Want to Grow Your Business? This is Where Your Focus Should Be.
When people complain to me that they’re struggling to grow their business, they often launch into a rant about everything that’s not working in their life and business.
This guy is sick of dealing with a technician who is constantly late. That guy can only seem to move his low-profit products. Another business owner knows that at this rate, her kids will have to take out loans to pay for college.
In short, everyone can tell me what they don’t want. But when I ask what they do want?
Crickets.
At best, I get a vague response.
They want to “be successful.” Or to be able to afford a “nicer house.” They want more money, more freedom, more time. But they have no idea what this looks like day to day. They haven’t taken the time to envision it.
And they definitely don’t conjure those positive visions when times are tough.
Instead, they keep obsessing over the things they don’t want. And that is why can't grow their business.
You Move in the Direction of Your Focus
Close your eyes and think about the color green. Then open them and look around you.
Notice how quickly your eyes catch on the green objects that surround you.
That doesn’t mean there are no blue objects in the room. It just means you’re not paying attention to them. You’re not looking for blue, so you don’t see blue.
It works the exact same way with obstacles and opportunities.
Let’s say you struggle to cover bills and payroll every month. This is an exhausting constant in your life… and you hate it.
Every time you sit down to make a payment or look at your bank account balance, you think about how you’re so sick of that twisting in your gut. When you get overwhelmed by the work of wearing eight different hats everyday, you dwell on how much it sucks that you can’t afford to hire help. When you notice that your competitor has upgraded his car, you look at your own with resentment.
When you spend your mental energy on thoughts like these, guess what changes?
Right. Absolutely nothing.
Now, imagine if you focused less on the struggle and more on what you want to build. Let’s say you want to be able to bring on a new team member in one year.
When you look at the numbers, you find yourself asking, “What needs to change before I can afford to hire someone? Where is the waste? Where is the opportunity to increase leads and boost revenue?”
Even though it’s exhausting doing everything yourself, you begin to embrace this opportunity to gain insight into all aspects of your business so you can be a stronger leader when it’s time to build a unified team.
And when your competitor gets that new car, you embrace the reminder that growth is always available to you. After all, that upgrade is a new step for him, too.
Tap Into Your Most Powerful Tool
Your imagination is mighty. It shapes the way you perceive the world, interact with the world, and even shape the world. When you see what you want with perfect clarity, you can focus on that dream more consistently. By keeping that vision top of mind, you get better at recognizing the opportunities that already surround you.
You see more strategies for getting what you want. You identify new avenues for growth. You take those avenues and you finally move forward.
Your imagination—your vision—is powerful. It’s not a Law of Attraction thing. It’s not about sending your wishes out into the Universe and seeing what comes back.
It’s about training your mind to focus on green until you start to notice green everywhere.
Take some time today to work towards clarity. Step away from distractions, close the door, take a walk, go for a drive… whatever it takes to block out the noises that tempt you to ruminate on how “stuck” you are.
In this peace and silence, imagine your best life.
If the picture isn’t clear yet, that’s okay. Just keep working the muscle. Take a little time every day to step away and find clarity. Read books or listen to podcasts about building a business and notice whose journey you connect with. Pay attention to the aspects of your job and personal life that fulfill you or bring you joy.
Let that vision build, crystalize, and come into view.
Let go of everything you hate. Don’t worry about what you don’t want. See everything as a stepping stone on the way to that shining future.
That’s how you grow your business.
Further Resources on This Topic
Free Video Course: Cultivate a Growth Mindset on the Job
Free Video Course: Accelerating Business Growth
Blog Post: Scarcity vs. Abundance
Blog Post: How to Start a Business Built for Success
Book: How to Transform Your Mindset and Become a Self-Made Success Story