I always find autumn a really interesting time. It tends to be a time when I wake up and feel like I am starting a new year. Perhaps it’s the fact that the school year and university year start in September and that is so ingrained in me.
Whatever it is I always find myself full of vigour and new life in Autumn. I feel a bit braver, a bit clearer, and feel more full of energy.
I tend to often do business like the seasons, since they are so pronounced here it feels like going with the energy around you is always a good idea. And just like the trees shed their leaves, as nature begins to sleep to prepare for a new life next year, this is pretty much what I do.
So here are the questions I ask myself. I ask them about my life and business but here I will focus on business.
Some I have answers too and some I am still thinking about, but they really help me feel a little bit in control and start planning.
I encourage you to ask them of yourself or your business.
1 What is working in my business right now? And what do I need to continue to do to make sure they keep going right?
We are so programmed to look at all that is going wrong and don’t often ask what is going right. I always start with what is going right. It gives me energy, shows me what a great job I am doing, and makes me feel more optimistic about what lies ahead.
2 What is not quite right in my business right now?
This is my way of asking what is wrong without sending myself into a tailspin. I find when I ask this question rather than ‘what isn’t working’ it opens me up rather than shuts me down.
It implies there is a possibility it will go right you just haven’t found it yet.
3 What do I need to start doing and what do I need to stop doing?
One of my favourite questions and not an easy one to answer. It really makes you look at your own behaviour and how you are helping or hindering your business.
I can’t say I ever like the answers that come from asking this but they are always the answers I need to hear to move me forward.
4 What do I need to shed?
Here I’m really trying to get to the limiting beliefs on ingrained behaviours that are holding me back.
This one I often have to think about for ages. The answer never comes quickly but it does always eventually come clear.
5 What would I love to do that I am not doing?
This is a question I love. It allows me to dream, to play and to think in a different way.
6 What is holding me back?
This, while it looks similar to a few others is slightly different. For me, this question looks at the more external things that are holding me back rather than the internal ones.
So this could be people, places, objects anything that isn’t something internal.
7 What three words do I want to describe the next quarter ?
I always love finding words that are easy to remember, If chosen correctly they can steer you and help you make decisions about where to go next and what to say yes and no to.
For example, if my words including growth then I might accept something low paid for good exposure. If my words are about money and worth then I might not.
This is why you need to know your own priorities so you can ignore the advice and beliefs of others. We are all on our own path and only your path should matter to you.
8 What would be a huge win in the next quarter?
Again this is the big level big vision thinking. I tend to just pick one so I don’t feel overwhelmed.
9 What support structure do I need around me currently?
I like most people are not very good at asking for help. My mum is and she always taught me that people don’t fail systems do. So when something isn’t working she will ask me what system needs to change.
This has made me very good at looking for the systems around me that are supportive and the ones that are unsupportive. Systems are not always easy to change but they are so worth it.
10 What do I need to prepare for?
Again this is a good one but not easy to answer. Often I find we ask for things or want things but are not prepared for them at all.
For everything we want to achieve there is a way that it will change us and our situation. Our job is to prepare internally and externally for these changes.
I know they look like simple questions but the answers are always illuminating. For example, I could look at my Instagram account which isn’t growing very quickly, and be down. However, in reality, I am getting more and better brand deals than I ever have. I could beat myself up for all the things I haven’t done but in reality, some of the systems I had set up didn’t allow these things to happen.
Looking at my business like this always makes me take a much more factual look at things, it allows me to get out of my emotions and work on what the real issues are. And most importantly it allows me to not get caught up in compassions with others, their journey is not my journey.
I’d love to see you give these a try and if you do please let me know how they work out for you.
