Taking the steps to keep the ball of success rolling

It's been said that people know what to do, but don't do what they know.

Sound a little too accurate? If you are like many business owners and professionals, there just may be an item or two that's been hovering at the bottom of your priority list for a while now.

Although important, it gets put off when something more pressing comes up every day.

Maybe you keep putting off making those marketing calls.

Or going back to school for the degree that will make you eligible for promotion.

Or committing to taking your current side-business full time.

No matter what results we want it is so easy to put off taking that first step and doing what we know we need to do in favor of putting out the "urgent" fire of the moment.

Sometimes, we'll get a moment of frenzied inspiration that quickly dies out, leaving us no closer to creating the results that are so important to us.

Then we wonder why we aren't getting the results we want, despite all our efforts.

Though we might make excuses, lay blame, or justify, it all misses the point (and we're still no closer to our outcomes).Too often, we overlook that a foundational element of sustained business success is creating momentum.

It is simply taking consistent, focused action toward a targeted outcome.

If you've ever pushed a car for any distance, you know all about the importance of momentum.

It takes much more work getting the car going than keeping it rolling.

Achieving the business results you want is no different than pushing that car.

The bulk of effort is in taking the first few steps.

And that first push is critical because until you create some momentum even the smallest of bumps can slow you to a stop.

Then, once you've built up momentum, the pushing is easier and the car seems to pull you along.

You may even be tempted to let up effort "just for a bit" so you can rest or put your energy elsewhere.

But, the longer you let up, the more time and effort it takes to get things back up to speed.

If you lose momentum completely, you have to start all over again with another intense push.

Whether moving a car or building a successful business or career, creating inertia that will carry you along to your desired results is done in three simple steps.

1.

Decide and commit.

Peter Drucker once said, "Whenever you see a successful business, someone made a courageous decision." You must consciously decide to commit your full effort to creating the results you want.

Half-hearted efforts create half-hearted results.

A critical part of taking action is to move from hoping your results happen to absolutely resolving to make them happen.

2.Take the first step.The first step is the hardest and it's easy to put things off, delay, and wait for the "perfect" moment.

This moment of hesitation is where most goals and visions die.

The absolute best thing you can do as soon as you decide to pursue your vision is to take immediate action.

Making the decision gave you a little push.

Build on that by taking action right away.

It doesn't have to be big, but it does need to be immediate.

Don't let that push roll to a stop by waiting until later to get started.Take action now!

3.

Keep things rolling.

Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by the size of your vision or allow the actions you've decided to settle at the bottom of the priority list.

Consistent action, even if small, is more important to maintaining momentum than big, yet sporadic, effort.

For example, it's much easier to make five marketing calls each day than it is to make 1,250 marketing calls one day each year.

Ensuring consistent action is actually as simple as setting (and achieving) daily goals.

First thing each morning, ask yourself, "What one thing will I do today to get closer to my vision?" At the end of the day ask, "What did I do today and what can I do tomorrow?" You know the results you want to create and know the actions that will get you there.

It's easy to put things off another day.

But "one more day" has a nasty way of turning into weeks, months, and years.

If you don't commit and take action now, when will you? Broc Edwards, a Winnemucca-based business coach, consultant, and speaker, is dedicated to transformational results for business owners and professionals.

Contact him at 625.0455 or broc@targeted-results.com.