There’s a contraction in our language we tend to lean on when times are tough. It’s a word we say out loud (or even to ourselves) when we’re feeling powerless, defeated and scared. It’s a four-letter word (with an apostrophe thrown in there for good measure) we all know well, a word we’ve used more than once to get out of our responsibilities — and that word is can’t.
Negative thoughts run rampant in my line of work. TruMethods Members tell me all the things they can’t do: I can’t sell; I can’t charge these prices; I can’t devote resources to my Super Power; I can’t find good people; or I can’t fire this person. If you say you can’t do something, you not only eliminate any chance of achieving it, but you also limit your possibilities and make business matters more complex than they need to be in the long run.
Motivational speaker Matthew Michaelwicz briefly touched upon this on stage at Schnizzfest, pointing out the real reason why people use the word can’t: The desire isn’t there — it’s that simple. Think about it for a second. What if I said you needed to triple your earnings next year? You’d probably laugh it off and talk about how impossible it would be to accomplish, right? Okay, fair — but what if the lives of your children depended on you tripling your earnings in 12 months? Would your mindset change? Yes, of course it would.
Removing can’t from your vocabulary is the first step in the right direction.
Altering your mental attitude can also help with cutting business complexities. Successful leaders in the MSP space have found ways to simplify their businesses. Simplicity leads to clarity and clarity leads to command, and when you have true command over the business, achieving goals becomes reality. Stripping everything down to the core simplifies any business.
If you run a business with five, 10 or even 15 employees, it shouldn’t be that complicated. Look, you know I’m a huge fan of the business planning process and discipline. It’s critical to have three-year targets, a one-year plan and quarterly actions — just be sure your plan’s complexity matches your business. Again, I see people with very complex plans for simple businesses. Remember this: Don’t shoot an ant with an elephant gun.
It may seem difficult at first, but you can simplify your business. Viewing your business through a simpler lens allows you to use your time more effectively. You learn what to say no to and help team members do the same. If there’s fat to cut, trim it — and you’ll see your business prosper.
Don’t let a word like ‘can’t’ hold you back from achieving your business goals. Your desire is what will lead you, and it’s what will assist you with simplifying your business to where it needs to be for you, your team, and, most importantly, your clients.
As the year comes to a close, make sure to start planning for 2018. Click the offer below for your free Business Planning Blueprint.
