A lot of people talk about emotions when it comes to choosing your life’s work. So, you took their advice – you followed your passion and started a business.
Ah, young love. Life is great. Business is fun. It’s new and fresh.
But you don’t hear much about what comes next – courtship is one thing; marriage is another.
You see, you got married the day you started your business. The courtship was over. You were committed. And all of the jokes about marriage (i.e., the old ball-and-chain) can be applied to your business.
Because no matter how much you love your work, almost no one enjoys the nitty-gritty. In fact, you probably didn’t even give them much thought when you started your business.
You were in love. The veil hadn’t been lifted yet. And now, here you are – stuck!
So, what’s the answer?
Realize that our society tends to focus on love as a noun. However, love – the kind of love that lasts – is a verb.
It takes action to keep a relationship alive and well. So, take action by getting fresh with your business once again.
Hook up with an ex
[George] “When I bought my first business, we were drowning in ideas to make it better. We executed on a number of them and doubled the business in a couple of years. But before long, I realized I needed to take a fresh look or find someone who would!”
You can get fresh mentally. When you first started your business – and even before you actually launched – you had all kinds of ideas like: how to serve your customers better, how to attract more attention to your business, and how to operate at the highest level of efficiency.
If you’re like most entrepreneurs, you only implemented a few of these. The rest are stored away in your mind or hopefully in your notes.
Hook up with these ex-ideas. Take them out. (You may have to clean them up a little before you want to be seen with them in public.)
Let’s get physical
The longer you’re in your physical space, the more comfortable you get. What would you change if you looked at it with a fresh set of eyes?
Get fresh physically. Whether you’re home-based or work from a traditional office, take a fresh look at your surroundings.
Clear out the clutter. It sounds so simple, but research has shown that we lose about an hour a day because of clutter (Newsweek, June 7, 2004). If you haven’t used something for a while or it’s not necessary documentation, get rid of it.
Buy something new. (Yes, we realize the irony of talking about buying something new right after a discussion of clutter. But, stick with us.) It may be as simple as a compartmentalized inbox. Your people can sort everything going into it by priority level (e.g., A – B – C) so you deal with the most important things, and they get done quickly.
Rearrange your office. It’s amazing how invigorating a fresh set-up can be. But don’t just change for the sake of change – think about inefficiencies in your current layout. How can you be more productive?
Celebrate the climaxes
Entrepreneurs ride a roller coaster of emotions. The highs are higher but the lows are lower. And it seems you’re never in the middle.
When you’re at a low point, get fresh emotionally with your business. Force yourself to go back and relive the highs. Don’t just think about them, feel it again like it’s your first time.
[Mary-Lynn] “I remember the day when we filed the legal papers for BIGG Success. I was now the vice-president of my own corporation. It was my first entrepreneurial endeavor. And I’ll never forget how excited I was that day.”
Celebrate your climaxes all over again. Experience all the victories – big and small – that have brought you to this point.
Write them down so that you can instantly recall them in the future when you need a boost. They’re all part of your story. And who knows, they may come in handy some day. After you’ve succeeded beyond your wildest imaginations, someone may make a movie about you.
How do you get fresh with your business? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
