Interior designer’s work is extremely challenging and time consuming, so it’s hard to fit in time to think about our businesses.

If you haven’t read the book series Emyths by Michael Gerber, it’s worth your time.  The Emyth is the entrepreneur’s myth.  Basically, Gerber talks about many entrepreneurs having a job vs. a business. He also suggests that you take time to work on your business instead of in your business.  I totally agree.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the daily activities, and not really achieve what we wanted when we started the business.  For many small business owners, we end up doing everything and accomplishing way less than we should because we don’t take the time to plan.

Planning is essential, but taking action is even more important.  It’s better to get something done faster than to not get it done at all.

Here are a few questions to consider as you work on your business:

1. What am I trying to do?
2. How am I trying to do it?
3. What are my assumptions? (market conditions, client attitudes, current business practices vs. new ones needed to be competitive)
4. What if my assumptions are wrong?
5. Imagine yourself 3 years from now looking back at today…what has changed?
6. Why do you want to achieve _____________________?
7. Why is this objective more important than other objectives?

Please indulge me for repeating a favorite Albert Einstein quote: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

It’s vital to stop working occasionally and look at what you really want to accomplish in life.  Our businesses sometimes take over and we get so “busy” that we forget to think about how it fits into our entire life.  For most of us, we spend more than 40 hours per week doing the activity of work.  Are you getting what you want out of your business?

Is your business creating the lifestyle you want? Does your work fit your non-negotiable values?

Food for thought.

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