Introduction
As a business owner, you have many responsibilities. You need to find customers, keep them happy, and provide them with the best product or service possible, among many others. But being a successful business owner also requires that you stay up to date on industry trends, and change processes based on what you have learned through your business journey.
New developments in technology or marketing, or coming off a business workshop or programme with a head full of ideas you want to implement, can all help you attract more clients, improve your reputation as an expert in your field, and increase revenue. But where to start, and how do you keep that momentum?
Well, simply put, you just need to take that first step. You need to realise this process will be long and hard, with you often outside your comfort zone for prolonged periods. You're going to need to identify and remove the barriers to change, and you need to build momentum. By taking small steps, daily or weekly, over a period of time, is the only way to truly enact change in your business, as those years of learning will only be valuable until they are actioned upon.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable
Sometimes, in order to get what you want out of your business, it's going to take a long time and a lot of hard work. You'll need to be willing to go through the discomfort of being outside your comfort zone for much longer than most people are comfortable with, especially when trying to enact change.
Resist the temptation to return to your old ways as soon as things get tough, because it will only lead down a path that leads away from what you're after. You've come too far down this road, learned too much, so there's no turning back! All you can do is push forward and try again tomorrow - but with more experience under your belt than last time so hopefully next time will be easier!
Look for the real barriers to change
There are two kinds of barriers to change: internal and external. Internal barriers are the biggest challenge, because they're hidden from view and can creep up on you when you least expect them. External barriers (the ones that hold us back) like the economy or competition can be easier to spot and plan for in advance.
How do we overcome these internal barriers? In order to be successful at overcoming internal barriers, it's important to recognise where they come from, what or who they are, and why they exist at all. Then, you need to do something about them.
Start small and build momentum
If you are starting to feel overwhelmed by the share scope of change, take a step back. It can be easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day operations of your company, despite already knowing change is hard and knowing what's holding you back, but at the end of the day you know the bigger picture. Take some time every day or week to reflect on what you have learned and how far you have come since starting your business, and then what can you action with regards to change. By taking this time for self-reflection, you will be able to apply what you have learned in new ways and improve upon your current methods of operation. Keep up this process, and overtime you will build up that momentum.
Take action, no matter how little, every day
The first part of building momentum is starting to take action. No matter how small your progress is, if it’s forward progress it will help to keep you moving in the right direction.
It can be hard to find motivation and stay on track when there are so many distractions around us. You may want to take a walk outside or spend some time reading an inspirational book or watching something that inspires you. Find what works for you and then make sure that every day, no matter where you are or what else is going on in your life, take some time to do this! Then once back into work, take action on positive change within the business. By repeating this process, you'll keep that momentum and not stall on this journey of change.
Conclusion
If you’re a business owner, the best way to enact change is to proactively take your learnings and bake them into you business. The day-to-day grind of running your own company—from marketing to sales and everything in between—will give you invaluable experience. If you have also gone on a business workshop or programme, that can also super change your learnings. Though the next step is actioning those learnings.
The best way to get started is by just starting and taking action! Get uncomfortable, remove those barriers, start small and build momentum from there; and once you feel more comfortable with what you’re doing, you can start expanding the implementation of your knowledge base and bring about that change in your business you have always envisioned.
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