Are You Focused or Farting Around?

The number one reason solo professionals fail is lack of consistent focus.  We are creative, courageous, and sometimes bold.  But many solopreneurs can't stay on track, and every single time it dilutes their effectiveness, reach, and success.

If you are focused you can overcome just about anything you lack on the way to solid financial success as a self-employed professional.  Don't know your chosen topic?  Study, attend workshops, get certifications – stay focused on the prize.  Can't stand to do the paperwork that goes along with self-employment?  Focus on building a good team around you and you'll be successful in spite of rarely touching the papers.  Don't so much like to market?  Focus on simply meeting people and educating them about what you do and why you do it.  Suddenly you are marketing in a natural way, no longer in a big angst about “having to market.”  

Focus means that you give your business (which is, after all, an important vision you hold for yourself) time and attention in a consistent manner.  It means commitment even though half a dozen people would really prefer it if you quit doing what you need to do and instead do things that make their life easier.  It means consistency of action even though your family may not support you and seems to always have ideas about what you could be/should be doing instead.  Focus  means you says no to “not feeling like it today.”  Focus means facing the absolute certainty that you can be great, successful, in service to others, create what is in your heart and mind, have that which drove you to be an entrepreneur in the first place.  It means you put your vision for your life first, not last. 

Here are 3 tips to staying focused that will work for you every time:

1. Stay away from those who doubt your abilities, who don't want you to succeed because that means THEY could have done the same thing if only they'd quit farting around and get to it.
2. Know your demons.  Social media is useful and fun, but you don't need to monitor it all day long.  Whatever breaks your focus make sure you give it designated time and discipline yourself to stick to it.
3. Be a model of focused, consistent action for others.   I can't think of anything else that serves you and your loved ones better.  What better model could you give your children?  What better joy could you share with your friends? 

In short, if you have a secret desire to get out there and create a financially successful business that solves a problem, gives you a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, and supports you financially it is entirely possible to do.  Stop farting around, sabotaging your own success and letting others pull you off your game.  Find out what helps you stay motivated and invest in it.  Play to your strengths and get help for your weaknesses.  What you desire will come your way when you focus your energy in this way.

(c) Sue Painter