Instead of analyzing what ISN’T working, look for “successful efforts worth emulating” or bright spots.
That’s one of the points made by Chip & Dan Heath in my favorite book of recent years, Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard.
In case studies from malnutrition in Vietnam to pharma sales in Texas, looking for the bright spots saved time (sometimes decades), avoided blame and other distracting emotions, and best of all – got results.
It’s easier to model success than to figure out what’s broken, think about WHY it’s broken, wonder if our mothers are at fault for that, run some cost-based diagnostics and you know, generally dwell and worry.
Bright Spots - Quick, Simple and … They Work!
As you reflect on your year, keep bright spots in mind. It’s more motivating AND effective to avoid dwelling on all that didn’t work. Focus instead on “successful efforts worth emulating,” including your own!
At Enlightened Marketing we dedicate ourselves to transforming the businesses of enlightened entrepreneurs from exhausting, one-on-one consulting or coaching practices into sustainable, balanced, profitable businesses.
If you’re earning high 5-figures or even 6-figures but working way too hard for it, click here to schedule a Sustainable Business Strategy Session.
Bright Spots in Your Business
What worked for you? What was your favorite thing you learned this year? Where were you surprised by good results – even the smallest ones?
My favorite outcome of the year was building a team that performed like a well-oiled machine. Formerly a dreadful delegator (“If you want it done right, do it yourself” – bah!), I watched a number of projects move from start to finish without my involvement.
When I say I can teach you to earn more, more easily, I am speaking from experience!
I also enjoyed learning that whether I worked a crazed schedule from my home office, or an island schedule from our summer home on Martha’s Vineyard, it made no difference to my revenues.
OK, it’s a restful summer on an island from now on!
Bright Spots in Your Clients’ Results
We went back to past clients this spring to gather testimonials before a program launch and heard incredible stories! New clients, higher revenues … it was amazing:
Steve Moulton writes: “I worked with Samantha to define my marketing message … it has given me a lot of confidence and this week I started working on the largest customer project I’ve ever closed, worth over $150,000.”
Dr. Tom Wilk, whom I hadn’t spoken with in over a year, happily reported he’d had double-digit growth both years since we worked together. (Over 20 times return on his investment!)
I also love “firsts.” Attracting Perfect Clients member Louella-Rosie Jones reported she got her “very first PERFECT CLIENT who pays my hourly fee without blinking an eye, and that makes my heart sing – big time!”
And finally, OUR perfect client, Ellen van den Berg, who’ll continue with us in the 2012 Enlightened Marketing Inner Circle launched her first “leveraged revenue stream,” a teleseminar series in 2011.
In 2012 this will become a major revenue stream and the foundation of both leveraged and passive revenues, relieving the burden of time-intensive, one-on-one work. Yay, right?
What bright spots in your business will you be looking to build on in the coming year?
