In our workshop this weekend, we had a very successful business owner speak before the class. He spoke of many important topics, but one he touched on really hit home to me. I have many people I speak to on a fairly regular basis who see that I am always busy.
I get asked questions like “How do you do it?” “How do you make the time?” “Don’t you ever rest?”
The answer is no. No I don’t rest. I have no idea how I do it, and I don’t make the time…have you seen my ever growing to do list???
I laugh at this. I have no time and I’m always busy because I’m building an empire. Yes…EMPIRE and that takes discipline. A lot of it. Discpline also plays a part in dedication. If you are quick to give up on one venture and jump to another, that says a lot about your grit and your willingness to stick though the hard times. If you can’t stick out the lean time, trust me, business ownership is not for you. However, if you are determined (like myself) to make your dreams reality, here are some tips for how to cultivate your discipline:
- Track your progress – My version of this is a To Do list. Each week I have a list of things I need to do. I use this list to gauge my effectiveness each week. The key to a To Do list is to put your most important tasks on it first to make sure you aren’t just doing busy work. If possible, smaller tasks can and should be delegated. I’ll have a video tutorial on my Productivity Journal and one on delegation coming soon to my YouTube channel so make sure to click and subscribe for the video tips.
- Have an accountability partner – You can’t just chose a good friend. You have to pick someone who you know is okay with getting on you if you aren’t doing what you’re supposed to do. My recommendation is to start weekly. Check in with them and let them know how you’ve done. And keep it real. You are not hurting them if you aren’t on task, you are only hurting yourself. The act of having someone you can call, knowing you need to provide a status report is just a tool to help you stay focused. If this is too simple, find someone a bit more vested in your success. A business partner, your spouse, your children…When you decide to go into business, you often have a lot more riding on your success then just yourself. Find who else is counting on you and have them help keep you accountable.
- Reward yourself – Give yourself pats on the back for small wins. And plan how to reward yourself for the big wins. Nothing feels better than the feeling for tangible progress and success. If you meet all your major items on your list for 1 full week, treat yourself. When you land a big client, don’t forget to celebrate. This keeps you looking forward to the next win. Every win should be moving you closer to your goals.
- Stay on the right path – If you’re not careful, you can allow yourself to become overwhelmed with too many obligation that aren’t on the path you are trying to go. Yes, these could be worthwhile causes…for someone else. You are busy. You are focused. You can’t be what everyone asks you to be while you are in the building phase. When you feel bad for turning down a volunteer position, or becoming the PTO president, just remember that the faster you reach success, the faster you will be able to do more in your community that can make an impact. In the meantime, it’s okay to tell people no, and to turn down request that side track you from the path you are headed down.
I hope you find these tips on how to harness the power of discipline. I’ll do a part two soon to outline a few more great tips to help with this. At the end of the day, what has often been a tipping point for so many is their ability to be disciplined through it all. I don’t think I can overstate this. Stayed tuned for part two and don’t forget to subscribe in the link provided. Video tips will be coming soon.
~JMJ