by Cara Lumen
My business has made a 90 degree turn in the last two months and I’m looking over my foundation again to realign it with my new vision. I was very happily helping people develop web content and create information products until I became a Book Yourself Solid Coach and found the system and the structure that allowed me to take people from vision to venue. It was like being shot out of a cannon. My vision expanded, my expectations increased and my target market sharpened. All because I added a certification to my credentials and positioned myself differently in my business. Now I have to match my actions to my vision so I can make it happen.
The "Why I Do It" Statement
At the core of your business must be an understanding of why you do it. And why you do it must be filled with passion. Why do you get up every morning and joyously go about doing whatever is necessary to make your business grow? If you are not happy, not excited, not eager to get to work you are not in the right place doing the work you were meant to do. You might want to do something about that.
My core reason for being and doing is to learn and teach but I get more excited about learning and teaching some things more than others. Does my new vision make me even more excited than my old one? It sure does. It expands my thinking, changes my target audience and opens up new opportunities.
The "Who and Do What" Statement
Your who-and-do-what statement takes time to develop and it often changes as you change. You have to keep an eye on it to be certain it reflects your passion and will take your business where it needs to go. This new vision changed my target market. Not a lot, I just upgraded my expectations about who would come play with me and what we could do together. It got me very excited and made it necessary for me to reexamine everything – my web words, the structure of my offerings, my tag line even the bundling and pricing of my offerings.
I had to have a coach to help me do it. I knew I wanted to change my target audience but I couldn’t do it for myself. I was standing in my own way. So I got help from my coach and was propelled into greater expectations and infinitely more possibilities. If you need help making the leap, ask for it.
What’s working?
Every quarter I examine my measurable results to see what is working and what is not. I examine how the needs of my target market might have changed, how I have changed, what new skills I have learned, what new friends I have made that are potential joint ventures.
I reexamined the goal I had set myself for the year to see if it still is the perfect goal or if it should be shifted or expanded. Then I looked to see if everything I am doing helps make that goal a reality. If it does, it stays, if not, it goes.
How does your new vision make you feel?
Every once in a while I feel like I’m spinning in place there are so many interesting choices. Taking time to evaluate where you are, how you got there and where you want to go should include how you want to feel. Do you want to learn more or are you full up of information? Do you want to get involved with a community service so you can get out of your home office? What new hobby would you like to undertake that would offer a change of pace and rhythm?
What is your body telling you? What needs adjusting on your emotional level? How are you nourishing yourself spiritually? A new vision means making new choices.
How can I expand my vision?
My vision seems to expand with everything I learn. There are always so many possibilities that present themselves. Check out your excitement level. Hold up the new vision with your core passion and see how it expands your thinking. Let your vision expand. Tweak it. Let it fly. Let it show you the new direction you can go and then design the new action steps to get yourself there.
© 2008 Cara Lumen
