Entrepreneurs, Independence & Accountability

 

What is the price of your entrepreneurial freedom?

 

July 4th – This week is filled with words like independence, freedom, gratitude, and family. Yes! We are truly blessed to live in a country that allows the freedoms we have.

 

Now that the fireworks are over, let’s talk about your entrepreneurial independence. Creating your own income is motivated by the potential freedom it brings, yet you may still find yourself working 25/8*. Psst…is this you? Even “successful” entrepreneurs find themselves in this state.

 

 

When my own schedule gets out of control I have to remind myself it is by my own choice. I am my own boss. The price I pay for entrepreneurial freedom is discipline and accountability. If you want to get serious about working less, making more and creating a life on purpose it is critical to understand the external factors that come into play. Not only do you need a strategy but with it the accountability to stretch and grow.

 

Let’s talk about accountability from a fresh perspective.

 

Externally – Who holds you accountable?

 

1. Your customers – Every time you sell you create an agreement to deliver on your promise. This is an accountability agreement.

 

2. Your employees/team – When you work with others to deliver on the promise to customers you become accountable to the team for the role you play in delivering on that promise.

 

3. Your vendors/contractors – Those who support you hold you accountable to communicate, to keep your word and compensate them for their contribution.

 

4. Your coach and/or mastermind team – These accountability partners can make a world of difference in the pace of your journey. When you invest time and resources into this area it changes the game.

 

Internally – Who or what holds you accountable?

 

5. You – You are driven and motivated. The upside is that you can hold yourself accountable. The downside of being your own accountability coach is that you may also give yourself a “pass” at the time when you should be exerting that push to reach the goal.

 

6. Your values – You are internally wired with preferences and motivators. These values and mindsets provide an invisible drive to align. For example, if you value working hard, everything you strive to achieve will involve hard work. If you value leverage, most likely everything you do will involve leverage of time, talent and resources.

 

When you take the time to review the first half of the year, (and I know you will, won’t you?) identify what motivated you to accomplish the results you achieved. What demotivated you? Your success depends on it.

 

Summer is a great time to roll up your shirtsleeves and do some fine-tuning. Do more of what works and eliminate what doesn’t.

 

  • Quit chasing after the wrong prospects – Identify those customers who love what you do and are happy to pay!

  • Quit tripping over your introductions and discovery process – Create intelligent directed conversations that attract, qualify, quantify, and convert more prospects to sales.

  • Quit undercharging and over-delivering – Package your secret sauce, sell your sweet spot, and deliver WOW!

  • Quit working 25/8 – Define what matters most and leverage your strengths!
     

To your freedom & independence!

 

*25/8 infers you work more hours and days in a week than exist. It can happen!