4 Steps to a Better Life and a Better Business

A business is simply an organization created to carry out the dreams and ideas of the entrepreneur who begins it. Everything good and everything bad about a business is a result of the leader’s perspective and actions. Everything rises and falls upon a leader.

For a business to be healthy, balanced, and growing… the leader must be healthy, balanced, and growing as well.

How are you doing as the leader? Are you growing in all areas of your life? How are the problems in your own personal life reflected inside your business?

No matter where you are or where your business is, you can begin making a positive change today!

I challenge you to implement these 4 steps and watch your business change before your eye. These are the exact things I did to transform my cash-strapped business and crumbling family into a well-balanced life that gets me excited to wake up every morning.

This week I have a great freebie for you. I have mapped out, step-by-step, what you need to do to apply these 4 principals to your life. You can grab the [thrive_2step id=’4196′]free worksheet[/thrive_2step] and follow along.

Step 1: Gain Perspective

Often the struggles we have in our business are very similar to the problems we have in our life. We can gain clarity by looking at the “Big Picture”.

Our struggles could be financial, time management, relational, or indecision. The list goes on and on.

When I began assessing myself, I realized that I struggled with knowing how to properly handle my finances. I did not have a budget or a savings plan in my business or my personal finances. I also struggled with leadership. I was not a leader. I was a boss at home and at work. I had no vision for my business or my family. I was living in reaction to the day’s events.

How about you? What are 3-5 major struggles you are dealing with in your business and in your life? Which of the struggles show up in both arenas?

Step 2: Build Confidence

Fear is the number one reason that most of us do not reach our potential. We are paralyzed by “what if”. There have been many times where I knew down deep what I needed to do but was paralyzed to take the step. It was because I lacked confidence in the outcome.

We all know it is not possible to predict every outcome. We also know that a life where we take no risks is really a life not lived.

I have found that I can build my confidence and reduce fear by simply realizing I am not on this journey alone. If I will seek wisdom from others that have gone before me, my chances of success are much greater.

Wisdom can come from many sources such as books, a coach, or a mastermind group. I need to hear from multiple sources before I am confident in following through with an idea. After I began seeking wisdom and knowledge, it dawned on me… Although I lacked confidence, the true thing I lacked was faith.

I had to learn to trust that no matter what, God had my back. The worst case was not even that bad because He has already promised to provide my needs. I just had to trust Him.

Why do you feel you lack the confidence to take the steps you know you should take?

Do you need to gain more wisdom through reading? Should you hire a coach, or simply pray and increase your faith?

The [thrive_2step id=’4196′]free worksheet[/thrive_2step] this week also has a list of books that have helped me build confidence in different areas of my life.

Step 3: Surround Yourself With Encouragement

As author Jim Rohn said: “You’ll become the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”

Choose wisely!

I have found this to be one of the most powerful catalysts for change that we have. When I was struggling in business and in my life, I was surrounded by people who had no real ambition or goals. If they did, they were full of greed or deceit.

If I were to tell someone I was struggling, they would tell me how they were struggling more. If money was tight, they would tell me to join the club. Misery loves company and I was in miserable company! To be honest, I was not doing much to improve the group either.

I began to surround myself with great people who had goals and ambitions. People that would keep me accountable and encourage me to be better. When I did that, my whole life and business changed.

It’s not so much that I cut the negative people out, but there just didn’t seem to be any time left for them because I had chosen to invest my time with positive and encouraging people.

Look at the people who you choose to surround yourself with daily. Are they challenging you to be better? Are they encouraging you? Are they sharpening you?

Make it a priority to fill your life with people that you admire, people who have the life you want to live, and people that inspire you to be more. Stay away from the toxic people at all costs.

Step 4: Read, Reflect, & Pray

The first three steps will make all the difference in your life and business, but only if you follow through. You need to create space in your life to process the change you are making. Change does not happen accidentally.

Creating consistent time to read, reflect, & pray will serve to ground your efforts. It will encourage you to come back and remember why you are doing what you are doing. Most importantly, it will keep you from falling into old habits.

But How? Your plate is already full. What do you do?

Start small. Begin by carving out 30 minutes a day to read, reflect, and pray.

Let’s be real, the most likely time that will happen is in the morning. The afternoon belongs to your business and the evening belongs to your family. Suck it up and set that alarm 30 minutes earlier than normal. You will be surprised how good it feels to have a little time in the day that belongs only to you.

During this time, be thankful for all the gifts and blessings in your life. Next, be quiet for at least ten minutes. You will be surprised how difficult and how rewarding this can be. Finish your remaining time by reading a good non-fiction book. The Bible is a great book to use. You can also find a book that will challenge your character and push you to grow in business, parenting, or another area.

I encourage you to start small. Stick to just 30 minutes for a few weeks. If you consistently achieve that, see if you can stretch it out a little. Start small, build momentum, and change your life!

No matter where you are in life or in your business, you can begin making a positive change today!

You are worth it, your family is worth it, and your employees are worth it. The world needs more of it!