As a business coach people want to know how I can help such a variety of different businesses.
What I really do is help individuals to achieve their goals.
My style, which is an eclectic mix, focuses on a philosophical approach to success. I want to share this with you. Some of you can follow this approach on your own without coaching. Others may want some additional support. But, here is one approach to achieving your vision and goals.
Value-based Strategies and Goals
The first step is to fully know and understand your values. Goals without values are hollow, and result in strategies and plans that lack focus, or eventually get off track.
As Christians in business it is important to build our business on a foundation of our Christian values.
A set of core values will guide you to developing the strategies and plans that will achieve your goals.
Say No To Opportunities That Don’t Match Your Values
Here is a personal example.
When I embarked on a new career in coaching and counseling it was a core value for me “to help others”. No big stretch for a counselor right!
But, the truth is, I am often offered opportunities to help individuals or businesses that don’t really want help. It is being pushed on them from their company or another source. Although this could be a very lucrative path, to do business coaching for large companies who want to change their employees doesn’t feel like “helping people” to me.
So I made the decision to pass on business from organizations or individuals where the recipient of the help didn’t want it. It is very difficult to turn away sales/opportunities when you are an entrepreneur or small business. We want to say “yes” to every opportunity. However, in the end, if the opportunity doesn’t match our values, we will either:
- waste valuable time we could use focusing on marketing to our target customer, or worse,
- do a poor job because our goals for our customer do not match their goals.
Staying Focused on Your Vision Accelerates Results
Another example. I have a client who is very, very talented. He is called on to use his talents in a variety of ways. When he came to see me it was because he was busy all of the time and stretched, but didn’t feel like he was moving his business forward.
He would develop a strategy to grow his business that he was passionate about and then a short-term lucrative offer would come up and he would switch paths. In order to really make an impact in the world – which is one of his core values – his vision needed to match his values.
Now, as opportunities come available, we measure them against his long- term vision. If they don’t match, he let’s them pass. Simultaneously, he really began focusing on the strategies that would grow his business toward this vision, and they are working.
All of the books say to write a mission statement or create a vision. Some will actually say to consider your values – not just pick a good idea.
Staying Focused On Your Vision Achieves Your Definition of Success
But the key to success (defined as achieving your vision – not the world’s definition for success) is to ensure our time and attention stay focused on this vision.
This may mean giving up short-term worldly success.
It may result in a slower start.
It might mean telling someone you can’t do what they want you to do!
Few people actually do this. But, if you talk to the people who do stay focused on their vision – and build their vision on a solid foundation of personal and Christian values – you will hear stories of success!
Where Do We Find Help?
If you need help figuring out your vision, I recommend starting with the Bible. Remember, God gave us our gifts and talents. I am confident that He has a plan for them.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3:5-6
The Bible may not tell us to be a doctor or musician, but His Word certainly guides us toward Godly values. If we combine our God-given abilities with His value system, a solid vision can be formed.
Remember – if God is for us, who can be against us?
Get Started Solidifying Your Vision
As we begin the New Year, this is a perfect time to think about your vision and contemplate your values. Do they match? If not, work on revamping your vision to build on a solid base of Godly values.
Coaching Available: Call us @ 225-341-4147.
Sue J. Miley is a Business Coach and a Licensed Professional Counselor with twenty years of experience with starting businesses and divisions with an entrepreneurial approach. For more tips and information about building a successful business on a foundation of Christian values find us on Facebook.
Reader Interactions