What is your One Thing?

It’s a brand new day.

And some of you are practically giddy with possibilities so bright and early in this beautiful New Year.

If you’re like many people I know – especially business owners – you’ve spent time over the last few days setting new goals, mapping out plans, dreaming about all the good things you are determined to do in 2015.

I hope you took time to Celebrate what you accomplished last year too.

But goodness – it is soooo easy to get ramped up about new beginnings, isn’t it? Each new year feels like a giant reset, a brand new chance to wipe the slate clean, take a deep breath, and try again.

I get that. Heck. I have my calendar for the year laid out in full-fledged technicolor. Spent an entire day doing it, and loved every minute.

So yes, there’s a lot to be said for taking the time to sit still, think things through, and map out our plans.

But it’s also really, really easy to get overwhelmed. So many Have-To’s, Should-Do’s Need-To’s and Want-To’s. Where in the world do you start?

Here’s the problem.

One of our unique skills as women is our ability to multitask.

We see everything at once – the Legos in the living room that need to be picked up, the last box that needs to go to the attic, the roses out back that still need trimming for the winter.

And we do the same thing in our business. We’re painfully aware of the follow-up calls we haven’t made, the content we still need to write, AND all the super-cool ideas we could be working on if we could Just. Find. The. Time.

Sometimes, that ability to see everything at once can get away from us.

Men, on the other hand, have a uniquely irritating ability to focus like a laser beam on one thing at a time. You know what I’m talking about. They step right over those Legos on their way to the TV for a 10-hour football binge.

But there are times when that ability to be super clear, to be hyper focused on one target, can actually be kind of handy.

So just for a moment, let’s try this.
 
When you look at what’s needed to run your business right now, what is your absolute first priority? Is it sending out statements? Writing your blog post? Returning a call from a client?

How about what’s needed to grow your business? It is revamping your logo? Creating a new program? Hiring a VA? 

And how do you decide what comes first? In other words – what One Thing is most important when it comes to working in your business?

And what One Thing is most important
when it comes to working ON your business?

That’s where you start, here, fresh in the New Year.

Recently, I was coaching a real estate broker in the early stages of building and branding her second high-end real estate firm. This isn’t her first rodeo, as they say, and she knows what she’s doing.

But even with her extensive experience – she’s still in start up. There’s a ton of work to do in getting things off the ground, and I could hear the overwhelm as she checked off her list.

We need to finish the new website and get it launched,
but I’ve got to replace that signage out front,
and I really want to ramp up the training for my new agents –
but I’ve got to get the new business cards ordered…

And ’round and ’round it goes. Yes, all of those are really important, for all kinds of very good reasons.

But they’re not her One Thing.

As a broker, she earns income in two key ways: first, through a commission earned on any sales of her own, and second, through a percentage of sales by her agents.

The more top quality agents in her firm, the greater the income for her business.

So her One Thing, her first order of business right now, is recruiting.

That’s why, even though that list was looming in her mind (and getting longer by the minute), I challenged her to reign it in. Take a deep breath. Set the multitasking aside for a moment and focus on her One Thing.

Then she could direct her energy where it would do the most good.

What kind of agents did she really want to attract? What did she most want from them? What value could she offer to them? Where could she find them? And when she did, how could she approach them?

That was what mattered most right now. And once she started sorting those things out, other things would begin falling into place as well.

Your energy is a precious and valuable limited resource.

Choose carefully where and how you use it.

What will do the most good for you in this moment? Take the time to think it through, evaluate your choices, and get super clear. This is how you cut through overwhelm and get into effective action.

And you can do this not just in business, but in any area of your life.

But watch it. I know you. Once you start looking at this, you’ll immediately come up with a whole list for each item, because we are masters at finding all the ways we’re falling short.  Doing that just scatters your energy in ten different directions, and nothing gets done. Challenge yourself to limit your list.

What ONE THING is most important for you right now in each of these areas?

1. Honoring your spirit.

2. Taking care of your body.

3. Building financial security.

4. Strengthening relationships.

5. Building your skill set.
 
6. Increasing your income.

7. Running your business.

8. Growing your business.

This is a great tool to use not just at the New Year, but at the start of each quarter, each week, and sometimes – each day.

What is your ONE THING right now?

_{Photo Credit: Abdul Rahman on Flickr}