First of all, let me say Happy New Year! The first of the year is always an exciting time for many people. The gyms are full, everyone is on a quest to get healthy and live fit, and of course most people set resolutions for year. Unfortunately, by the end of January most people revert back to bad habits, abandon their resolutions, and return to life as usual. I do not want that to be the case for you in 2019. As an entrepreneur, I know that how you start the year is paramount to the wins or losses you experience throughout the year. You have to move beyond excitement and emotion. Be willing to engineer the strategies and tactics that will produce victories for your business in 2019. I want to share a couple insights with you on how to position your business for success in 2019.
- You must have a clear vision. It is sad that many people waste an entire lifetime living without a vision. More importantly, I find it very disturbing that so many entrepreneurs do not have a clear vision for their businesses. I want you to take the time to write down your vision. Write out your vision in great detail. It has to move from ideas in your mind to well articulated plans on paper. How can you expect to position for success if you do not have a vision? Where exactly are you going if you have no vision? When I say you must have a vision, this means that you need to have a clear objective of what you want to achieve in business this year, then you need to break that vision down into phases so you can decide what actions you need to take, and then you need to have a clear strategy of how you will execute your vision. Vision is a course adjuster and a moment definer for entrepreneurs. A person of vision will always trump a person with ambition.
- You must assess what resources you will need to execute your vision. It is great to write down your vision and to break it down into steps. However, one of the most important things you must do as an entrepreneur is assess the resources it will take to execute your vision. For example, 2019 is a year of major expansion for my business. Therefore, I have enlisted the help of coaches, advisers and mentors to help me with the expansion process. In addition, I have devoted more resources to training and development. I know that it is impossible to expand and grow without new information. I do not know what your specific needs are in your business. However, I believe it is vitally important that you take the time to assess the resources that you need to take your business to the next level this year. Maybe you need to invest in new technology or new talent. While you may not be able to do everything at once, set a goal of one resource you can invest in that will position you for greater results in 2019. You cannot expect old tools to produce new breakthroughs. Often times entrepreneurs are stuck because they do not have the tools and insights to make a shift. Your business is only as relevant as the resources you are willing to invest in.
- You must take aggressive action. As someone that has coached leaders and entrepreneurs around the world, one of the things that I have seen over and over again is analysis paralysis. In other words, many entrepreneurs get stuck in a cycle of consistently gathering new information. However, most entrepreneurs stop at acquiring information. I’ve been fortunate to achieve lots of success in business. One of the things that I always tell entrepreneurs it that acquiring information does not make you successful. Your ability to apply the knowledge that you have gained is what will cause you to thrive and distinguish you in your industry. Essentially, you need to take action on the information that you have learned. Stop buying more books and investing in more courses if you are not going to apply what you have learned. Too many entrepreneurs are afraid to take action. However, action is what separates ambition from achievement. My ability to gather data and make decisions has produced consistent wins and earned me respect around the world. Make a decision that 2019 is the year that you are going to take aggressive action. I am not telling you that you should not research and analyze data. However, I am saying that when you do not move with urgency as an entrepreneur you will miss out on incredible opportunities. Stop waiting for everything to be perfect and take action. I’m thinking about when I first started out as an entrepreneur. My products and services were not perfect. However, if I never took that step of faith I would have never achieved the success that I have been able to achieve in business. Now, I have a respected brand, I have won numerous awards, written seven books, and I have become a highly respected thought leader around the world. Put into practice what you have learned and watch your business prosper in 2019.
- You must identify new opportunities in your industry. As a thought leader, I have earned the respect of people all over the world. Entrepreneurs and leaders seek me out for insights and strategies to help them thrive in the new economy. How did I earn the reputation of a thought leader? I was willing to study and research where industries were headed. While I am not saying this is always an easy thing, I am saying that as an entrepreneur you must have the ability to see and create the future. Many of the breakthroughs I am seeing in business today are things that I envisioned and engineered years ago. In other words, you must develop a trailblazing and pioneering mindset. Do not become fascinated with one model or one approach to business. Always stay perceptive to shifts and transitions in your industry. Great entrepreneurs know how to spot new opportunities in the market. You do not just want to stay on pace with your industry. Ultimately, you want to become a pioneer for innovation and advancement in your industry. Many of the people that mocked and criticized me years ago now seek me out for advice and solutions. My willingness to invest the time and devote myself to mastery has paid off in ways I cannot even begin to describe. I want you to become an industry power player. Devote the time to research, develop your skills, hone your craft, and become someone that shapes the future of your industry.