I’ll admit it, I’m tired of hearing about New Year’s Resolutions! As this year comes to a close and you inevitably review what’s worked for your business and what hasn’t, it’s so easy to become excited and then overwhelmed imagining what the New Year could bring. While it’s impossible to predict the future, I do think there are specific ways we set ourselves up for failure. New Year’s Resolutions are supposed be empowering, but they can easily do the exact opposite.
Putting together a definitive list of New Year’s Resolutions seems like a good business building activity until one resolution doesn’t pan out early in your year. As most of us know this early failure can create a domino effect capable of derailing your plans and motivation for the entire year. Who needs that kind of pressure? So, instead of resolutions which are so… resolute, let’s consider your business intentions. Merriam-Webster defines intention as: a determination to act in a certain way.
So, how would you like your business to act in the upcoming year? What area(s) of your business would you like to see improve based on your intentional action? The great thing about creating intention is it can change and grow with your business. Intentions are not definitive, but they still offer direction and inspiration. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Instead of resolving to contact a certain amount of potential clients per week, focus on the intention to build high quality new client relationships by joining a group of like-minded business owners.
- Instead of resolving to send out a weekly generic newsletter or email bulletin, talk to your clients with the intention of adding value by finding out what kind of challenges they have in common and then provide a resource that addresses those needs.
- Instead of resolving to make a specific amount of revenue per year by picking a number out of the air, intentionally research who is your ideal client so you can effectively forecast how many clients or projects you’ll need to create the revenue stream you want.
The great thing about focusing on intention rather than a quantitative number is that the method you use to get to your objective can be flexible. And when you use the power of intention you’re creating a customized approach for your business rather than just a one-time resolution that is hit or miss. So this year, rather than think in terms of “I will” or “I must”, intentionally start with “I can”.