By Linda Feinholz, “Your High Payoff Catalyst”
It takes two things to become successful: Motivation and An Action Plan. You proved that you have the first crucial element: motivation. You showed it in the steps you’ve taken that got you this far.
Sometimes, motivation creates a momentum of it’s own… until one day we look up and realize we actually are stalled in place. Now I’m not a maniac about that phrase everyone trots out “Grow or Die!” I’ve found that phrase driving business leaders into actions that create all sorts of time, energy and resources just for the glory of appearing to be in motion. What a waste!
Is it purposeful action? I am a hard nose about making a clear distinction: Are you marking time, standing still, holding a constant place because this is the destination you were aiming for? Or, are you here because you hadn’t noticed you’re “here?” You may even be repeating yourself, doing the same old same old out of habit, with not an ounce of motivation driving it at all.
Over the past 20 years I’ve developed a guaranteed 10-step system anyone can use to create success that’s on purpose, sustainable, and repeatable. My business clients use these steps, whether they’re a solo-preneur in the financial services industry, a small business owner with a manufacturing operation, or a senior executive in a non-profit. (In fact, I used it myself to turn a set of skills and interests into a vibrant consulting and coaching career!)
Here it is:
Step 1: Find your Personal PURPOSE – Become an observer of what motivates you, what activities, industries, roles challenge you and interests you over and over again. It’s a pattern you can use with ease to drive your momentum throughout your life.
Step 2: Declare a VISION for your world – Write a compelling statement that describes what you want to see created in the larger world. What is the thing you dream could be different than it is now?
Step 3: Set an INTENTION for yourself – Decide what aspect of that larger Vision is the piece you’ll take on, put your heart and intelligence behind, and make your personal mission. It’s your slice of the world you’ll pave for others to thrive on.
Step 4: Imagine the STEPS you’d use to achieve it – It all starts in imagination! Grab a piece of paper (or your computer keyboard) and draft the key milestones you believe should be achieved and who could be invited to help reach them.
Step 5: SHARE the Dream – There is power in participation, even at the early design stage. So create a board of advisors for yourself to flush out your idea. Invite the time, intelligence and experience of others to design it well from the start.
Step 6: Find your TEAM – As your idea takes shape you need to develop a list of the skills it will take to achieve it. Make sure that list includes the experience, contacts, and personal styles of the people you want to recruit so that you can tell everyone you know exactly who you’re looking to bring onboard.
Step 7: Create the ROADMAP – View this as a team exercise. When you involve everyone who will participate your plan will be more comprehensive, potential obstacles may be identified before they occur, resources you’ll need can be spelled out, and solutions can be implemented with less resistance and with full participation.
Step 8: Install SYSTEMS – As your idea becomes reality and you develop a real, permanent organization, you need to put processes and structures in place. This makes it all easy to add each new person to your team, to make each effort an efficient one, and create a sustainable endeavor that actually requires less effort as you succeed, rather than more!
Step 9: Focus on MORE – Ask everyone on your team how it could be more… easy, effective, successful, enjoyable, productive, efficient, profitable, imaginative, innovative, collaborative, influential. Add your own adjectives and see how many marvelous and relevant ideas can enrich and accelerate your Vision coming to fruition.
Step 10: Test and ADJUST – Monitor how well your Actions are achieving the results you expected. Are you on track toward your targets? Then keep going. If not, you can learn from examining whether you need to shift what you’re aiming for, or how you’re approaching it.
Of course, this is just a brief overview. Any one of these powerful steps can create breakthrough results for you!
This 10-step system includes so many proven strategies you can use to create a High Payoff that I can’t even begin to list them all here.
But if you’re impatient for success, and feel yourself stalled, then take a fresh start with this list and get clear about the step-by-step action plans you’ll take to get fresh motivation and back into action.