It’s been said that most people don’t get what they want in business and life because they don’t truly know what they want. Ouch!
One of the key reasons for this is that very few are willing to slow down long enough to think and pray about what they truly want or discover what they were designed to do and experience.
However, if they refuse to slow down and do the hard work of thinking and reflecting, they’ll stay busy trying to make something happen only to realize that they don’t actually like the business or life they’ve created.
In order to avoid this from happening to you, implement the following 6 action steps to gain the clarity that will set you apart and help you accomplish great things.
1 – Block time to think, pray, and journal
In order to discover what you truly desire in your business and life, you need to slow down long enough to think about it. It’s easy in our world to go 100 miles per hour without slowing down to think. We live in a world full of busy people who reach the end of their lives regretting that they didn’t do more of what they wanted. Instead, they did what others told them what they should do and, as a consequence, didn’t fulfill their life’s calling. To avoid this, block time regularly to think, pray, and journal. As you do, things will begin to stand out that you are truly passionate about doing or achieving.
2 – Go deep to discover your ‘why’ behind your wants
Simon Sinek made the “start with why” phenomenon popular in recent years, but the reality is that this is an exercise that people have been doing for generations. In order to do the most valuable work, you need to do the deep work to understand your purpose behind it. A good exercise to work through is asking yourself “Why?” 5-7 times as you write down what you say you want on the surface. As you drill down deeper, you’ll identify your greater purpose which will fuel your effort when the going gets tough.
3 – Say “no” to distractions
One of the most challenging things to do is say “no” to people and opportunities. There are so many “good” things you could pursue that are actually distractions from the “great” things. Also, it’s easy to be sucked into social media or conversations that don’t serve any purpose other than wasting your time, energy, and attention. We believe that each person is created by God to do great work during your lifetime. If you allow yourself to succumb to distractions, you may never accomplish your purpose. At best, it will be delayed. Learn to confidently say no to things that aren’t aligned with your greater purpose. You can do it nicely, but firmly. This one action can be a game-changer in your business and life.
4 – Guard your time
You only have so much time in the day to do great work. Each of us has the same amount of time as the people we admire. They simply utilize their time in smarter ways. They say “no” more than “yes.” They block their schedule to do their most valuable work. They do “deep work,” not just busy work. You are the only one who should control your schedule. Yes, you may have commitments to uphold, but who made those commitments? You may have clients or a boss to report to, but who signed up for that contract or job? Each of us must take responsibility for how we use our time. Guard it with your life because your time represents your life. Don’t waste it or give it away to the wrong things or people.
5 – Stay the course
Once you commit to pursuing a grand vision or goal, obstacles will pop up. Perseverance, persistence, and patience are required for doing anything of value. When the going gets tough, stay the course. Keep moving forward, even if it’s only one inch at a time. Keep perspective that even incremental progress is still progress. We all want big giant leaps of success, but it rarely happens that way. Big success comes as a result of doing the mundane things with excellence and consistency. If you are clear on your desires and purpose, you will be more energized to push through the challenges as they arise.
6 – Periodically review your wants
This is something few people think about, but life is lived in seasons. What you cared about as a child shifted as you matured into your teenage and young adult years. What you cared about in your 20’s is rarely what you’ll care about in your 40’s, 50’s, and beyond. It’s just reality. Because of this, block time to periodically review and make sure that you’re still pursuing the things that matter most to you now. In this season, what do you desire to become or achieve? What is the greater purpose behind those desires? Asking these deeper questions will draw out insights that will help you go farther faster as you then implement actions steps 1-5 above.
Clarity is key to any success in business or life. The more you know what you want, the more focused you will become to achieve it. The more focused you are, the faster you can make it happen. Entrepreneurship is a long game. You must think long-term but act daily to take steps toward your big vision. If you’ll make this a habit, you’ll be able to accomplish many great things in your life.
We believe in you!
Keep putting one foot in front of the other and one day you’ll turn around and be amazed at how far you’ve come.
One of the best ways to go farther faster is by being a part of a community that understands you, cheers you on, and keeps you accountable for going after your goals. The Design Launch Grow business coaching program offers this type of community where like-minded entrepreneurs learn and grow together for the sake of advancing their businesses. We want to invite you to join Design Launch Grow today! When you register, you’ll receive an all-access pass to our expansive vault of training videos, live weekly coaching calls, monthly online workshops, and a private Facebook community full of supportive entrepreneurs navigating their own entrepreneurial journeys together. Come check it out today!