subject: Why You Must 'let Go' To Grow Your Business [print this page] At the start of the New Year many of us set our goals and intentions with high hopes and expectations. And I always encourage my clients to be very clear about the future focus for their business as I know this is the fastest route to success.
However, I also ask them to let go of any projects, clients or commitments which no longer serve them. Because I know that in order to grow your business to the next level you do need to create the time and space for something bigger and better.
Now, I know from my own experience, letting go can be difficult. It can be hard, even if you aren't seeing a return on investment or the client is no longer a joy to work with. Particularly if you have spent a lot of money and energy developing a product or service or you've been working with the same clients for years. We convince ourselves that things will change or improve but what often happens is that we just get stuck and another year passes by when nothing much changes.
So before planning for the year ahead, I recommend setting time aside to make a list of everything you currently have on your plate. Then take some tough but crucial decisions about what you will 'dump or delegate'.
Here are some areas to consider....
1. Clients, of course are the lifeblood of your business, and most I hope are fabulous to work with. Sometimes though it is easy to stick with one or two clients that we know and who pay us regularly (even if it's not very much) in case another one doesn't turn up. The problem with this approach is that unless you are extremely happy with the situation, slow burning anxiety (that they'll decide they don't need you anymore) sets in or you start to feel restless, frustrated and bored. This can spill into all other areas of your business and life. Your aim should be to seek out and work with your ideal clients at all times so that you are learning, stretching and feeling excited about what you are doing. When you make this leap of faith and let go of clients you have outgrown, you open up the space for new opportunities. And soon you will be recommended and referred on faster than if you carried on with the status quo.
2. Administrative tasks such as filing, bookkeeping, invoicing, updating your blog, posting event information.....the list goes on. These can be time consuming activities and as they are non revenue generating work I recommend you delegate as much as you can, as fast as you can. There are many great virtual assistants who are experts in this area and who can be hired by the hour. In the long run they will save you time and money, freeing you up to work with more clients.
3. Habits and beliefs can seem the hardest to shift ,even when you know that by holding on you are sabotaging your success. Yet, the reality is that you can choose to let go of a habit or belief in a heart beat. Resolve to let go of any beliefs that you are 'not good enough', 'clever enough', 'educated enough' .....these are excuses that keep you from taking positive action. Likewise, decide now to let go of habits that, for example, keep you from having healthy boundaries in your health, work and life.
4. Finally, resolve to let go of procrastination and perfection. Entrepreneurs and business owners who achieve the fastest results are not afraid to take an idea and make it happen. They also know that if they wait for the final product or service to be perfect before it is launched it will never get done. Take heart from the fact that many organizations large or small make mistakes and learn from what didn't work. It is far better to step into action than miss what could be a golden opportunity.
Make the decision today to let go of one thing that stands in the way of your ultimate success and watch out for the new business opportunities that will open up for you.
