Turning a Business Plan into an Action Plan
Oh yes, you're sure to have realised the significant amount of work to be done to make your business happen. And why creating a plan of action with realistic goals is essential to make your business work for you.To create an effective action plan, you need to embed a few important practices within your approach to achieve real business success.
Keep your vision clearly in mind - Successful people know exactly what they want. Visualise what your success will look like. Where will you be? What will you be doing? Who will you be with? Use pictures, quotations and any other prompts to remind yourself constantly of what you're aiming for. Imagine yourself succeeding and telling someone else how you did it - make it real in your minds eye, then go out there and make it happen!
Believe in yourself. Henry Ford famously said: "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're usually right" Successful people believe that they can - and prove themselves right! Remind yourself regularly that you are gifted, talented and capable of anything. Write down your achievements and celebrate reaching targets and goals. If you don't believe in yourself, why should anyone else? You need to have a strong Personal Brand.
Prioritise - As you progress through your business journey you'll learn where to concentrate your efforts for best effect. Successful people put first things first. Make sure that you know what your core priorities are, and don't allow anyone to distract you from them. Don't allow urgent but trivial tasks to get in the way of the important stuff - the tasks that will make a difference.
Challenge yourself - Push yourself beyond your comfort zone on a regular basis. Try something new or do something differently whether it's learning a new business skill, taking up a new hobby, or striking up conversation with a stranger. Keep finding ways to stretch yourself intellectually and this will be reflected in your business.
Keep an open mind - People achieve great things because they are open to all possibilities. In contrast, when our mindset is narrow, we limit our chance of success. Teach yourself to think 'outside the box'. Question your assumptions. Don't take anything for granted. Ask questions and think about things from other people's perspectives. Be alert to what's happening and to what's new. Keep learning all the time and be open to learning - always. Be flexible and open to new ideas and embrace them.
Manage your time - Create a daily framework for your business activity. Make a list of what you need to achieve that day and schedule when you're going to do each task. At the end of the day, take 10 minutes to plan the next days activities. Review your diary regularly and make sure that the way you spend your time at work reflects your business priorities: What's important rather than urgent.
Put boundaries in place - Success is about achieving the right balance. You may find you need to delegate, and working as a self-employed person means the boundaries can get blurred and you may find it difficult to switch off. Set limits on how much work you're going to do and stick to them. Of course there will always be times when you need to put in some overtime, but you must be disciplined about maintaining the boundary between work and leisure.
How Are You Doing? Review Your Progress
Once you are on your journey to planning and developing your business, it can be quite easy to get you head stuck in the sand doing day-to-day tasks (working "in" the business), and not having the time to sit back and reflect on your progress, plans and forward strategy (working "on" the business). This working "in" the business can create a multitude of problems.
Businesses that succeed always have someone working "on" the business - Reviewing progress and driving the business plans forward.
Need Help?
The Business Motivation Programme can help you to review and revise your plan of action and ensure that you are working "on the business" too.
It is essential to take this time out too:
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Renew and adjust - Successful people also review and adjust their plans. You need to be flexible enough to work your way around obstacles that arise, to spot new opportunities and find better ways of doing things Keep focusing on your dream and your goals, but review and revise your plans on a regular basis.
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Contemplate - Successful people understand the importance of contemplation. This isn't strategic planning, or brainstorming, or thinking about the business. It's simply time for you to clear your mind of all the junk it accumulates, and get back your focus and sense of perspectiveYou'll feel refreshed and ready for the next challenge.
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Learn from your mistakes - Successful people aren't people who've never made a mistake or suffered a misfortune. In fact, most business leaders have at least one failed business under their belt. They're people who've learned to learn from their mistakes and moved on. Use your setbacks as opportunities to learn how to do things differently or better. You're building up a bank of wisdom for yourself to draw on! Mistakes are great learning tools. And if you led a mistake-free life or business, you'd not learn, and could end up making the same mistake when it really mattered. You're less likely to do that if you've already learned from that mistake.
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Keep track of your accomplishments - Sometimes it's easy to be so focused on where we are going that we forget how far we've already come. You need to recognise your achievements and record your progress. Write down all your accomplishments and read the list regularly. It will motivate you to keep going when things get tough. Be proud of how much you've achieved already and use that to motivate yourself to achieve even more.
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Reward yourself - Success is hard work! Just as you need to nurture yourself and give yourself time to contemplate, you also need to reward yourself in practical, tangible ways. If you've just closed a deal or gained a new client - treat yourself! Give yourself something to look forward to at the end of a busy day - a glass of wine, a nice meal, a hot bath. Celebrate your achievements and take pleasure in your success.
Don't Forget
Think "win win". The most successful people don't trample over others on their way to the top. They have a mindset based on the principle of abundance: there's enough success for everyone to have some. Some business leaders are ruthless, but the majority who inspire others and reach the top aren't. They are fair bosses and good employers, they are responsible, have principles and win by sharing[/pink. You should strive to be the same. Don't be jealous of your competitors. Just because they're successful doesn't mean there's no room for you. Work collaboratively with everyone you can. Find some like-minded young entrepreneurs in the Striding Out Network.
Never, ever give up. Successful people are people who get up one more time than they fall down. They achieve their success because they simply refuse to give up. They persevere. Perseverance isn't about pursuing the impossible, it's about refusing to quit until you've achieved your goal. You know what you want, you know how to get there, so just keep going!
Our business coaches are here to help. Find out more about our business coaching services or email us at [email protected] to arrange a chat with one of our coaches.
