How to Motivate Yourself to Plan With Enthusiasm
How to Motivate Yourself to Plan With Enthusiasm
“I want to write a business plan,” the young woman on the other end of the phone line said. “Do you help people to do that?” She fairly bubbled over with excitement about a retail gift shop she wanted to open. Her vision of her business was clear and detailed. Her eagerness to get started was so engaging that I was delighted she had asked me to work with her. With my guidance the plan flowed easily. She also was able to get funding for her shop.
Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s I always write my own business plan for the following year. Somehow this period has become synonymous with planning for me. What about you? What is the time of year you write your plan? If you are not in business do you have a career or job search plan?
The client I just mentioned not only wrote the plan but she also had a strong commitment to implement the plan just as she had written it. Her mailings and advertising were all detailed in the plan so she was ready to work in her shop from day one with a steady flow of customers coming in. She was able to forecast how many of those customers would ultimately make a purchase too and it proved to be pretty accurate.
As I write these words I know many will feel pangs of guilt either because they don’t write a plan yearly or because once they write the plan they never look at it. If you can hear your inner voice saying “I really should write that plan,” stop yourself. Thinking you should write a plan is taking on someone else’s suggestion as your own.
My client had said “I want to write a business plan.” That is very different. The idea was hers and she was excited about it. She was writing the plan for herself and no one else. Sure she needed funding from a bank but she also wanted to prove to herself that what she wanted to do would work. The plan did that.
When people are asked to make a change in the way they do things, often they are resistant. Unless they see an immediate benefit, they’ll drag their heels. Sometimes they will go so far as to try to prove the idea is a bad one! I’ve seen that happen in corporations trying to get employees to do something a different way.
So how can you make the “should” into a “want”? One way is to get really excited about the business, job, or work experience that you are trying to create. If you are happy where you are, think about what would make it even better for you and/or your customers/clients.
Spending some quiet time thinking about what you want in your life and in your business or job can help you to get clear about your vision. Focusing on that vision and clarifying it will help you to imagine an even better business or job situation. This is not the time to figure out how you will do it. (You can do that when you write your business plan.) This is a time to dream, feel, and envision what you want. Go for Technicolor and 3D!! How does that feel!?
Once you have the exciting picture of what you are trying to create, it will be easier to sit down to write the plan. You don’t have to write a plan that immediately gets you to the vision. It might require several steps. The plan is the vehicle that allows you to think through a logical path.
The real secret to implementation is to focus, focus, focus! Keep recalling your vision and re-reading your plan so that you are clear on your path and you are really engaged in the process. If after a few months the plan isn’t working well, it is time to consider making some changes and tweaking the plan. Quarterly reviews and updating will keep you focused on reaching your goal for the year. The reward of a good plan well executed is a business that is both satisfying and successful.
Take Action:
1. Set aside some time to envision your business or new job. How is it different from the business or job you have today?
2. Once your vision is clear think about the steps you will need to take to get your current state to that which you have envisioned.
3. Write your plan.
Here are some resources for writing your plan:
1. The Small Business Administration (USA) site and has a good explanation of a business plan. (sba.gov)
2. The SCORE website (free business counseling) has templates. (score.org)
3. The Wall Street Journal has a great career site and a business site.
4. The One Page Business Plan is what I’ve been using this for the last 3 years. It is available on Amazon. The plan is easy to review because it is all on one page.
How to Motivate Yourself to Plan With Enthusiasm - To learn more about this author, visit Alvah Parker's Website.
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How to Motivate Yourself to Plan With Enthusiasm
“I want to write a business plan,” the young woman on the other end of the phone line said. “Do you help people to do that?” She fairly bubbled over with excitement about a retail gift shop she wanted to open. Her vision of her business was clear and detailed. Her eagerness to get started was so engaging that I was delighted she had asked me to work with her. With my guidance the plan flowed easily. She also was able to get funding for her shop.
Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s I always write my own business plan for the following year. Somehow this period has become synonymous with planning for me. What about you? What is the time of year you write your plan? If you are not in business do you have a career or job search plan?
The client I just mentioned not only wrote the plan but she also had a strong commitment to implement the plan just as she had written it. Her mailings and advertising were all detailed in the plan so she was ready to work in her shop from day one with a steady flow of customers coming in. She was able to forecast how many of those customers would ultimately make a purchase too and it proved to be pretty accurate.
As I write these words I know many will feel pangs of guilt either because they don’t write a plan yearly or because once they write the plan they never look at it. If you can hear your inner voice saying “I really should write that plan,” stop yourself. Thinking you should write a plan is taking on someone else’s suggestion as your own.
My client had said “I want to write a business plan.” That is very different. The idea was hers and she was excited about it. She was writing the plan for herself and no one else. Sure she needed funding from a bank but she also wanted to prove to herself that what she wanted to do would work. The plan did that.
When people are asked to make a change in the way they do things, often they are resistant. Unless they see an immediate benefit, they’ll drag their heels. Sometimes they will go so far as to try to prove the idea is a bad one! I’ve seen that happen in corporations trying to get employees to do something a different way.
So how can you make the “should” into a “want”? One way is to get really excited about the business, job, or work experience that you are trying to create. If you are happy where you are, think about what would make it even better for you and/or your customers/clients.
Spending some quiet time thinking about what you want in your life and in your business or job can help you to get clear about your vision. Focusing on that vision and clarifying it will help you to imagine an even better business or job situation. This is not the time to figure out how you will do it. (You can do that when you write your business plan.) This is a time to dream, feel, and envision what you want. Go for Technicolor and 3D!! How does that feel!?
Once you have the exciting picture of what you are trying to create, it will be easier to sit down to write the plan. You don’t have to write a plan that immediately gets you to the vision. It might require several steps. The plan is the vehicle that allows you to think through a logical path.
The real secret to implementation is to focus, focus, focus! Keep recalling your vision and re-reading your plan so that you are clear on your path and you are really engaged in the process. If after a few months the plan isn’t working well, it is time to consider making some changes and tweaking the plan. Quarterly reviews and updating will keep you focused on reaching your goal for the year. The reward of a good plan well executed is a business that is both satisfying and successful.
Take Action:
1. Set aside some time to envision your business or new job. How is it different from the business or job you have today?
2. Once your vision is clear think about the steps you will need to take to get your current state to that which you have envisioned.
3. Write your plan.
Here are some resources for writing your plan:
1. The Small Business Administration (USA) site and has a good explanation of a business plan. (sba.gov)
2. The SCORE website (free business counseling) has templates. (score.org)
3. The Wall Street Journal has a great career site and a business site.
4. The One Page Business Plan is what I’ve been using this for the last 3 years. It is available on Amazon. The plan is easy to review because it is all on one page.
How to Motivate Yourself to Plan With Enthusiasm - To learn more about this author, visit Alvah Parker's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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