I know what youʼre thinking. Youʼre thinking that times are really rough and uncertain out there and you need to be conservative. Youʼre thinking that you need to be realistic and cautious and not allow yourself to daydream of something too big and bold.  Am I right?

Ok, I get it… things are tough. But letʼs try a little exercise. If you lived in a perfect world, what is it that you would really like to plan for your business this year? Maybe itʼs to launch a new product or service, increase your staff, do more with less, penetrate a new market. Whatever it is, dream big. Go ahead and put on your rose-colored glasses and really dream big! No boundaries, no obstacles.

Now, get ready to take action. Get a pencil and some paper and write down your ideas. More importantly, write down WHY you want to make those plans. (Donʼt say itʼs to make more money. That is the result, not the WHY.) The WHY should tie back to what is fundamental to your business philosophy. Take your time, the WHY part is not so easy.

This WHY exercise works because it takes you back to the reasons youʼre in business in the first place. Simon Sinek explains it in his book, Start With Why. He describes the biology behind why customers do business with certain companies and why they are loyal to them. If we know our WHY, then we can explain it. Then, everything we do as a company will support the WHY, and our goals for growth will automatically fall in line with that philosophy. As a result, business and customer loyalty comes naturally. The book forces you to ask yourself the hardest question of all, “Why do you get out of bed in the morning, and more importantly, why should anyone care?”

For me, I realized that I love to help business owners develop new ideas and find simple solutions to complex problems. I would do it 24/7 if my husband would let me. The reason anyone should care is because the next business problem I solve could be theirs. It ties back to my business philosophy that business planning should be simple. Now, everything I do supports my WHY. And guess what? Itʼs working!

So give it a try. The answers will surprise you. They will help you set real goals that are long-lasting and rooted in the fundamental philosophies of your company. When you can answer WHY, you can put on your rose-colored glasses and dream big. And most importantly, you will feel confident about the plans you make regardless of whatʼs happening “out there”.

© 2011 Susan Swartzwelder. All rights reserved.

Forrest Gump was a success in almost all major aspects of his life, including starting and building a successful business. Think about it:

• As a child, he ran like the wind when doctors told him he never would because of his back and legs.
• As a young man, he was a decorated war hero who met two presidents.
• Later in life, he married the love of his life even after years of rejection.

Now here’s the good part!

• As an entrepreneur, he started a shrimp boat business because his friend said he could and should.
• As a business tycoon, he built Bubba Gump Shrimp into a bazillion (or was it gazillion?) dollar business because he didn’t give up and was able to finally take advantage of the market opportunities.
• In the end, he turned into a philanthropist. He ended up doing what he loved most, and he did it for free – he cut grass for the Greenbow Alabama football team.

So why was Forrest Gump so successful in all these aspects of his life?  I believe it was this:

• He led with his heart and did the right things for the right reasons.
• He took advice from those he loved and trusted and applied the advice appropriately.
• He didn’t give up, he didn’t stop until he succeeded in each phase of his life.

So next time you are feeling down about the trials and tribulations of starting and running a successful business, think about Forrest Gump. He understood how life was like a box of chocolates, and he made the best of what he had. He didn’t over-think things, he just kept going until he achieved success. And you can do it too! Just keep your chin up and your eyes focused on the plan.

Through this blog, I would like to present a few ideas, pose some questions to ponder, and share the wisdom I’ve collected from many years of business experience. It is my greatest hope that you find the encouragement you seek to dream, find some answers to your questions, and take away some insight that will inspire you to go for it!

Thank you for stopping by.  Enjoy, and please come again!

Whatever the reason, however the start, eventually everyone arrives at the Y in the road that has SUCCESS written on both sign posts. But only one road leads to real success. The other is littered with obstacles that are just waiting to get in your way. So, which way do you turn? Why not take the path that leads to real success? Why not believe that “The write way is the right way”!

Sure, you have too much to think about to stop and write down a real plan. And, you have it all in your head anyway, right? You have answered (in your head) the questions about how you will structure your culture, your policies, procedures and workflows, right? You know (in your head) how you will support your product, your services and your customers, right? You know exactly what you need to do. But have you planned how you will do it? And, what if…( fill in the blank )?

Or, maybe you haven’t even gotten that far. In fact, maybe you are so busy working IN your business, there is no time to work ON your business. So, now what?

Stop! Breath! At the very least, pick up a pencil and jot your thoughts onto paper. Make them real. Get your plan into a form so that it is possible for someone else to pick it up, read and understand it, and then act on it. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just needs to be real. And if you need help getting it out of your head and onto paper, do yourself a big favor and get the help you need.

You already know what you want to do. You just need to plan how you will do it. Just do it! It will set you up for real success.

You’ve already come so far, don’t stop now! Just ask yourself this question: “Am I really planning to succeed?”  If the answer is yes, you’ll know what to do!