As the Fourth of July holidays kick in, I want to wish you and yours a great time of relaxation and fun. I have spent years writing about systems, processes and business to help you think through and implement strategies that can make an impact on your revenue and give you more peace of mind.
It can seem that is an elusive and endless struggle when things around us continually change. I often think about my clients and admire those that push hard through failure and have enjoyed the fruits of their labor and risk.
When I step back, I think we are all motivated to gain more freedom. It’s why we want sales, productivity or growth. It allows us to enjoy more freedom in our work and lives. So, I thought I would offer a few thoughts to help you gain more freedom as you are taking your hiatus from the grind.
Work remote. If you have kept up with your business reading, you likely have heard about Jason Fried’s book, Remote. It pushes corporate workers to think about the impact of technology and the allowances it makes for us to work without an office. It can help you be much more focused and productive. What would it take for you to move towards this?
Draw your friends closer. I am a loyal guy and I love the people in my life that show character, hard work and fun. It’s what I’m about and I find these relationships easy and fulfilling. When you think about where you distribute your time and emotions, how about giving those that deserve it more of their due? The ones that root for you are the ones that help you become more free.
No drama. If you are dealing with difficult people, then it’s often a waste of time and energy. You only have so much energy and time. Guard your emotions and mental focus. Make the mantra of “no drama” part of your approach to work. You’ll be surprised at how enjoyable life becomes if you keep things that don’t matter at bay.
Automate. Just because you have been doing something for a while does not mean it’s worth continuing. We live in an unbelievable time where you can do more with less. Systems and processes that can be automated will alleviate dealing with hiring, firing, management and motivation of people. Step back and think of how your business can run with much less effort and much more predictability.
Share world-class ideas. People are looking for answers. If you practice and grow your ability to develop and share ideas, you will never be without opportunity. This means you have to keep developing your mental acuity, knowledge and experiences. Then you have to consistently help people with relevant, precise thinking and ideas. It will not only increase your value but keep you excited about what’s around the corner.
The great thing about our freedom loving society is that we have plenty of opportunity to change ourselves, thus change the world around us. Noone is going to hand it to you. It all has a cost and it starts with getting clear about what you want.
I hope your desire for more freedom in your life will spur you to doing the work to bring more of it your way. Happy 4th!
