Year-end is upon us! With only a few weeks left of the current year, it’s vital to start thinking about the new year. Here are 5 simple words to keep in mind when wrapping up the year.
1. Reflect
Take time to look back at and audit the year that’s passed. Where were the areas your business excelled? What are some areas you can still work on? Are their any costly mistakes you need to avoid making again? Did you have any great wins? Assess your year and keep it positive. It’s easy to see the negatives as failures, but by framing setbacks as learning opportunities, you allow yourself to enter the new year determined rather than defeated.
2. Simplify
Are your procedures creating bottlenecks in productivity? Are there areas where a new system could cut out pointless busywork? Could you be saving costs by funnelling energy to more important parts of your processes? As part of your reflection, take a look at areas in your company that can be simplified. Talk to your employees about the dull, repetitive, or unnecessary parts of their role and work with them to find easier or more effective solutions. Find ways to automate wherever possible (like using Crystal AI for your sourcing needs). Recognising where to simplify and where to refocus your resources will allow you to concentrate on the areas of your business that can thrive.
3. Dream
It sounds cliché, but it’s important to dream big. You gain nothing by thinking small when it comes to your business. Every person that changed the world started with a big dream. Take these entrepreneurs, for example. Dare to imagine the most amazing, enormous, and daring possibilities. It will give you a bigger picture and a direction to point to when deciding what to do.
4. Plan
Dreaming isn’t enough though. It’s important to turn those dreams into plans. Dreams create a target, plans create aim. Once you have your larger-than-life goal, figure out how to get there, starting with the simplest steps and breaking each down into smaller, achievable actions. Think of it like a long road trip. Your end goal is to get from Joburg to Cape Town, but your first steps are to plan your route, pack the car, and fill up with petrol. After that it’s focusing on the next stretch before you stop to stretch and refill your car. Break down the road to your dream into smaller goals. It helps keep you from feeling overwhelmed and gives you a way to track your progress towards your ultimate goal. There’s nothing more motivating than looking back and seeing how far you’ve come – no matter how far your target may still seem.
5. Jump
Once you have a plan, get going! Every moment you spend hesitating is a moment that could get you closer to your dream. It’s fine if you don’t have everything figured out right away. To continue the road trip metaphor, give yourself enough of a roadmap to start, and keep planning your route as you go. The sooner you start, the sooner you close the distance between you and your dream.
The takeaway:
The new year is an opportunity for you to regroup and figure out how to help your business thrive. Audit your year, simplify where you can, dream big, plan, and get going as soon as you can. Celebrate your wins and always keep a positive mindset. You’ll see how you’ll thrive in the new year.
