Inspiration for Entrepreneurs Newsletter

The secret to growing your business to the next level is growing with it. Sometimes we grow faster than our business and other times our business grows faster than us. We have a symbiotic relationship with our business because it is an extension of ourselves. Below are strategies to help you grow personally and professionally to the next level:

Let go of what no longer works – Take time to decide what the next level looks like and be willing to give up what isn’t working. For example, there may be a part of your business that you’ve wanted to give up for a long time but you keep doing it because it brings in revenue and you don't know how that revenue will be replaced. When we stop doing the things that we don't want to do, we free up the enormous amount of energy that is capable of taking us to t he places we do want to go.

Change what you can – Focus on the things you can change about yourself and your business. Do you need to take better care of yourself? Spend more time with family? Take a look at where you are with your personal and professional life and see what little step you can take today.

Create an action plan – What do you want to change and what changes will you make? Put your action items in writing about what you would like to see and experience differently in your business and begin to take action. Be cautious not to judge yourself in this process, simply accept all of your ideas. Decide which ones are feasible in the short term and which ones you’ll work towards in the future.

Change your words – What we say to ourselves is our reality. If we say, “I can’t” then it won’t happen. If we say we are struggling, then we will struggle. Become aware of what you tell yourself throughout the day and when you find yourself saying things like, “I can’t,” simply change your words to “How can I?”

Make a commitment – Commitments are powerful and can help you stay on track with what you are working towards. Write down a commitment to yourself and put it over your kitchen sink or bathroom mirror.

Be patient with the process – Allow change to take place over time. You may become impatient when you know what you want, are taking action to achieve it and it’s not happening yet. Things take time. Trust the growing process. Be willing to learn what you need to learn while waiting for change to manifest into what you desire. Know that waiting time is not wasted time. Just like with slack tide, when the water is still instead of rushing in or out of an inlet, we know tha t the changing tide is coming soon. It’s the same with waiting, it may feel like nothing is happening as a result of your actions but it is, you might not be able to see it yet, but change is on the way.

Be willing to take risks – – Being willing to try new things and experience the discomfort and excitement of newness is important both personally and professionally to moving to a new level. Risk taking is part of growing and changing. If you take risks in small ways, you will become more comfortable with taking risks in all ways. Risk taking is a learned skill that can be developed over time. One of the best ways I’ve learned to take risks is by doing something differen t every day for a period of time. Just by shaking up our routines, we get ourselves used to and familiar with change and can become more comfortable with risk.

Be good to yourself - During times of change, especially when you are the one initiating the change, it is important to nourish your body, mind and spirit. Being good to yourself may mean taking a day off, going on that long overdue vacation, or taking time to eat lunch daily. Make time for fun and enjoyment in your life. Enjoy the process.

This article was featured in the Treasure Coast Business Journal's October 2004 issue.