3 Surprising Ideas to help 2013 Rock!
It’s a new year and if you’re like most people, you’ve got a plan (or at least a hope or a dream) that 2013 will be better than last year. Of course the only way it’s going to be better is if you actively do something different – in other words you have to change what you’re doing to get different results.
But what changes to make? Here are 3 ideas that you probably haven’t thought about and every one of them could have a significant impact on your business in a short amount of time if you really give them a shot.
Give First
Obviously this isn’t a new thought – in fact the great motivational speaker and author said it quite clearly:
“You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”
It’s a great idea…and very motivational, but the thing is that very few people actually do it.
Try this: What if you went into every meeting with the idea that you are going to actively look for some way to help whoever you’re meeting with? Maybe you can give them an introduction to a prospect or a potential partner. Maybe you can share some insight or expertise to get them moving in the right direction. There are a lot of ways to help people. Whatever you do, you will make an impact on that person and you can be sure that they’ll be likely to help you sometime down the road.
Commit to Learning New Ideas
One of the primary keys to long term success is a commitment to continuous learning. The world is changing faster than ever and if you’re not trying to keep up then you’re being left behind – it’s as simple as that.
Try this: Commit to reading at least one great book a month. And if you struggle with finding the time to read, consider checking out a Business Book Review (it’s an in-depth summary of a great business book, without having to read the book…plus you get great discussion on the ideas as well).
Not only will you be better informed overall, you’ll have new things to talk about and the act of learning primes you for all sorts of new, often unrelated ideas that would have never occurred to you otherwise.
Plan Your Week
I’ve had a lot of discussions lately with clients who are feeling overwhelmed. They have a million things to do never enough time to do them. My first suggestion to them is to implement a weekly planning session – a time to plan out your week. The key is to make sure you focus on what’s really important for your business.
Try this: Schedule a regular weekly meeting with yourself (literally schedule it on the calendar so that you’re more likely to keep it). You could do it on Friday afternoon, over the weekend or on Monday morning – but whenever it is, set aside at least ½ hour (an hour is more likely) and take the time to really think through all the things you have going on, where you’d like to be and what’s likely to make the most impact if you get it done.
With all of that in mind, what can you realistically achieve in the coming week and what’s the best way to make sure that work actually gets done (instead of just reacting to phone, email or other fires that come up)? You can create a focused and prioritized list for the week (as opposed to the huge to-do list you may have used in the past) or I like to actually schedule and block out time for specific tasks. Either way – by taking the time to really focus on what’s most important for the week, you are guaranteed to get more of the right things done, which will make a huge difference in the long run.
If you’re interested in a more in-depth view of a Weekly Review Session, Lifehacker has a great article that might be helpful: The Weekly Review: How One Hour Can Save You A Week’s Worth of Hassle and Headache
Three ideas that you probably hadn’t considered as you thought about how to make 2013 rock. Do any of these ideas resonate with you? Are you already doing them? What’s your best idea for a great 2013? I’d love to hear your thoughts – share them in the comments below.