Unlocking the Missing Piece to Business Growth: Implementation
Information Overload: The Abundance Paradox
We live in an era where information is more accessible than ever. Libraries, Google, YouTube, podcasts, blogs—there’s no shortage of resources to turn to for business advice and strategies. Paradoxically, this abundance can lead to information overload. Entrepreneurs often find themselves consuming knowledge without ever putting it into practice. The key to breaking this cycle is recognizing that possessing knowledge isn’t enough; it’s the implementation of this knowledge that drives success.
The Comparison Trap: Context is Key
One of the biggest pitfalls for entrepreneurs is the comparison trap. We often compare our early-stage efforts with the refined successes of industry veterans, leading to discouragement and a sense of inadequacy. Successful entrepreneurs have spent years refining their processes and strategies. It's essential to understand the context behind their success, rather than expecting our chapter one to look like their chapter 20. By focusing on strategic implementation, we can build our own path to success without falling into the trap of unhealthy comparisons.
The Importance of Daily Non-Negotiables
What sets successful entrepreneurs apart is not just their knowledge, but their discipline in execution. Establishing daily non-negotiables—specific, actionable tasks that move the business forward—is crucial. These are the small, consistent actions that, over time, compound to produce significant results. As highlighted in Amy’s book, "The CEO Method," setting these non-negotiables and adhering to them can transform your business journey.
The Power of Focus: Minimizing Distractions
In an age where distractions are a tap away, staying focused can be challenging. The allure of social media, notifications, and endless digital content can easily divert attention. Developing intentional focus is imperative to business success. By putting ‘blinders’ on and avoiding distractions, you amplify your results and ensure that your energy is directed toward activities that genuinely grow your business. A key strategy is to create a mantra or a set of guiding principles that keep you aligned with your goals, much like Amy's "be disciplined, take action, stay focused, no excuses."
Building Discipline: The Backbone of Implementation
Discipline is the backbone that supports consistent implementation. Without it, even the best-laid plans will fall apart. Discipline involves holding yourself to high standards, even on days when motivation is low. It’s about showing up, doing the unglamorous back-end tasks, and maintaining consistent effort. Developing a habit of discipline ensures that progress continues, irrespective of external circumstances.
Action Over Excuses: Making Progress Every Day
Excuses are the enemy of progress. Especially for solopreneurs, it's easy to get sidetracked by household chores or minor tasks. However, making excuses means surrendering your power. On the other hand, taking action—even in small, incremental steps—ensures that you are continuously moving forward. An honest self-assessment to identify when you're falling into excuse-making versus productive action can be a game changer.
Consumption Vs. Creation: Shift Your Mindset
A crucial mindset shift is transitioning from a consumer to a creator. Instead of continually absorbing information, focus on applying what you know and creating value. Being visible, engaging with your audience, and taking actionable steps toward your business goals are far more productive than endless consumption. By treating your business like a business and taking consistent action, you move closer to your objectives.
Conclusion: Turn Your Knowledge into Impact
The missing piece to business growth is not more information, but the implementation of what you already know. By avoiding the comparison trap, setting daily non-negotiables, maintaining focus, building discipline, taking action, and shifting from consumption to creation, you can unlock the true potential of your business. It’s time to step into your power, share your unique solutions, and create the impact you desire. Cheers to turning your knowledge into actionable success!
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Transcript for Episode 334. The Missing Piece to Business Growth
Amy [00:00:03]:
There is a missing piece to business growth that is right in front of your eyes. I know you've been searching for this. Inside every download freebie resource, there is a secret. But it's not what you think it is. The secret, the missing piece to business growth is implementation. You have the information, all of the information you need to grow a successful business is out there. We are living in an era that is just full of information to the point where we're on information overload. We find ourselves consuming over and over and over, taking the next course, investing in the next mastermind, hiring all the mentors in our business, when the reality is all the information out there is useless unless you are implementing it, is applied knowledge that is powerful.
Amy [00:01:14]:
And what happens is, as entrepreneurs, we're looking for shortcuts, right? Because we're living in an era where everything's been on demand, so our brains are so used to getting what we want, when we want it that we find ourselves stuck in this circle of comparison, thinking that our chapter one needs to look like someone else's chapter 20. And this is happening with a lot of the marketing in the online space, is that so many things are being taken out of context that we're comparing our launch where we had one, to two people sign up for our course program, whatever you're selling, and we're comparing those results to someone that's been launching over and over and over and has refined their launch to such a point where they realize, okay, I need this. Many people on the webinar, 50% of them are going to show up. Industry standards show that two will convert. So that if you had this launch where 100 people registered, 50% of them showed, and a 2% conversion rate, I mean, it's not that bad. But because we're comparing ourselves to these course creators, these experts in the field that have been doing this time and time again, it's very defeating. And we need to give ourselves that reality check and get curious and ask ourselves, what is the context behind that? What do I need to be doing in order to get those results? Because it is possible, but you have to strategically implement all of the knowledge in your head. Think about it this way.
Amy [00:03:02]:
All of the knowledge is out there. We've got libraries, we've got Google, we've got YouTube, we've got podcasts, we've got books, we've got all of the things, all of the information's out there, and it all works. But it's lack of implementation that's holding you back, my friend. Lack of taking action, doing things over and over and over, even when it gets busy or even when you get bored. Because we're busy, being busy. And a lot of times we get in our heads then, and I talked about this back in episode 324, that often the one thing between the success that we desire and where we're currently at, it's ourselves. And that's a hard, hard truth. But awareness of this, that is such a game changer.
Amy [00:04:02]:
It's power, because knowledge is out there, which is awesome. Our brains love knowledge.
Amy [00:04:09]:
It is so cool that we have access to all of this knowledge. But the hard part's actually implementing. And what is really easy to get caught up in as an entrepreneur is thinking that we need more. We need more knowledge in order to get the results. Yes, there are things that you need to know. There is a base level of knowledge and strategy that you need to know. But even more important than that, all of that knowledge is useless if you're not implementing, not showing up on the days that you don't feel like it, that you get bored in your business. One of the things that's really been a game changer for me has been setting daily non negotiables, those three things in my business that will move the needle forward time and time again.
Amy [00:05:00]:
And I dive into this in my book, the CEO method. And you can grab a completely free copy links in the show notes, it's just amytraw.com free book. Grab yours and dig in. But again, apply what you've learned. And I include an action item very intentionally at the end of each chapter with a step that you can take to move the needle forward in your business. Because what I don't want you to do is read the book, put it on a bookshelf and never look at it again. No, I actually want you to take action. Because if you take action, you will get results.
Amy [00:05:40]:
You will gather data so you can see what is actually working in your business and what are those tasks that you're spending time on, but you really don't need to be spending time on. So I've refined my non negotiables over time, and I encourage you to take a look at yours as you're going through the day as a business owner, really take the time to do that time audit, something we talked about back in episode 330. Because it's important. It is so important to make the time to be intentional and know exactly why. Why am I doing what I'm doing? Because when you can remain laser focused.
Amy [00:06:25]:
That's what gets you results.
Amy [00:06:27]:
I've actually developed a mantra, and I have it posted right in front of me in my office so that I can stare at it every single day and reflect on it. And it's simple. It's be disciplined. Am I being disciplined? Am I having the discipline to hold myself accountable? Because remember, as entrepreneurs, we don't have someone else holding us to that standard. So on the days where it's hard to show up, you have to have the discipline to put in the work, to implement the knowledge, to do those boring back end tasks in your business when you don't feel like it. I get it. I'm right there with you. That's why I have to put it right in front of me to stay disciplined.
Amy [00:07:14]:
Next one is take action. Take action and implement what you are learning. Implement those strategies, because that is giving you data, that is giving you information, and you can use that to see exactly what's working in your business, what's selling, what's not. Where are those gaps? This is not as complicated as we're making it out to be. You do not need to do all of the things all of the time. Double down on what's working and bless and release the rest of it, and then stay focused.
Amy [00:07:55]:
Stay focused.
Amy [00:07:56]:
This one's really, really hard to do in a world where our attention is pulled every which direction. This one's really hard for me. And I'm willing to bet most of us, if not all of us, as entrepreneurs, have a little touch of add of where we just get distracted. You know, how often do you pick up your phone to do one thing, and I'm guilty of this, too. You pick it up, and you're like, oh, I need to message so and so back. And you hop on, and you see something on Instagram that catches your eye, and so you start scrolling, and then five minutes have gone by, and you're like, I don't even know why I got on here. What was that thing that I needed to do? So, really, staying focused takes practice. But intentional focus, what that does is it amplifies your results.
Amy [00:08:51]:
It increases those results, because now you're so laser focused on exactly what needs done. It's like putting those blinders on so that you're doing you. You're doing those things that grow your business. You're showing up authentically. People are being attracted to you because they just feel your energy. They're like, I need to be in her world. And last but not least, and this one's hard. No excuses.
Amy [00:09:22]:
And this one's really hard, especially when life likes, right? Summertime's always a juggle as a solopreneur and this is something I struggle with as well. You know, it's easy to make excuses. Oh, I got busy. Oh, this happened. Oh, I'll get to it tomorrow. But it goes back to being disciplined, right? Holding ourselves to a certain standard. Because I still remember, and I talk about this all the time, sitting in the parking lot of my nine to five and I'm like, I don't want to go in, I don't want to go in. But I couldn't make excuses.
Amy [00:09:58]:
I had to make my reason so much stronger than my excuses. I had to like psych myself up and walk in that door and clock in. And it wasn't easy. But this is where it's really, really challenging as an entrepreneur because it's so easy, especially if you are working from home. It's like, oh, I'll just go do a load of laundry real quick. Oh, I'll just make this phone call really quick. We're not holding ourselves to that standard. We're making these little excuses.
Amy [00:10:32]:
And when we're making excuses, we're giving our power to them versus actually staying disciplined, staying in our lane and doing the things over and over and over that will grow our business. So I really encourage you to take the step back and ask yourself, get really honest with yourself and say, you know, am I consuming or am I creating? Am I consuming or am I engaging? Am I being visible every single day? What am I doing? What are those things that I need to be doing day after day after day? Those not so fun tasks that will grow my business. Because when you start treating your business like a business and start implementing, implementing what you have learned, you have so much knowledge inside of your brain, you are doing a disservice to people that need you. There are people out there looking for you. They need you. So it is time for you to get out there to be allowed to.
Amy [00:11:47]:
Be you because you have the solution.
Amy [00:11:50]:
To someone's problem and because of that, it is your responsibility to share it. Now get out there and cheers to making the money you want so you can create the impact you desire to.
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