As the year comes to a close, we’re taking some much needed time off. This will be the last post until January 8. We encourage all of you to take some time off as well! It’s a good time to rest, decompress, and think about what’s important to you. Let these questions guide your business planning for next year:
- What does your personal success look like? Let your imagination wander. What would your ideal life be? What kind of work would be important to you and leave you time for the pursuits that make life worth living? How much money do you need to make that happen? If you can define your success in terms of what’s really important to you, it will be easier to set concrete (SMART) goals that will move you closer to that ideal.
- What does business success look like? Once you’ve defined personal success, you can make a business plan that supports and aligns with your personal goals. Think about the money and time you need to have the life you want. What concrete steps can you take to reach those time/money milestones? Think about what kind of work is meaningful to you. Part of the problem with life/work balance is that we devote too much time to work that takes much more from us than it gives. Work takes up too much of our time to be joyless. How can you achieve your goals while doing work that you feel good about and that doesn’t leave you too exhausted for other pursuits?
- What does a better world look like? The last few years have tested and derailed many of us. Most of us have faced multiple crises since the start of the pandemic, and society has become even more divided as a result. What can you do to make things better? Can you use your platform or your products and services to help people, communities, or even the whole world? Can you use your talents or your unique way of approaching problems or situations to make the world a better place? Think about what kind of legacy you would like to leave. Make a goal to be kind and compassionate, and to find ways to use your gifts to make the world better.
Have a safe and wonderful holiday season!
Substance and Style 