As we’ve traveled through this consulting journey through the years, I’ve noticed seasonal trends. There are certain months when people are generally considering new opportunities. January is definitely one of them (September is a close second).
Instead of fighting the natural inclination to jump on board and create New Year’s Resolutions, use it as an opportunity to reflect on the past year and evaluate new changes for the year ahead.
Some things to consider as you are thinking about your dreams and goals:
1. Do you have a platform in place?
Even though we are deep into this digital age, there are many people who are still just now getting in the game of setting up a platform for themselves, something more than just a Facebook page, Twitter handle or Pinterest profile. They know they need more than what they have, but just aren’t sure what or where to start. A strategic, branded system will make it easy to head in the right direction while allowing the flexibility of honing in your message as you learn and grow.
I’ve walked with many women throughout the last several years, and I’ve seen it all. Women who have much to say but are not sure if they want to put themselves out there with a public platform. Women who believe they can put together their platform on their own, but end up taking 2-3 years to actually make it happen. Women who have a product but realize that regular content helps to increase loyalty and readership. And women who know they want to focus on the main aspects of their business and enjoy the freedom of outsourcing their website and blog platform to others (like us). It’s a joy to know them all, and a privilege to step into their story when the timing is right.
2. Are you connecting with the right people?
If you have a window of time, I’d recommend reading The Click Moment by Frans Johansson. He articulates how we can increase our opportunities by putting ourselves among complex forces, particularly in connecting with a multitude of people and organizations.
In many ways, you are only as strong as your network. Who are you meeting with, sharing with, or learning from? Is your product or service resonating with the people you expect? If not, why? Is there something you can change about your message? Or is there a better way to reach the people you’d like, continuing to offer valuable ideas or products?
3. How can you narrow your focus or change direction in order to grow?
The new year is a perfect time to shed the excess “fat” – what activities or products are not profitable? If you could focus only on the things that brought a return – either personal or financial, what would they be?
As you think about your business, you might have unnecessary layers of software systems that require much mindshare to manage. Consider pruning some of them to free up mindshare for more creative exploration.
As a family, sometimes there are activities that we just keep attending without reflecting if they are still valuable to our goals or desires. The new year is a great opportunity to get off the hamster wheel and step back to assess those pursuits for ourselves and our kids.
Sonya Dalrymple 