Shiny object over here.
Foolproof system over there.
Must do marketing over here.
Silver bullet/magic button over there.
There's more than 1 way to do your Thing, just like there's more than 1 way to promote your business; there's more than 1 way to package what you do, and there's more than 1 price you can charge. There's more than...
There's always more than.
There will always be more than.
But you need a plan.
And a plan you will STICK TO.
I was reminded about noise this week and, like all good things that are brought to your attention, I then started to notice it a LOT. I noticed how much I allow other ideas to tempt me and distract me. Now, having a plan that I know works, I am less easily distracted—not foolproof mind, just a lot less easily distracted. But I know when you're in a place where 'nothing' is working (which is never true, btw... it might just be you've not given anything long enough TO work) the distractions are everything. What if this IS the answer you need, what if THIS is the way to do something that will solve all your problems. What if, eh? What if?
What about choosing something and seeing it through?
Better plan.
What about making a plan (and I will caveat that by saying "Make a smart plan, make a plan that makes sense to you and your market") then GETTING ON WITH IT.
Put your noise-cancelling headphones on and get on with it.
Anyone who is consistently successful at anything has focus. They have a plan. And they stick to it. And guess what? Your plan might be different to my plan, and in turn someone else's shiny plan won't help you in the slightest. Because it's not YOUR plan.
Your plan is the plan that gives you the business YOU want, the sales you want, the clients you want, the way you do the work you want (did that last one make sense?). You get the idea anyway :) Just like you don't do your Thing the way anyone else does it, your plan may well not look like anyone else's either.
I know what I am brilliant at and I focus on that. I could be quite good at lots of other things but I am busy working on my plan so I couldn't tell you about that.
Just a note on the sticking to a plan thing:
I'm not saying this is easy, because it's a busy noisy world out there (stay away from social media for a start if you can't block out noise), so make sticking to the plan part of your plan. I pay someone (a business coach) to make me stick to my plan. And actually to make sure I make the plan simple enough in the first place (ahem—I have been known to overcomplicate things just for fun).
But make a plan. And stick to it.
Listen to the noise if you want to but don't be DISTRACTED by it. Some of the noise is helpful, but you'll only know that if you have a plan you can relate it too.
Want to talk more about this?
Great post. I’m in a lull in my training business at the moment, and this post reminded me that it’s not the time to come up with a completely new plan. I need to get back to the plan I had (which worked well for the first six months of this year) and stick to it.
Thank you.