It's The End Of The Year! Can't I Just Be Done Already?

So 2017 is winding down and I thought it'd be a good time to share with you the pep talk that I give myself occasionally. I won't share my full internal monologue because that could make me sound a little crazy. Or crazed. But the pep talk stuff is OK to share; it makes me sound very wise and calm. Sometimes, contemplating the year ahead is daunting, especially when it's your business you're thinking about. Twelve months can seem like a long time and mapping out everything you want to accomplish can feel overwhelming. So before you get into overwhelmed mode, before you feel like you want to quit before you even start, let's talk about being persistent. Year's end is a good time for this since you may be getting ready to think about new plans and resolutions for the new year.

Speaking of the new year, is anyone else wondering what the heck happened to this past year? Wasn't it August like 5 minutes ago?! Seriously! But enough about how fast time flies; back to the pep talk. Being persistent is essential when you own your own business. There will always be ups and downs or seasonal fluctuations in the market. Often a thriving business takes years to build. It can be a grind. What's a small business owner to do?

Strategy For Success: Be A Planner & Be Persistent!

I find it really helpful to plan time for planning. I put in on my calendar so that it doesn't get pushed aside by all the day-to-day issues that come up. Even if it's a "meeting" with myself, I have to give it the same importance as meetings with other people, otherwise I'll never get around to it. I also find it helpful to break down my larger goals into specific tasks, and then assign deadlines, or at least target dates. Again, if I don't do this, those tasks will always be in the back of my mind, but they might never make it to my "to do" list because, well, tomorrow. In addition to making me get stuff done, this also prevents me from getting overwhelmed by the enormity of the big-picture stuff. (My goals are quite enormous, in case you were wondering.)

Another strategy I use to keep me on track is to state some of my goals out loud (to another person, not just to myself). Doing that forces me to "put it out there" and that makes me feel a sense of accountability. As silly as it sounds, I also read some of the quotes I'm always sharing with you as quick, easy-to-digest motivation and inspiration. Sometimes, it can be helpful to remind yourself of the obvious — that you're guaranteed not to reach a goal if you give up. I have a week's worth of inspiring quotes about being persistent. I hope some of them help you to keep going and make some good plans for next year.

Be Oh So Quotable This Week!

I always say running a business means the work never ends! Ain't that the truth? I bet your to-do list is a mile long! Make sure that the items at the top of your list are the things that relate to being more profitable. Everyone is so proud of being so "busy"...But Are You Making Any Money? Don't be too busy to focus!

Check out the summary of last week's business tips and motivational quotes from my Instagram page which you hopefully got to see in real time! If not, let's make sure we're following each other on Instagram!! So...here is this week's roundup of Instagram images of My Top Business Tips and Motivational Quotes.

Be Persistent – Tip #1:

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"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." – Earl Nightingale

Be Persistent – Tip #2:

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"Nothing will work unless you do." – Maya Angelou

Be Persistent – Tip #3:

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." – Henry Ford

Be Persistent – Tip #4:

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"Ordinary people think merely of spending time, great people think of using it." – Arthur Schopenhauer

Be Persistent – Tip #5:

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"Perfection is not when there is no more to add, but no more to take away." – Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Let's talk! I'd love to hear about your strategies for being persistent!

Are you a naturally persistent person? Does planning help you tackle your goals? Tell us! What advice would you share with your fellow business owners? Which tips above did you find helpful? I would LOVE to hear from you!

Anyhoo...I publish these business tips and motivational quotes to get you fired up for your work week! And, if you want more business tips, get my book, But Are You Making Any Money? or contact me to really take your business to the next level!

xoxo M

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