing so you can reassess.
If this means scheduling a day off, do it.
And stop thinking too.
Don’t worry, you’ll start that up again, but you need to give your mind a break.
And this doesn’t mean distracting yourself with TV, food, text messages, or video games. Stop everything and be still.
Get outside, get into nature, and get out of your head.
Take deep breaths and just let your batteries recharge.
This will help clear your mind for the next step.
T is for “Think”
Now you need to apply that wonderful spongy organ living up there in your cranium. .. But with focus.
Start with the thoughts of the life you want to live.
How does your successful business look like? What are your financial goals?
Think about the habits and behaviors you have that are preventing you from reaching these goals.
What does a person who has reached these goals do? How do they behave, act and operate?
How do they manage their life and run their business? And think on this:
Successful people do what is hard, that is why their life is easy. Unsuccessful people do what is easy, that is why their life is hard.
So, challenge yourself, as best as you can, to do some of that hard work now to make your life easier now and in the near future.
O is for “Organize”
You should have some answers from your brainstorming session that you did in the above “Think” phase.
And you should have some idea of how you need to shift your mindset so you can get unstuck. Now, it’s time to get organized.
Take your answers and put them to paper in an organized fashion.
Make sure your work space is tidy and will stimulate productivity.
Know where everything is and put everything in a logical place.
And now you’ll be ready for the last step.
P is for “Plan”
So you’ve taken a breather, you’ve considered what you need to do to get where you want to go, and you’ve organized your life…
Now you need to plan out the small steps to get you there.
I’m not talking about a five-year plan, a one-year plan, or even a six-month plan.
I’m talking about a plan for your immediate now.
Personally, I like 30-day plans.
This is a time period that your mind can comfortably grasp.
The far future is so nebulous and unpredictable, but 30 days is more immediate.
So, in essence, take your goals and reverse engineer all the little steps you will need to take to get there.
Put them in order of priority, schedule them and….
Do it.
Start with the little steps. Make sure the first one is so ridiculously easy that you can’t possibly fail.
These early successes will help reignite your momentum.
Taking Action
So that’s it.
That’s the barebones, simplified way to get yourself moving towards the life you want to live.
Because that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?
I highly recommend you make use of social accountability to help you stay on track.
Tell someone about your efforts and what you’re up to.
Heck, you can even tell me. It’s what I do professionally, and I’m darned good at it.
And if you want to do an overhaul and set all the right foundational habits for your success, consider picking up a copy of Master Your Productivity.
It’s like having your own personal coach right there with you, leading you one step at a time towards your goals.
The world is competitive and success isn’t easy. But it leaves tracks for you to follow.
So follow them.
My last question for you is, “How bad do you want it?”
Until next time. : )
Nigel
PS: Want to reach your goals faster? Check out one of the online accountability coaching programs and book a free Coaching Call.
