Ready, Set, Action!

Lessons from the Entrepreneurial Frontline.

Article written by Sandra Benbow

Last week, I read a quote by Daniel Priestly that really resonated with me: “You cannot consume your way to success.

No amount of reading books, listening to podcasts, or attending events will be worth as much as something you create and put into the world.

Write, record, produce, design, sell, ship, upload, send.

You must create.” 

Sounds obvious, right? But I think most of us are a little guilty of this. 

I know I am!

Information Overload

Chatting to a fellow founder recently, I realised that so many of us are overwhelmed with the quantity of the latest information on health, well-being, life goals, values, and business. It's a struggle we all face, feeling like we're on a hamster wheel of continuous consumption, with little time for action. We read one business book, then the next bestseller, and on to the latest podcast, “The Diary of a CEO”, “Happy Place” or “How I Built This”. Hmmm, interesting topics, food for thought. I will prioritise this! 

But when will I have time…?

I feel we are at a time in history with so many opportunities to communicate and build relationships across borders from the laptop in our own homes. At the same time, we have never had so much freedom in the work we do and how we do it.

This has led to questions upon questions...

How do I live by my values? What is my passion and purpose? How do I find my why?

I don’t know about you, but I have often asked myself these questions. Only after 44 years on the planet and four years of being my own boss have I started to see the wood for the trees.

Don’t get me wrong — I am still on a journey. If I am honest, it’s a lifelong journey. But I will share with you how I changed my approach this year and how it has given me confidence and clarity in the work I choose to do each day.

Lessons from the Frontline

I cannot recommend 'Life Leverage' by Rob Moore enough. What struck me most about this book is the emphasis on creating a vision and understanding your values. I used Moore’s method to create my vision and map out my values: Health, Impact, Family, Relationships, Friendship, Growth, and Travel. I aligned my values with my Key Results Areas (KRA), where I spend most of my time.

I set monthly Key Performance Indicators for each KRA. As Peter Drucker said, “If you can't measure it, you can't manage it.” For health, I set targets for circuit training, yoga, and even massages! To measure impact, I track client feedback, testimonials, and referrals. If I don’t get this organically, I now request it, which leads to more business.

I added weekly Income-Generating Tasks and Self-Development to my calendar, and so far, this has not only helped me create content and grow my business but also boosted my motivation.

It was time well spent working on my business rather than just working within it. I review my values and key results areas weekly to stay on track. It is early days, but I am beginning to see many positive results. It is not rocket science, but I think we all need a route map and goal.

What’s one action you’ve taken this year that transformed your business? I would love to hear your stories and lessons learned!

Embarking on the journey to define and live by your values can seem daunting, but you don't have to undertake it alone. Are you ready to redefine your values and carve out a path to live them?

Book a free discovery call with me today.