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Celebrate, Reflect, Plan
by Steve Naughton
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September 9, 2022
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Senior tailor or fashion designer making sketch of new items for seasonal collection by workplace

2021 was quite a year.  Some of us have had the best year of our life, others the worst, and most of us are somewhere in between.  Covid-19, political unrest, supply chain shortages, inflation, more government programs, recurring business challenges, and new opportunities. Regardless of your experiences, 2021 will soon be in the past.  Christmas, Hanukkah, Football Bowl Games, New Basketball Season, New Year’s Day, Weddings, and Birthdays are all examples of the reality that life goes on.  

Celebrate with your family, friends, customers, business associates, and employees your successes and accomplishments!  We all have them, the fact we woke up this morning, we have air to breathe, food to eat, and people in our lives that we care about and care about us.  Write a list of everything you are thankful for and share that list with the people who are part of the reason you are thankful and feel blessed.

Reflect on the past and how you arrived at your current situation.  What went well, what did not, what would you like to do more of, what would you like to experience less of in your business and life, what are your assets, what are your debts, what are your opportunities, what do you want your future to be, what are your goals, aspirations, and values, why did you start this business, has time and life experiences changed any of these things?  Write your answers and thoughts about each of these questions down on a piece of paper.  Add questions to the list as necessary to assess your current reality and your desired future.  You, as a person and entrepreneur, have choices, in fact, an obligation, and responsibility to make decisions about who, what, when, where, and how you are going to live your life and lead your business.

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin." Mother Teresa.

Plan I like the quote by Mother Teresa because once we have assessed our current situation and gotten clarity on what we want and how we want to proceed it is time to build our plan!  We need to build a plan that allows us to transition our business and life from what we have been doing to what and how we want to do things in the future.  This is an excellent time to consult with your trusted advisors and SCORE Mentor.  Share with them the assessment of your current situation, your goals, aspirations, and a plan for how you would like to transition your business and life.  Gather as much input from others as you can until you feel comfortable that it has been reviewed and you are ready to move forward.  As you implement your plan it is important to move forward with an execution excellence mindset.  A properly conceived and well-executed plan will result in a better future for all!  It takes time and will require some adjustments along the way but you are choosing and working to build your future! 

We wish you the best and hope you achieve your personal and professional goals!

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About the author
Headshot of Steve Naughton
Steve Naughton

An innovative, revenue generating leader who wants to help clients by utilizing my experience...

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(470) 465-0717

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