Know where you're going...
To know where you are going is one of the best pieces of advice any one can receive. I can't tell you how many times I've heard this growing up, from my parents, teachers, mentors etc. However, I can tell you it is about just as many times as I've ignored the advice, not necessarily on purpose but more from being naive and inexperienced in life. I was always one of those people that knew what I did not want to do or where I did not want to go, but that only gets you so far. At some point you will come to a crossroads in life and you'll have to decide where you are going and where you want to be. And having a general idea can be extremely helpful.
Although knowing where we are going and where we want to be is a great piece of advice, most go through life without an understanding of what they want for themselves, and what their purpose is. Many of us let life dictate our future and our plans even if it is truly not where we want to be and go. Napoleon Hill would refer to this as "drifting". According to Mr. Hill, nearly 98% of the human population are considered drifters and only 2% are considered non-drifters; therefore the chances are, you, me, and most people you know are drifting. There are countless reasons for why this happens and Mr. Hill goes in to the details in his books, Outwitting the Devil and Think and Grow Rich, and he explains it much better than I, so if you're interested I'd recommend giving them both a read. I will, however, tell you that the act of drifting and non-drifting, for that matter, are in full control of the individual.
I actually have been drifting for the majority of my life. Yea, I always knew what I did not want to do and where I did not want to go, but I never actually knew where I was going and what I wanted to do - until now. So how did I figure it out? We'll, it really wasn't rocket science, but it did take a lot of hard work, ups-and-downs, successes and failures, and mental toughness. I'll outline 3 main steps that changed my path, and pointed me in a direction where I am excited to be adventuring towards.
1. Determination
2. Never stop learning
It doesn't matter what it is, never stop learning. You could be the president and CEO of the biggest and best company in the world - think Amazon, Apple, Google, etc. And the minute you think you know it all and stop learning, you will lose that competitive advantage, your job, the company will lose market share, etc. In today's world, the information age, knowledge can be acquired quite easily and educating yourself should be at the top of everyone's list. While you journey to where you want to go, gather as much information as possible along the way, on as many subjects, as you never know what you'll need on your way and when you get there. Furthermore, as you learn new subjects and expand your knowledge of topics you already knew a bit about, your path and destination will become clearer with each step. Maybe you had a general idea of what you want to do, the industry you want to work in, where you want to live, but as you continue to learn - the knowledge you gain may help you hone in on an that exact position, industry, company, city, etc. Soon your vision will become a reality.
3. Write things down (your plan, ideas, tasks, etc.)
I know it sounds cliché' but it's true, write things down. We all have ideas and plans in our heads, whether it be personally or professionally, your business plan, marketing ideas, etc., it doesn't matter. If you ask me, if you don't have it written down you have nothing. Now, I am not saying that having ideas in your head is a lost cause, quite the contrary, those ideas are the seeds that will lead one out of drifting and into the 2% of non-drifters. The problem is a lot of us have those ideas for a great business plan, new invention, ways to find that dream job, where we are going - you get the idea; however, the majority of us do not act or succeed in transitioning these ideas in our heads into a reality. As a matter of fact, for the majority of us life ends up dictating our situation and before we know it time flashes bye and it's either "too late" or the passion for that idea has left or the idea never was expanded on. I know for me personally, writing things down, making lists, setting goals, and dates to complete "X" by this date has enabled me to have a clear vision of my plan to where I want to be/go. To be honest, I tell clients that I meet with, many of whom are small business owners and entrepreneurs, where the most common thing among them is they all have plans and ideas, however, it is almost always in their heads, to write things down. Write that growth strategy down. Write the marketing plan down, etc. How do you know how you are going to get there without having it written down? How do you plan on tracking your accomplishments? What if you forget? How can I help you if we don't have it written down in a business plan, marketing plan, growth strategy, etc.? The same can be said for ones life and where they are going...how do you know exactly where you are going and how you are going to get there, if it's not written down?
I really do not know if these steps will help everyone, but what I do know is this is what has enabled me to move forward and finally find a path to where I want to go, not just where I didn't want to go. Now everything I do moving forward will be one-step closer in the direction of where I am heading instead of to the right or left, or worse, backwards. And that is a pretty good feeling.
As always, I'd love to hear your comments on this topic, so please leave comments if you desire.
PS - If you are in need of any Business and Marketing consultation for your small to mid-sized business/start-up feel free to shoot me an email at: modernbizstrategy@gmail.com.
Cheers,
ModernManTellsAll
