New Year, new resolutions, right? New goals, new aspirations. New 'to do' lists. There's only one thing missing:
A New Attitude.
(Yes, actually, I DO hear the strains of Patti LaBelle in the background...)
Have you ever heard the saying "You can't keep doing the same old thing the same old way and expect a new outcome"? Think about that for a second. In an economy and environment where things change moment to moment, where technology evolves by the nanosecond, and consumer access to information and products expands exponentially each day, you just can't continue to do 'business as usual'. Because business isn't usual, it's moving at the speed of life - and life.just.keeps.speeding.up.
Do your New Years Resolutions for yourself and your business look like last years' did? Or maybe five years ago? Is the list populated with items that have appeared before? Remember - if you want a new result, you have to try a new method! Your business is not the same as it was, neither are you - nor are your customers or the lives they lead. You have to keep up.
Make item number one on your list a commitment to expand your expectations, your viewpoints, your education & understanding. Learn more about your demographic, your industry, more about trends that affect customer buying decisions, more about how to operate efficiently and source products effectively. This year, open your eyes, your mind, your heart, your arms, to embrace a new vision of success for yourself and your business. I'm not talking about wearing rose colored glasses or submitting everyone to 'Pollyanna thinking' here, but I am suggesting that you take radical action to adjust your perception of success.
We all have different needs and goals for our businesses, and shouldn't look to neighbors or competitors or forecasters to tell us if we are succeeding or not. We should have our own benchmarks. I have every intention of making a profit in business, believe me, but that is not the primary motivator for me. Never has been. My definition of success is very different than the S&P or Dunn & Bradstreet reports recognize.
My husband and I ask ourselves these questions constantly: Are we meeting the needs of our customers and suppliers? Are we enhancing their lives, and the lives of our employees? Are we contributing to our local and global community & economy? Are we making a difference in ways that are important to us? Are we excited and energized to spend the better part of each day engaged with others to make our business the best it can be? Are we exceeding our own expectations? Are we benefitting from what we are doing in the ways that we desire to benefit?
Our goal is to consistently answer 'yes' to all of the above. Helping us to do that is an outlook that espouses expectations of success on our terms, not someone else's. I encourage you to embrace the ideals of positive change in 2009. Expect a great year, and try a new thing! You might just be surprised at the result...
A New Attitude.
(Yes, actually, I DO hear the strains of Patti LaBelle in the background...)
Have you ever heard the saying "You can't keep doing the same old thing the same old way and expect a new outcome"? Think about that for a second. In an economy and environment where things change moment to moment, where technology evolves by the nanosecond, and consumer access to information and products expands exponentially each day, you just can't continue to do 'business as usual'. Because business isn't usual, it's moving at the speed of life - and life.just.keeps.speeding.up.
Do your New Years Resolutions for yourself and your business look like last years' did? Or maybe five years ago? Is the list populated with items that have appeared before? Remember - if you want a new result, you have to try a new method! Your business is not the same as it was, neither are you - nor are your customers or the lives they lead. You have to keep up.
Make item number one on your list a commitment to expand your expectations, your viewpoints, your education & understanding. Learn more about your demographic, your industry, more about trends that affect customer buying decisions, more about how to operate efficiently and source products effectively. This year, open your eyes, your mind, your heart, your arms, to embrace a new vision of success for yourself and your business. I'm not talking about wearing rose colored glasses or submitting everyone to 'Pollyanna thinking' here, but I am suggesting that you take radical action to adjust your perception of success.
We all have different needs and goals for our businesses, and shouldn't look to neighbors or competitors or forecasters to tell us if we are succeeding or not. We should have our own benchmarks. I have every intention of making a profit in business, believe me, but that is not the primary motivator for me. Never has been. My definition of success is very different than the S&P or Dunn & Bradstreet reports recognize.
My husband and I ask ourselves these questions constantly: Are we meeting the needs of our customers and suppliers? Are we enhancing their lives, and the lives of our employees? Are we contributing to our local and global community & economy? Are we making a difference in ways that are important to us? Are we excited and energized to spend the better part of each day engaged with others to make our business the best it can be? Are we exceeding our own expectations? Are we benefitting from what we are doing in the ways that we desire to benefit?
Our goal is to consistently answer 'yes' to all of the above. Helping us to do that is an outlook that espouses expectations of success on our terms, not someone else's. I encourage you to embrace the ideals of positive change in 2009. Expect a great year, and try a new thing! You might just be surprised at the result...
As a parent I must say at least twice a week to one or all of my three children "just be the best you can be" I need to heed that advice into my business. Thanks for stating the obvious.I have been moving forward with my goals,(one of which is taking your advice on my blog, I have made changes)but maybe it's time to lead by example. Thanks,Heidi
ReplyDelete