INTRODUCTION
"The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work." ~ Mark Twain
Entrepreneurs are four times more likely to become millionaires than people who work for others. Entrepreneurs also include salespeople in every field whose financial rewards are dependent on their efforts.
Entrepreneur (Dictionary.com) a person who organizes and manages any enterprise and significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome An Entrepreneur is one who is willing to take upon her/himself a new venture or enterprise and accepts full responsibility for the outcome.
50% of college graduates currently identify themselves as entrepreneurs, compared to 15 years ago when less than 25% did. With downsizing and job dissatisfaction, over 58% of the corporate business sector are motivated to move into their own small business, if only part time.
With the increase in entrepreneurism, more emphasis and training is being offered on how to succeed, yet many entrepreneurs still fail within their first two years.
Many entrepreneurs enter into business with the education of an employee. Although this education and experience is valuable, it is also limited when balancing all the pieces of a new venture. Even more entrepreneurs attempt to grow their success “by the seat of their pants” or “plan as they go”. Salespeople, network marketers and others with a product to sell are embarrassed many times when they find that their lack of planning has caused them a loss of a sale or business rather than success.
A comprehensive written business map can overcome many obstacles and frustrations. A map written from the perspective of your ideal vision can also keep you on track when experiencing unexpected success. Many people are thrown off track when a windfall of success shows up. They celebrate the success and then find themselves farther behind afterwards. A map written from your understanding of your motivations, your limitations, your strengths and your challenges will give you a clearer view of your road and how to travel on it.
Over the years I have met several entrepreneurs who scoff at the idea of researching their idea and mapping out a plan. I have met many “spiritual’ people who tell me that to make God laugh just show her your plan. I have met sales people and people searching for a new job or a promotion who tell me it is a waste of time to research their prospect or their company and use this research to advance their goals. In all these cases, their results are a reflection of their strategic planning or lack of it. Your map is a focusing tool and is a reflection of your commitment and your flexibility. Without one you become a victim to whatever shows up. With one, you are empowered with your creativity, your inspiration, your guidance, your new opportunities and your choices.
A persons focus changes when they take the time to write down their ideal vision and their goals. Their awareness of everything around them becomes clearer, suddenly they begin to see and hear answers and opportunities they didn’t notice previously.
Success comes from focusing on your ideal vision, your ideas, your plan, and placing all your energy, all your will power, all your effort, everything you have behind them. The world of today is filled with unlimited opportunities, which the dreamers of the past never knew.
Success comes with an unwavering commitment to your ideal vision, mapped out and put into a plan of action. This map that you relentlessly follow, will overcome many otherwise obstacles, including lack of capital.
Your map is a guide that you can use to direct you on your continuing journey towards success. Your illustrated map can aid you in your strategic thinking. It can act as a communication tool when speaking to potential people to join your downline, potential investors, potential key employees, partners, and strategic alliances. It can motivate you when uncertainty or struggle arises. It can assist you to motivate other people who work with you. This written map is a tool for others to see your goals and dreams as seriously as you do. It can be a gauge to measure your growth and solve problems.
"For most people, their planning consists of setting the alarm clock
to get out of bed to go to work;
Others plan by daily To-Do lists and crisis management;
Those with an unwavering commitment to a desire of greater success
will take the steps to plan their business and their life."
~Sumner M. Davenport~
For many people, this will be a complete departure from their current habits, activities and thoughts. Many people are afraid to write down their ideas because they fear that their dream might evaporate under scrutiny. Actually the opposite should happen. The more you write about your ideas, the clearer your road will appear. Some people will say that they don’t have the time, or they think they can keep everything straight in their head.
The reported major reasons for lack of success are (1) failure to identify the actual ideal vision (2) failure to research and gather the proper information, (3) neglect in mapping this information and ideas into an action plan, (4) lack of focus, persistence and motivation, and (5) lack of sufficient capital. (Notice how capital is last?)
STUDIES SHOW:
85% of the people that do not take the time to plan their businesses or career will not reach their desired level of success or will fail altogether. Of those that do take the time to write their plan, 85% will succeed.
STUDIES SHOW:
40% of people with a strategic plan will double their income and profits within two years of writing their plan.
With a strategic plan, greater than 70% of these people will exceed their own expectations within the next 5 years regardless of economic conditions.
Whatever result you desire in life and business, you must institute the most definitive actions that will bring these results. The results you are now creating are a result of the actions you performed previously and the actions you are currently taking. I order to gain different results you must use different behaviors and continue with these behaviors until they become a habit, second nature to you. If you continue the same behaviors attitudes and habits that you are currently exercising, you can only achieve the same results you currently have.
“The definition of insanity
is doing the same thing and expecting different results.”
~ Albert Einstein
Simply put: If the road you are driving points South and the destination you desire is West, you will need to change your direction to point West if you want to arrive at your destination. You now have an opportunity to develop new habits that will lead you to your goals.
Most entrepreneurs are visionaries. A visionary can see and feel the dream or idea in its complete state. You can see the future unfold. By mapping your ideas iinto a well formulated written plan, you provide yourself with the powerful structure and the daily steps to make your dream a success.
Avoid the temptation to stop short with the reading of this information and not follow-through with the work especially if you already have a collection of books gathering dust on your shelves.
With proper use, this information should stimulate your thinking, challenge your limitations, anger you, frustrate you and shine a light on your best answers for yourself.
Recently there has been an increase in the “Law of Attraction” and “Vision Boards”, however many of these same people fail to attract what they say they want. If you are only partially clear on yourself and your ideal vision, or only think about your goals part of the time, and look at your vision board occasionally, your positive results will be sporadic and only part of your long term vision.
As you clarify your vision through the puzzle pieces posted here, I suggest you put the pages into a 3 ring binder and make sections in your binder for each part of your map (ie: vision, goals, financial, marketing, etc.) With use your pages will become full of notes, and the edges may get tattered. Also, carry a spiral notebook with you. Write your ideal vision on the inside cover where you can look at it throughout the day. Add small pictures so you have a visual as well. As you go through your day and you stay focused on your ideal vision, your map, your goals and your plan, new answers and ideas will seem to appear out of unexpected places for you and you will need to write them down and then transfer the sheet to the appropriate section in your three ring binder. Your map will being to formulate itself.
If you were planning a trip across country, and your vision was to arrive 6 months from today, you would not hesitate to start collecting information and ideas. You would research the route, the sites special places along the way. You would make decisions on when to leave, who to take with you and where to stay along the way. You would begin noticing special offers for what you think you need. Pictures of sites along the route, as well as those at your destination would keep you excited.
This is the same energy and actions, once mapped into a business action plan that will drive you closer and faster to your success.
With each entry in your book and wrinkle on the pages, you will notice changes in your success. Wrinkles will seem to disappear from your path of growth and more answers will continue to unfold. You will find more answers “come to you” that you might not have heard or seen previously, or you may have simply overlooked.
As you research and map your plan, you will be able to identify your areas of strength and your personal challenges and fears. You will recognize opportunities and hazards for your advancement. You will better understand the full potential of your ideal vision and why it is so important that you do it.
Mapping your action plan is more than reading a book or copying someone else’s notes. It is more than just mere ink on paper. You must intimately understand all the puzzle pieces of your ideal vision, your ideas, dreams and goals. Your map is never final because your ideal vision will continually evolve.
Success can be compared to a puzzle. There are many “pieces” that must fit intimately together in order to create the profitable outcome you desire.
Many entrepreneurs experience difficulty in starting or expanding their new personal or business venture because they mistakenly look at the freedom of entrepreneurism in the wrong light. Many erroneously think it is freedom from time restrictions, freedom from a boss or freedom from authority. The truth is in fact that entrepreneurism does offer a new freedom.
This freedom is earned by careful mapping, organized and consistent action (especially when you don’t feel like it), continuous reevaluation of results, and the courage to make changes.
The freedom earned is the pride of taking responsibility, the ability to express your ideas, the joy of meeting and overcoming challenges, and the joy of your own personal development with the advancement towards your ideal vision.
Check back for future posts:
Clarifying your ideal vision
Why you?
Business mapping
Mentors and role models?
How active are you?
What are you worth?
Organizing your time
Who is your exact target market?
Keeping it legal
What's in your way?
What about competition
Getting the word out?
Can you show yourself the money?
Who else benefits from your success?
networking
Education
Free Resources
and more.....
As each personal and business is unique and one of a kind, the author, publishers and associates having no control as to how this information is to be used, here in disclaim liability of any kind or nature in the use of this information, No representations, warranties or guarantees are given, either expressed or implied, that this information will raise capital, guarantee financial or business success or job satisfaction for the reader, end user or end user’s intended use.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended for use as a source of legal, business, investment, or accounting advice. The reader of this information assumes all responsibility for the use of this information. The author assumes no responsibility or liability whatsoever resulting from the use of this information.
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