At the beginning of last year, a friend, who is a successful business person, said that his theme for 2014 would be “mindfulness”. It was important, he said to live and act in the present. Mindfulness was also a source of opportunity because it enables one to discover opportunities that you may otherwise have missed. It seems that my friend got it right last year in saying that it would be the year of “mindfulness” because in about June 2014 Time magazine came out with a cover story titled “Mindfulness”. Inside the magazine was feature article discussing the concept of mindfulness, its advantages and the ground swell of proponents.
At the start of 2015 we were having a barbecue or braai with the same friend when I asked him what he thought the theme for this year would be for him. He chuckled and said straight off the bat that this year for him would be the year of “action, action, action”. He reckoned that the time for thinking about things and deliberation were over. Now is the time to act, he said. This is his personal theme for 2015 and it fits in nicely with the economic circumstances of 2015 where action, the need for change and new ways of thinking will be critical not only to stay afloat but to move ahead.
What actions have you taken already in 2015? Have you already taken action to strengthen or grow your start-up or small enterprise? Have you put off or neglected taking certain actions that are becoming detrimental to you in your personal life and your business?
It’s one thing saying that you need to act, act, act but quite another to just jump into the fire without any pre-thought. Remember the old saying that you need to measure twice and cut once. This means that it is prudent to do your homework before taking action. Action needs to be preceded by preparation. It’s not just a matter of trying to minimise the risks in decision-making but to help make optimal decisions that lead to the best solutions.
It might sound strange saying that a start-up or entrepreneurial business owner needs to be motivated by important actions because one would expect that you would be involved in action every minute of the day. But because you are often on your own a lot of times you may just put things off or procrastinate and forget about or neglected the important actions that you need to take.
It’s not just about getting things done but getting the right things done.
If you don’t take action you won’t be able to control your own destiny.
Definiteness of purpose is a major driver for taking fast and correct action in business. But sometimes things seem to drag and you just can’t find it in you to act. Often something is wrong. There may be a missing piece of the puzzle that you haven’t yet found and that is unconsciously preventing you from taking action. For example, I personally took a long time to make a decision last year but suddenly through force of circumstances I knew when I needed to act and everything seemed to fit in place. Although it seems amazing how things came together, it was really because I did my homework beforehand and was able to do the preparatory work. Remember that some business decisions don’t just happen out of the blue but may even take one, two or even three years planning in advance.
If you want the rest of 2015 to be a year of action, action, action in turning your new business ideas into viable products or services, you should get hold of a copy of “Breakthrough Ideas”. It provides action steps for turning your most promising business ideas into a possible business venture or source of income. It’s a step-by-step action guide for increasing your prosperity. Act now by placing your name on the publisher’s waiting list.
