Put Your Ideas to Work for You

This Week with Sara Fitts is dedicating this week's focus to putting ideas into motion. I read a powerful quote from John C. Maxwell in Thinking for a Change. It has powerful implications for all of us - especially self-employed professionals and small business owners.

Ideas have a short shelf life. You must act on them before the expiration date.

Too many times we have good ideas and don't take the time to act on them. Either we are waiting for the perfect opportunity to implement them, or we are trying to perfect the idea itself. I challenge you to stop waiting for the perfect moment and just jump into action with your good ideas. Be bold. And realize that waiting for perfection is another view of procrastination.

What ideas have you been putting off? What marketing tactic have you been waiting to use? Have you been waiting to hire staff? What is really holding you back from implementing your good ideas?

Too many times our competitors beat us to the punch - and our own ideas may have been better from the beginning! (Have you ever experienced that?) You will never know the outcome of your efforts if you don't put your ideas into action. I challenge you to make 2007 your best business year yet - by putting your good ideas into action before their expiration date - or before your competitor beats you to the punch.

Put your ideas to work for you - and start today!

Can You See the Forest for the Trees?

This Week with Sara Fitts focuses this week on "big picture" thinking. Too often the only thing holding back self-employed professionals and small business owners is lack of seeing the big picture. Sometimes we are so focused on what has to be done today and tomorrow that we fail to even condsider the next 5 years. And other businesses aren't successful due to only focusing on the years down the line and not paying any attention to the next 30 days.

The strategy that has been most helpful to me and to my clients is seeing the forest for the trees - but making sure there is balance in the view. See the big picture.

Take a helicopter view of your business - as it fits into your industry on a global level. Make sure you see the trees as well as the overall lay of the land. Get different perspectives from different views. Don't be afraid to see what is really there. Adjust your business plan as needed after looking at your business with an extremely focused eye. Look at the big picture and see what's there. Break it down for the next 30 days, 90 days, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, etc. See the forest and the trees - and you will find success.

Change Your Thinking to Change Your Results

This Week with Sara Fitts focuses on the power of thinking - and how you can change your results simply by changing your thinking. I believe that we will always get the same results we've always gotten if we continue to do the things we've always done. The same applies to our way of thinking, too. In order to get better results, we need to change our thinking.

John C. Maxwell makes the case for different ways of thinking in his book, Thinking for a Change: 11 Ways Highly Successful People Approach Life and Work. I find his book to be an excellent source of energy - especially at this particular time of year when New Year's Resolutions and new goals and action plans are the subject of many conversations, memos, and meetings. For example, Maxwell gives us these thoughts about thinking:

• Everything begins with a thought.
• What we think determines who we are. Who we are determines what we do.
• Our thoughts determine our destiny. Our destiny determines our legacy.
• People who go to the top think differently than others.
• We can change the way we think.

As you complete your plans and goals for the new year - or as you simply plan the new quarter or even just a month at a time - this book can provide an excellent structure in an easy-to-read format that will challenge you to think differently in order to make the changes you want and need to make.

Get in Gear for the New Year - Today

This Week with Sara Fitts is dedicated to helping you get in gear for 2007. There are many ways to approach a new year and I'll focus on what I think are some of the best ways to approach business and personal goals for the new year. My hope is that these ideas will be helpful to you - a new and different perspective at the very least.

Today is an excellent opportunity to have a clean slate for yourself and your business. Regardless of what type of work you do, whether you are self-employed or work in a small business, or own a business and have several employees - today is a day that is open to you and your ideas for new success in 2007.

Here are some questions to consider as you plan your success for 2007:

• What do you want to accomplish in 2007?
• What do you want to do differently in 2007 from previous years?
• What do you want less of in 2007?
• What will you refuse to let hold you back in 2007?
• How will you approach 2007?
• What is really possible for you and your business this year?

Additionally, here are some thoughts to consider as you approach the new year:

• Today is a new beginning. Make the most of the talent you have. Make the most of the opportunities you have. Make the most of the experiences you bring to the table.
• Sometimes you have to do less in order to have more. For example, perhaps you have to jump into action as opposed to talking a project or concept to death. I believe in planning, but sometimes success is put on hold because there is way too much planning and talking and not nearly enough action. Less talking and more action can mean a huge increase in revenue and profits.
• Perfection is not worth waiting for. I believe you just have to jump into action and make the best of your efforts and ideas. Too often people wait for just the perfect product or service, or the perfect time for launching a new venture - but ultimately, the time is now. Don't wait. Make it happen - and start today.

Happy New Year! I hope 2007 is fabulous for all of us!