By Tina Dietz
December 18th, 2013 Edition
This editions guest expert is Pete Winiarski, author of “Act Now! A Daily Action Log for Achieving Your Goals in 90 Days,” and creator of the Action Strategies program. He is also a business consultant and speaker. Pete’s company, Win Enterprises, LLC helps business leaders totally transform their companies so they can achieve great results and secure a great future for themselves and their employees.
Small business owners have the challenge of creating new relationships, finding customers, delivering their product or service, managing employees… all while watching cash flow and finding time to spend with family and friends. It feels like a constant battle just to keep up, never mind stretching to meet the goals you’ve set for yourself, your teams, and your business.
As a small business owner myself, I feel your pain. There’s JUST NO TIME! But… if you really do want to take your business to the next level in a way that will help you keep your sanity, read on.
The Basic Principles of Act Now!
I experimented with a number of different methods for hitting my rather aggressive personal and business goals, and applied multiple tools and approaches to figure out a routine that works. I was looking for a way to maximize my results and provide lots of time for me to enjoy my family and live without having to think about my business 24/7. The result is what I describe in my book, Act Now! A Daily Action Log for Achieving Your Goals in 90 Days and in my program Action Strategies.
The Act Now! Methodology starts with having clear goals that align with your purpose or passion. Each goal then has its own action plan, so you have a map to follow. Then comes taking actions that work each day.
The Three Types of Action
There are three types of action I define to make it easy to achieve your goals: planned actions, daily habits, and inspired actions.
Planned actions are the steps toward your goal you plan in advance to take today. Ask yourself, what part of my action plan can I complete today?
Daily habits are those proven success principles that help get our brains working more easily on our behalf. A sample of daily habits includes visualizing the outcome you want or your goal as already complete and then saying affirmations that describe the picture you just visualized. As you repeat this exercise you reprogram your unconscious mind to start looking for ways to help you achieve your goal(s).
Inspired actions are the actions you take immediately after getting an idea, intuitive hit, or insight. These inspirations come to you largely because you are following the daily habits. To maximize your results, take the inspired actions as quickly as you can.
The Daily Habits are Key to Keeping Your Sanity
There are many things that we know are good for us if we were to do them regularly Most of us brush our teeth and bathe – we’ve already embraced them as habits. The ones I want you to follow can be implemented each day as easily as you brushing your teeth, and they are proven goal accelerators that also help you manage your stress and give you the energy and personal satisfaction to keep you inspired.
For example, visualizing your goals as already complete and saying affirmations that support that picture you’ve created will further anchor your goal into your unconscious new reality. Meditating and journaling help you focus, reduce stress, and unlock your creativity. Expressing appreciation and gratitude to yourself and to others creates an energetic match for more good things to happen for you. The benefits of exercising and reading are widely known, so build them into your routine, too. I also suggest you learn a set of simple techniques to practice “Letting Go” of issues as they arise.
When you’re part of a small business, it’s easy to feel stuck on a hamster wheel without taking any time for yourself or your family. The daily habits help you to do this. Plus, they are all proven goal accelerators so when you engage them on a daily basis, you will actually find it easier to achieve your goals.
