The Science of Creating Your Dream Business · 2016-08-15 · The Science of Creating Your Dream...

The Science of Creating Your Dream Business

A 6 Step System to take your Dream Business from Idea to REALITY

New Order Business School

Lesson 6

FOCUS on ACTION Your Business Plan All Dressed Up with Places to Go

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Lesson 6

FOCUS on ACTIONYour Business Plan All Dressed Up with

Places to Go

FOCUS

“Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.” – Dr. Randy Pausch during his “last speech” as Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie-Mellon University and Disney Imagineer, after he was diagnosed with

cancer and given weeks to live.

You can probably remember holding a magnifying glass over a pile of crumpled paper or leaves under a bright sun and waiting as the magnifying the power of the sun’s rays through the glass lens ignited a tiny fire that gave off a little smoke. Do you remember perhaps not being patient enough at first – moving the glass around so that it didn’t focus its power strong enough to start a flame? Then, when you concentrated yourself and the sunbeam, you could harness the power of the sun and multiply it through the lens starting a fire.

The focusing of energy is also imperative when you’re building a business. With the power of passionate concentrated energy, you can ignite your wandering ideas. Now it’s time to take all the thinking and introspection and dreaming and organize yourself to take massive action.

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“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it and join the dance.”

– Alan W. Watts

EXERCISE:

Take your workbook and your duck tape and go to a quiet place where you can think for a while without interruption. Review your Vision sheet from Lesson 1 and recapture your dream in three dimensions, with emotion and moving color. Then, look at Lesson 4 and the lists of Roadblocks, and your Resources and Imagineering that you created in Lesson 5. You’ll see two small columns by most of them. Look at each list again and prioritize the items in each list in order of their priority. Priority can be chronological – what should happen first – or in terms of importance. Use the left column to prioritize and later you can use the right column to check off the item as you accomplish it.

EXERCISE:

What are your top three most important personal characteristics as you see yourself functioning in your dream? What makes you comfortable being there in that role? (Focus on the most outstanding three, although there may be many more. These might be confidence, certain skills, personal connections, energy, and so forth.)

The most outstanding characteristics I see in myself as I envision functioning successfully with my dream in place are:

1.

2.

3.

Are these three characteristics also things you consider to be existing strengths of yours, or are they appearing as new characteristics in your vision?

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Now, review your Resource and Imagineering Ideas and ask yourself which ideas support your own personal development and the outstanding personal characteristics you feel you’ll need. What are they?

What is the best match of your strengths and your resources?

From this exercise, you’ve begun to create a plan for action. Can you see that the power of your vision can drive your dream machine when you focus your attention on what is working and what CAN WORK?

GOOD JOB! Let’s keep going…

EXERCISE:

Now for a tough focus question: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Literally, what are you – or have you been – waiting for until now? Some people actually wait for failure. They expect it, so they just daydream every now and then to stay in touch with their vision and then let it go. And, what do they get? Of course! The failure they expect. If this has been happening to you, now’s the time to recognize it – and move that machine on. Write the answer to the question on the next page, by itself, so you can throw it away when you’ve finished!

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What have I been waiting for?

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ACTION

“Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.”

- Napoleon Hill

Congratulations for putting so many important pieces of this big picture puzzle together! Are you starting to see them coming together? Well, get ready, because with the fuel, the engine, the wheels and the body all in place now, all you need is a roadmap

– or a start chart!

Let’s make it happen.

You must now take vision and ideas and transform them into plans. You can think of them as goals or action plan steps, whatever resonates with you.

EXERCISE:

Let’s add details to your plans with what we call “The 10-Minute Business Plan.” It should only take 10 minutes! Go with your gut for answers here – it’s usually right. (Are you flying solo, or do you need to grab the duct tape?)

1. Describe your business in one short paragraph. What is its mission statement? Its purpose for being. What is its name? How it will serve the market?

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2. Where will your business be located?

3. Describe your target market or initial customers – who are they as people? Where will they be found and how will you reach them?

4. Who will be on your start-up team (employees, contractors, advisors, etc.)?

5. How much money do you need to get started and where will it come from? What is the source of your startup finances?

�. When do you foresee the business becoming profitable? What is your target date for profitability and what does that look like? For example, what number of customers purchasing what amount of products will make you profitable?

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Now, let’s add more details with the “Five-Minute Marketing Plan,” which is a concept created by Jay Conrad Levinson. Right, just 5 more minutes – plus your intuitive answers.

1. What is the purpose of your marketing? What do you want it to do?

2. What is your competitive advantage? What makes you different and how will that support your success?

3. Who is the target audience for your marketing? (Expand on what you wrote in question 3 above in The 10 Minute Business Plan.)

4. What marketing “weapons” or tools and tactics will you use? (Write your first thoughts, then refer to Jay Conrad Levinson’s “Guerilla Marketing Attack” for more ideas, if you’d like.)

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5. What is your niche or positioning in the marketplace – what’s your identity? (For example: Wal-Mart is the low price leader; Neiman Marcus sells the finest merchandise backed by superior customer service, etc.)

�. What is your marketing budget? (Technically, that is, what percentage of projected gross sales will be reinvested into marketing?)

“Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away! You

have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you

choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll

decide where to go.” – Dr. Seuss, The Places You’ll Go

Time for your initial action steps. You’ll want to review the priorities you put on your resource and imagineering lists and create the all the goals you can based on your vision and the work you’ve done in this course. Before you begin, here’s a simple list of Goal Setting Parameters. Try to make your action list match these parameters.

• Goals must be in writing and include time-frames. A written goal is a contract with yourself and is MUCH more likely to happen than one which is just thought through. Studies have shown that those who retire without need for financial help (only 5% of the population) are those people who have written goals.

• Goals must be challenging. You should stretch, rather than getting by. Get in touch with your dreams first. Then, turn them into a plan. Goals should be realistic, though, so that you believe you can do it. A

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goal should be on the horizon - not off the map.

• Goals must be positive. You won’t be able to function on the reverse of an idea. Set out what you WILL do, rather than what you WON’T.

• Goals must be personal. Your goals must be meaningful to you - the more committed you are to certain achievements, the more powerful will be your efforts. Get in touch with what really matters to you. Then write the reasons down. Remember, you cannot set goals for someone else; it doesn’t work.

• Goals must be specific. The more detailed you can make the goal, the more exactly you will accomplish what you set out to do. There cannot be too much detail to your plan.

• Goals must be reviewed in line with your deadlines. Accountability is critical. Check your progress; course-correct as necessary.

• Goal achievement must be celebrated. Stop and congratulate yourself as you make progress. Make the reward fit the accomplishment. Then go on to set bigger goals.

EXERCISE:

OK, time to get to work – or play. Make this a fun and exciting process for yourself! This chart will help you transform your 10-Minute Business Plan and 5-Minute Marketing Plan into specific action steps – even tasks – that have priorities and deadlines. You can go at it as a brainstorm or list things in order of priority if that’s how your mind works. You may want to make this list on your computer so that it can be altered over time and changed with your ongoing progress. Think of how you will celebrate each big achievement. For example, maybe your reward for locating and moving into office space is a great new desk for yourself, or your reward for becoming profitable is a two-week (or two-day?) vacation. Enjoy the process and the anticipation of your successs!

Priority GoalWhen to Begin

Target Date for Completion and Reward

√ Done

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√ Done

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√ Done

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EXERCISE:What do you want your own business to provide in your life? (Examples might be: the freedom of running your own business, wealth you may not be able to attain in a conventional job, a way to work at home with your children, being involved in contributing to a better place for all people, etc.)

Now, list your most important personal goals for the next year that are not related directly to your business. If you’re not sure about this answer, try asking yourself, “If time, money and circumstance were of no consequence, what would I be doing?”

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If you were using 100% of your potential, what would an average day look like? What would you be doing?

Kaizen is something that might interest you. It’s an interesting process. It works to the entrepreneur’s advantage. It simply means that it’s your nature to complete whatever you begin. So, on a grand scale, you get momentum working for you and your own brain and wiring will tend to keep pulling up forward until you realize completion.

Kaizen...the relentless quest for a better way, for a higher quality craftsmanship.

Think of it as daily pursuit of perfection. Kaizen keeps you reaching, stretching to outdo yesterday.

The continuous improvements may come bit by bit. But, enough of these small, incremental gains will eventually add up to a

valuable competitive advantage. – Price Pritchett, New Work Habits for a Radically Changing World

“Purpose is stronger than outcome.” - Tony Robbins

Be on Purpose!

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We talked about how your “WHY” fits into the science of achievement. Living on purpose is simply closing the circle that you began by asking “why.” Steven Covey might liken your purpose to a compass – it’s the direction that guides you constantly and keeps the value of your life clear to YOU. You can certainly change your direction at any time – but it should be on purpose, for a reason. Living on purpose is living according to your values, not defaulting ever.

“Never forget the purpose for which a man lives is the improvement of the man himself so that he may go out of this world having, in this great sphere or a

small one, done some little good for his fellow creatures and labored a little to diminish the sin and sorrow that are in this world.”

– W. E. Gladstone

EXERCISE:Write an epitaph for yourself…how do you want to be remembered? How will those who follow know your purpose?

You had a Purpose in taking this course. Whatever that was, it was furthered by your effort, passion, desire, and commitment. It will be interesting to take that quick personal evaluation again to see how your score has changed. Just look at the questions below and place a mark by each statement that is true about you now. Then add the marks in each section. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. All that matters is what’s true about you at this time.

Dreaming

I dream about my future.

I’m inspired by those dreams.

My dreams are very clear in my mind.

I’m also very clear about what makes me happy.

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I believe it’s a good thing to dream about the future.

I believe in my own power to make my dreams come true.

I know how to bring a “day dream” into focus as if it were going to happen.

Dreaming total: ___

Planning

There are many things that I want to achieve in life.

I believe there might be ways of speeding up the achievement process.

I have written goals.

I have read Think and Grow Rich, and/or As a Man Thinketh and/or The Law of Success.

I often “imagine” owning and running my own business.

I typically see projects through to the end after I begin them.

Planning total: ___

Resources

I have a strong sense of self-confidence.

I see myself as a high achiever.

Other people seem to see me as a high achiever, too.

I consider myself a positive thinker.

I have capital resources and/or disposable savings.

I could live for a year or more without additional income.

I know my strengths and weaknesses in terms of business skills.

Resources total: ___

Personal vision

I can see myself running a successful business.

I believe that the more you do the more you can do.

I trust my own intuition and judgment.

I believe that what you “see” in any situation is largely based on what you mentally bring to the situation.

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I believe that I might benefit by thinking in new and different ways than I have before.

Vision total: ___

Status quo

I enjoy working.

I am excited about work I’ll be doing in the future.

I make good, quick, decisions about what, when and how I do things.

I am not now doing the type of work that I was “meant to do” professionally.

I am proud to tell others about my ideas for the future.

Status quo total: ___

Total points: ______

Now, if you scored:

28-31 You have a very good idea of what you want to do and how you’ll do it. Outstanding – Congratulations!

20-28 You are in touch with your dreams and have a great deal going for you. Good for you! Remember to consistently work on the details of your action plans.

10-20 You need to spend more time thinking through how you will fit into the big picture of your dream and how you’ll make it come true. Stay with this course and dig deeper into your resources and imagineering ideas. Revisit your vision as often as you can and the details will become more and more clear.

0-10 Your entrepreneurial spirit is your biggest asset, so stay with your vision. Take this course again and concentrate on the details. They will get more and more clear and real. Your passion is important fuel – use it! The education you’re getting by focusing is also very valuable.

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Habit

“Winning is a habit, and unfortunately, so is losing.” – Vince Lombardi

“Habit, my friend, is practiced long pursuit that at last becomes the man himself.”

– Evenus (Ancient Greek Poet)

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

What you repeatedly do matters tremendously as an entrepreneur. On personal levels, (integrity, drive and so forth), and in public (action, interaction, reputation and so forth), your habits will make (or can break) your stride and your chances. To that end, we’ve created an ACTION ITINERARY for you to use now and habitually in the future.

Use it for your business goals and personal goals. This worksheet (you might think of it as a “play sheet” if your duct tape is nearby) boils down the system – the science – behind this course and gives you a quick and easy way to stay on top of your dreams and goals. Remember to give those smaller goals attention, too. Often, they are the necessary stepping stones to making your dream a reality – don’t neglect them! Please make lots of copies of this Action Itinerary and enjoy using them. Revisiting them monthly is a great habit!

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INSPIRED ACTION

Remember this rule of thumb as you use this worksheet: make it a SMART KISS!

S – pecific K – eep

M – easurable I – t

A – ttainable S – imple and

R – ealistic S – smart

T – ime tracable

Dream/Vision/Mission statement:

WHY is this dream important to you?

What is Working to make it happen? What are your strengths and assets?

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What’s Missing? What’s in the way? Any roadblocks?

What’s Next? What are your resources? What ideas and solutions have you imagineered?

Putting your resources together with what’s missing, what are the Action Steps you have now? What smaller steps feed the big picture? List them all. (Apply the Goal Setting Guidelines and SMART KISS to the goals on this chart.)

Priority Action StepsWhen to Begin


√ Done

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Commitment

“Committed people don’t make excuses.

Commitment is living as if your word is you.” – Ken Blanchard

You’ve worked hard on this course – hard on YOU. Are you ready to take the action that will put the science of your business dreams in place? Are you ready to COMMIT to yourself, your future, and the people you will positively influence? There will be those roadbloacks. There will be surprises. Your commitment – call it persistence, tenacity, courage, all the descriptors of winners – will see you through. Your commitment is your roadmap.

Then, as Dr. Seuss says, “get on your way!”

Whether you have 80 years or 18 or more or less to fulfill this dream of yours, it is a significant part of your life’s work. It will also be significant to the people you influence through your work – customers, vendors, associates; people you train, give to, mentor, inspire; to your family, friends and even strangers who are all touched somehow by YOU AT YOUR BEST! We like to think of LUCK as Laboring Under Correct Knowledge. We hope you feel full of that now – knowledge and therefore GREAT LUCK!

Oh, The Places You’ll Go! – Dr. Seuss

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“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will

not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again

and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of

thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”

– Henry David Thoreau

Here’s what I’m committed to do to reach my goals over the next 12 months:

Signed: ________________

Date ________________

“It’s not about how to achieve your dreams, it’s about how to lead your life...the dreams

will come to you.” – Dr. Randy Pausch, Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie-

Mellon University and Disney Imagineer, after he was diagnosed with cancer and given

weeks to live.

Congratulations!

The Science of Creating Your Dream Business · 2016-08-15 · The Science of Creating Your Dream...

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