We all know the story of the hare and the tortoise. How the hare took off, racing down the road while the tortoise took his time, plodding 
along.
And we know the outcome as the hare flitted from thing to thing, getting distracted along the way, ultimately forgetting he was even in the race.
Bringing this into the world of business, let me ask, which are you? The hare or the tortoise?
It’s a serious question.
Over the years we’ve met far too many hares. People who flit from idea to idea, chasing bright shiny objects (BSO’s).
Could be anything from creating products on a whim (where there’s no defined market), to using the latest social media marketing fad with no regard to whether it’s suitable for their audience.
None of these businesses survive long term. There’s simply no focus.
They’re not clear on the value they provide and for whom. This leads to mixed messages which confuse their market, attracting clients who aren’t a good fit. And at worst, end up wasting a lot of time, money and effort on unproductive endeavours.
Contrast this with tortoise business owners.
Structure is key to success.
They have a clear vision. Know where they want to get to, strategize, plan and execute. While they may get tempted to go off the path on voyages of discovery, they understand the risks and stay true to their plan.
As a tortoise business owner you must focus on what brings in the money! Become really clear on your priorities and what you can reasonably accomplish with the constraints of time, money and effort we all face.
While it’s important to have mid to long term goals and strategies that go out 5, 10, 15+ years, productivity studies demonstrate the importance of 90 day plans.
Plan out activities for the next 90 days. Pick the big rocks and finish them. Make sure what you do is measurable so you can track progress.
This simple (but not easy) activity will keep you focused and bring you results, so your business thrives long term.
Let me end by saying this.
It’s actually quite difficult to create these plans when you’re working in the business – consumed by the day to day stuff.
We all benefit from outside eyes, bringing a level of accountability to the table.
Our 4 Pillars mentoring program does just this. We work with clients ranging from single professional consultants to owners/leaders of mid-sized businesses create structure and focus on what’s important, ensuring growth.
If this is you, call Rashid on 0414 913 334 for a confidential discussion on how we could help you achieve better results.
