When my client tells her family and staff she's going on vacation, a communal moan fills the air.
This isn't one of those dreadful, put-me-out-of-my-misery type moans, but a, "Lord give us strength, she'll be back with both guns blazing" type of moan.
Today, as we discussed her goals for the year ahead, she told me she's planned a trip to Nevada next month and during the flight, will map out her plans for the next twelve months in detail.
Amazingly, this is how she disciplines herself to focus on nothing but her business.
One year, she went on a 20-hour road trip to Nashville with her mother and children and had but one rule for the ride … she would not speak, but would map out a plan for the business she would build.
And on that 40-hour return trip, she mapped out her first business plan.
This woman has achieved extraordinary success over the last decade. After being part of a mass layoff by her banking employer, she found herself out of work and totally unprepared for being jobless for the first time in 15 years.
She decided she had no alternative but to start her own business, and although it was one of the biggest undertakings of her life, has built it into a growing enterprise with a loyal team of employees.
She admits that settling herself down long enough to focus on details is a great challenge for her, and discovered that whenever she took a trip, she was able to discipline herself to do nothing but focus on her business.
On one five-hour flight, she refused to sit with her family, but sat alone with a pad of paper and pen, and mapped out a list of expectations she had of herself and her business. That exercise helped her grow her business to a higher level within a few short months.
She told me this process works so well for her, she's decided to take more trips this year than ever before. Why? Because this year, she's set higher goals for herself than she's ever attempted and she knows she has to remain focused, disciplined and three steps ahead to carry them out.
Her team and family tease her with their moans when she announces she's hitting the road or the skies, but they know that when she returns, the energy and laser-like vision she brings back will spark a fire in all of them as they prepare for the next adventure.
My client recognized that taking time to focus and reflect on both herself and her business was challenging for her, and found her solution by putting herself into environments that remove her from outside distractions.
It may seem extreme (and costly), but it works for her.
If you're having difficulty finding uninterrupted time to focus on your business or personal goals, follow my client's lead and try to find a creative solution that will take you away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
It may be as simple as packing a picnic basket and driving to a nearby park and spending your day alone with your thoughts and notepad.
Or, perhaps grabbing your fishing boat and heading out to a quiet lake, only this time leaving the tackle and rod at home and bringing a pad of paper and pen instead.
You may have to get the creative juices flowing to find out what works for you, but sometimes just a simple change of pace and place is all you need to get yourself into a new rhythm and sharpen your focus as you plan the future of your business.
2007 © Laurie Hayes - The HBB Source
Building a Business From 30,000 Feet - To learn more about this author, visit Laurie Hayes's Website.
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