by Madeleine Wyke

I'm almost certain you know of business areas and professioanl fields in your town that are over populated. And I am almost as certain that you know of entrepreneurs who against all odds and common sense are thriving and growing. You watch in amazement and a grain of jealousy as their businesses expand seemingly effortlessly. What do they have that you do not? Their unique family recipe may be a great secret, but I have a clue as to the 4 basic ingredients. Are you ready for this?

1) Clear vision of the final destination.
No I'm not talking about where you may go after death, but how to fullfill your life purpose while you are still alive and kicking. You would have to be a little more specific than the average person's goal plan. "I want to have a really successful business and make loads of money," just doesn't cut it. I advise my clients to spend some time contemplating their individual definition of success. What does it mean to be successful? What does success look like? I have found that most of us adopt the image of success our parents imprinted on us and our own picture, when discovered, looks quite different.

2) A map of the stepping stones.
It is extremely important to have a game plan. It provides you with guidance on those days when you rather just stay in bed, or when unexpected new avenues presents themselves and you find yourself at a road crossing. One of the biggest mistakes people make when creating their map to success is to add places they have absolutely no interest in visiting. Even if you know of several businesses that have had great success with telemarketing, don't add it to your map unless you're willing to follow through. I even want to go as far as to say, don't commit to doing anything purely for the potential of growing your business - Whether you enjoy it or not is just as important. Add those vista points that make your heart soar to your map, then you will be more likely to visit them often. I'll tell you another secret - it's OK for it to be fun! Even inspiring!

3) Persistent and consistent action.
I am a firm believer that the biggest reason people succeed is beacuse they know that it is not the fall that counts, but the fact that you get back up again. It is certain that you will face rejection, maybe even ridicule, however, it is up to you to decide if your dreams are worth getting up for. Persistency and consistency will get you through depressions in the economy, a personal crisis, and any other setback your business might experience.

4) A winning team on your side.
Most of us have a winning team just waiting to be crowned. If you have employees, look no further. Instead of using the office meeting as a delegation hour, use it to celebrate progress and brainstorm solutions. Your employees are experts on your business. They know what is working and what is not. They know what your clients needs are. By listening to them and setting business goals together with them you have not only created a team but a cheering section as well.
Back to Articles