Ready for a great year? Your best year ever? That’s the spirit.
For high-performing entrepreneurs, a new year feels a bit like the excitement you feel at the start of a marathon. You’ve dreamt about it. You’ve told your friends. You’ve trained. You’ve got the right shoes! Most importantly, you’ve made a commitment to go the distance.
The excitement is palpable and in January, you take those first critical steps. As you begin, I want you to think about January as the first 10 miles of a marathon. And I’ve written four posts to get you out of the crush of the starting crowd and put you in a position to break your personal record. Think of me as your coach, giving you a friendly “shove” in the back just when you need it.
You’ve settled into a fast but sustainable pace. Your running group is holding together, but just as in a real marathon, everyone is starting to become inwardly focused. You are hurting a bit, and still looking at miles and miles to come.
It’s time to look up and out. Resist the temptation to ‘get into your head.’ Now is the time to expand your thinking and lay the groundwork for new opportunities down the road. It’s not that you are leaving your group behind, it’s that you will be the one bringing new faces to the party.
Every week, surf back through your old emails, client folders, projects and brain cells and identify one person with whom you haven’t spoken in a while. Or, identify a thought leader in your field with whom you would like to meet. Pick up the phone and leave that person a message saying, “Was thinking of you because of x. If you would be up for it, I would love to have a short coffee and reconnect.” That’s it. You’ll be shocked at the positive reception you get.
This action slowly builds your network in a measured, controlled and mutually beneficial way. These are the people who will help you see new opportunities for your business, just when you might need it the most.
See miles one through four of Craig’s series with “Mile 1 – The Warm-Up” and “Mile 2-4 Find Your Running Buddies“.