#b183

Developing the Right Attitudes, Habits and Instincts From A Message to Garcia

1. Accept the mission and get started. I have made this business my personal mission, and outlined how it is a part of my life’s mission. I am taking steps to make it happen. I started last semester and haven’t stopped. 2. Be curious. I regularly read about various aspects of business, my industry, useful tools, and more. I ask questions and seek answers. 3. Immediately sketch out a plan. Vision: A business working within the needs of my family, working to accomplish my life’s mission, earning an income. Strategies: I could wait until I graduate to begin my business. Instead, I plan to have most of my business plan and resources ready to deploy at by the end of May so that I can begin working with clients this summer. When fall semester begins I may need to pull back to assess where I could improve while focusing on school. If things go exceedingly well, I can quit my full-time job in November when I will be eligible to enroll in insurance through my husband’s employer. Projects: Name, social media, equipment, digital infrastructure, trial runs or services. Tactics:   I have broken my projects down into smaller tasks and am checking a few items off of my to do list each week. I could move faster, but I want to take the time to do things right while giving proper attention to my education.

4. If you need resources, don’t be afraid to ask. I recently enlisted some friends to act as practice clients. I’ve talked to my husband about startup costs and we’ve allocated the necessary funds.  have space set aside to work in and am improving this space.  5. Enlist help when needed. I have friends to act as practice clients. I have workshopped the name of my business with those around me. I have people keeping me accountable for my progress. 6. Report back and show your work. I am recording my progress in this journal each week. I am writing physical lists of things to do and consider. I am reporting to specific individuals in my life about the work I’m doing. 7. Underpromise and overdeliver. While I am talking about the work I‘m doing, I am being cautious about what commitments I am making. I am trying to be optimistic, yet realistic. I’m trying to work on some things behind the scenes so that my success won’t be measured against unrealistic expectations (of myself or others). 8. Expect to make (small) mistakes. I am trying very hard to hold myself to high standards, but not standards of perfection. 9. Put results before schmoozing. I want my clients to be successful, not flattered.  10. Replace the voices in your head with positive action. I am trying to note the things the doubting voices in my head are saying so that I can address their concerns effectively, rather than letting them discourage me from trying. I’m trying to remember that failure is a key component of success.

Applications of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

  Habit 1 – Be proactive.  “Our basic nature is to act, not to wait to be acted upon. We have the ability to take the initiative in any situation we are in.”  This week I’ve started feeling a prompting to begin my business sooner rather than later. School and work are competing in ways that are unsustainable. I keep reminding myself that there are only two more months, then I get a long break, and the subsequent semesters should be lighter.  But it’s had me thinking about my situation more critically. I find myself longing for the time when I don’t have to show up and do someone else’s work on their schedule. I had a talk with a family friend where she unexpectedly revealed to me how she quit her job with no notice (She didn’t even warn her husband!) and started a business she’s been running since, so she could be home with her children (my primary motivation to start my own business). I’ve found mentorship and motivation. What am I waiting for? 

Habit 2 – Begin with the end in mind.  I want to retire at a reasonable age and serve a mission with my husband. I want to be able to afford a comfortable retirement. I want to have left a legacy of contributing to the genealogy community. I want to have no regrets about the time or care I gave to my family.

Habit 3 – Put first things first.  For the next two months, I must focus on school and on succeeding at my current job. These are pressing matters. But, in my few moments of downtime, I want to be preparing to launch my business after this semester ends. I’ve always wanted to start small, so why not take a few clients over summer vacation? This will give me a realistic picture of how slowly or quickly I can accrue business and from there I can formulate a longer-term plan to make this business my primary source of employment/income.

Habit 4 – Think win/win.  The plan listed in the above section will be a win/win for my family. I’m moving forward with minimal risk. If the summer venture doesn’t go well, I can go back to focusing on school and my full-time job in the fall, using my downtime to reassess and make myself and my business better for the next go. If it goes exceedingly well and/or family circumstances dictate, I may be able to quit my full-time job in November when I’ll be eligible to enroll in better health insurance through my husband’s job.

Habit 5 – Seek first to understand, then to be understood Empathetic listening I’ve read some great advice recently about how to understand what a customer/a market wants. Over the next couple of months I’ll be looking into this understanding and looking for ways to take and implement client feedback from the start of my business. 

Habit 6 – Synergize 1+1>2 I may need to do some more pondering/reading/researching how to use my resources with better synergy, rather than as individual modules.