Thursday, September 8th, 2011
Well? What DO you REALLYwant? A lot of people out here in the real world have some vague concept as to what they want, but they never get any real clarity about it. They pay lip service to goals and aspirations, but make no concrete plans to move themselves towards those goals.
In our meetings and discussions with businesses all around Australia, we find that a lot of businesses (and especially business owners) really have no idea as to what they’re wanting to do or achieve. They get caught up in the day-to-day processes of running their business, family and life. Their activities are all operational and none of them strategic and none of them actually propelling them to where they want to be.
This is a real tragedy as, with a few changes, they will be able to make a significant change to their lives by, firstly, getting clarity as to what they want. This is often seen as a difficult and confronting process – but having been through it, I can attest to the fact that it’s absolutely liberating!
To really succeed, you need to be able to describe what success looks like. Many people we talk to can’t even answer the simplest question “How much money do you want to earn?” If they can’t answer this, they’re not going to be able to design their activities, let alone their business, to deliver what they’re wanting.
The clarifying of goals and aspirations is vital as, once they are clear in your mind, you will be able to design your approaches to create what you’re wanting. In many respects it come down to whether you are at cause or at effect in your life.
Once you know what you really want, you’ll be at cause and you will start to behave and perform in ways that will deliver the results that you’re after.
The other side of this is that if you don’t do the planning etc, you will more than likely end up with what you DON’T want!
Tags: accountant, achieve, asiprations, asiration, aspirational, assistance, business, cash, cashflow, clarity, create, creativity, discount discounts, dynamic, family, finance, financial, getting, goal, goals, help, margin, mark up, money, motivation, operation, operational, opportunity, plan, planning, profit, profitability, service, strategic, success, support, thinking
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Tuesday, September 6th, 2011
As we charge through life being all enthusiastic and focussed on goals, we often forget the liberation that can be had from being vulnerable.
People perceive vulnerability as a bad thing with connotations of not being “up to it” or being somewhat incapable. I must admit to having a different perspective on it.
Allowing people (not everyone!) around you know that you’re vulnerable in certain circumstances has a couple of very positive outcomes:
- it lets them see that you’re “human”;
- they will identify with you more strongly as they will honour the trust you have placed in them;
- it will establish a communication method that will be better than that which existed previously; and
- you will both have a more open and effective relationship.
I have seen the benefits that vulnerability provides in relationships over the years. There have been many occasions when customers of our business have come in to discuss issues and have made themselves vulnerable to us. The response to their offering this has always been very positive and supportive – the outcomes we have helped them achieve through this process have in all cases been outstanding.
You can be vulnerable with your family, close friends and close work colleagues. The combination of honesty and trust that comes from the admission of your vulnerablity is truly wonderful.
So, in amongst the mad rush through life and the focus on achievement, remember to be a bit vulnerable – you’ll be surprised at just how empowering it can be!
Tags: asiration, aspiration, aspirational, aspirations, assistance, business, care, charity, clarity, create, creativity, dynamic, education, generosity, getting, giving, goal, goals, greed, help, motivation, needy, opportunity, plan, planning, pro-bono, profit, profitability, space, strategic, success, support, thinking
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