I thought I would start a series of "how to" articles to get you in the right mindset for 2010. Even though we are at the end of January, you still have plenty of time to continue to jump start this awesome new year! To begin this "HOW TO" series, I'd like you think about if you truly know you are in the right business and are doing what you love. Do you know for certain, what you are currently doing is what is right for YOU?
This information is equally important if you are at the contemplation stage of trying to figure out what it is you love and how to begin turning it into a business! There are several ways to figure this out. I want to point out 7 crucial steps to truly figuring out if what you are doing or what you are thinking about doing is right for you!
Step 1 - WHAT DO YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO DO?? - Ask yourself what it is you truly love to do if money were not an issue. What do you love to do in your spare time? On the weekends? Do you love to paint? Sing opera in the shower? Teach children how to read? Help others? If so, who, with what? Do you love to race cars? Mountain bike in the mountains? Do you love exotic wine? Love to swing dance or love to cook? Take a good chunk of time right now and let your thoughts flow. Write down everything you love to do and don't stop until everything is on the paper!
Step 2 - WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GOOD AT?- What are you skilled to do? What can you do well? Are you really good at writing? Teaching? Budgets? Forecasting? Fitness training? Selling? Connecting? Speaking? Singing? Building businesses?
Step 3 - COMPARE YOUR LISTS- Take a look at what you love to do and the what you are really good at list. Do you see any commonalties? Take a pen or colored marker and circle the common items that stand out. You might LOVE to teach children to read and happen to be really good at teaching...you might really love to cook and are really good at throwing together super tasty healthy meals.. do you get what I am getting at?
Step 4 - WHAT CAN YOU CREATE? - Using the information you just complied, how can you put this together into a service? A product? How can you improve what might already be out there? If you love to paint, and are really good at faux finishing, ask yourself what product or service can I create around this passion I hold? Could you start a faux finishing business? A step by step guide to faux finishing product? What special twist can you put on this product or service that nobody else has? How can you make your product or service really unique and stand out?
Step 5 - PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF THE CUSTOMER/CLIENT- Building upon your product or service. Let's delve deeper into improving it. Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal client or customer. What would you like to see done? How would you as the client or customer like to see happen? What would make you want to buy this product or service
Step 6 - PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF THE MANUFACTURER- The next step is to once again, put on another hat. Pretend you are the manufacturer of your product or service, or someone who is about to invest a huge amount of money in what it is you do for others. What other improvements would you make on the design? Functionality? Ease of use? Practicality? Uniqueness?
Step 7 - PUT IT ALL TOGETHER- What keeps jumping out at you? What do you seem drawn to? What lights a fire in your belly? Where are your ideas flowing to? What comes easy, effortless to you? What rings that bell? Tells you...THIS IS IT????????? If you have more than one item, write them down and let them sit with you for a few days. Let these ideas resonate with you and focus your thought on only that one or those few ideas you have and 'try them on' for at least 72 hours. Once you do this, you are truly on your way to getting over that first hurdle and finally are able to decide if what you are doing or what you plan on doing is truly best for YOU.
Still stuck? Stay tuned for next post...there are certain questions I will reveal to you that will take you deeper and will help clarify this for you!
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