1. Develop a support system
I know first-hand that it is nearly impossible to single-handedly push yourself to your fullest potential.
Have you ever tried to hold your breath until you passed out? Perhaps you’ve tried to stretch a muscle further than you really wanted to?
I bet that in both circumstances you were not able to perform the task to its maximum potential because your body (mentally and physically) places limits on itself.
We are often our own biggest roadblocks. It’s hard to get out of your own way at times.
This is why entrepreneurs place a high value on the concept of finding a business bestie; that person that holds them accountable as a business owner. Find a business bestie who complements your strengths, but also improves your weaknesses.
As you nurture old relationships and cultivate new ones, consider your goals. Determine if the people around you push you closer to your goals or pull you further away?
Examine your associations. Some people may make you feel comfortable, but they may not stretch you to your fullest potential. Bring others along for your journey and you’ll find that your limits will become easier to break.
2. Craft your ‘reach’ vision
The concept of crafting your vision and a best case scenario is documented on every website or book imaginable. But I look at it from a different perspective.
The act of dreaming big and writing down your vision (including all of the amazing things that could happen after you do) is monumental. For example, my best friend Drew took me through this exact exercise when I launched Right Before Magazine.
Think about where you see yourself in a few years. But here’s the catch: Think as “unrealistically as possible.” Think about that “miracle” place in life and business.
Define your “reach” dream and shoot for it! As the iconic, American advertising executive and the founder of Leo Burnett Company, Inc., Leo Burnett once said: “When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.”
When you set lofty goals and work hard to reach them, you set yourself up for infinite possibilities. As you identify your passions and set goals, you will notice that a workload which once seemed overwhelming is actually fulfilling.
3. Automate your life
Automation is an essential time and money saver. Nowadays you can automate payments, content distribution, marketing, conference calls, and more. Once you create a process and link it to a system, you can set it and forget about it. This empowers you to move on to the next important thing.
Automation relieves stress. Recently, I started to automate my life (e.g., student loan payments, retirement savings contributions, social media posts, and even calendar reminders). The time I now have to focus on my bigger goals was well worth the few hours it took to set everything up.
Give yourself credit for your accomplishments—the wins and the losses. I spent so much time last year thinking about what I could do better and it consumed me. This year my motto is “good to great!”
As Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great, mentions in his book: only a few make that leap. If you heed of these transformational changes, you can become one of the few.
This article has been edited.
Kenneth Duncan is the founder and CEO of Right Before Magazine, an inspirational and profile magazine that highlights entrepreneurs before they reach their level of success. Right Before is intended to share how individuals overcome obstacles and failures to persevere towards success. Connect with @rightbeforemag on Twitter.
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