Over the years, I’ve seen people accomplish some amazing things: launch programs, start businesses, and even find ways to land 7-figure incomes. I’ve also observed some of the smartest people I’ve ever known hit a plateau in their business, and drive themselves crazy about it, running around in circles, burning their brain cells, frantically developing some elaborate plan in a desperate attempt to get the ball moving forward again, when in fact, all they needed to do was identify ONE critical thing calling for change.
As much as I tout the importance of cultivating solid habits and routines, the process of making timely, necessary changes is equally important, if not more so. Whether it’s a change in thinking, a change in behavior, or a change in one’s habits and daily activities—any of these will ultimately deliver a change in results.
Here are three examples illustrating the power of making one crucial change:
That which yields results now might not yield the same results in the future
Leigh had a successful business under her belt for many years. Even though it afforded her a comfortable living, it wasn’t feeding her on a personal level. She wanted to create something new that would engage her core values and help as many people as possible. She also wanted to cut down on her weekly work hours in order to spend more time with her family. After giving it some thought, she finally came up with a creative idea to develop a unique type of coaching service that would address many facets of one’s life simultaneously.
Following a few sessions with me, Leigh eventually put together an exciting business model. Her previous business was successful due to the high-level customer service she provided, with lots of face-to-face interaction. She insisted this one element be a part of her new business model, but it ran counter to her ultimate goal of impacting a greater number of people. As she explored possibilities in our sessions, Leigh realized that the solution was for her to go virtual. This one change addressed her desire to spend more time at home, gave her the ability to reach more people, and also created the potential for unlimited income as an added bonus.
The impact of the people surrounding you
S.J. is a playwright who’s got his sights set on taking his critically-acclaimed work to a greater level of notoriety. One of his biggest challenges over the years has been to consistently work on furthering his career, rather than simply focusing on creative endeavors and allowing the business aspect to fall by the wayside.
More recently, S.J. made a significant change that shifted his focus in an essential way: He began tapping more regularly into a different branch of his social circle, a handful of very successful business owners. In doing so, his mindset shifted from that of simply being an artist to that of a businessman. Prior to this change, his days were spent interacting mostly with other artists and community members who are all fans of his work, but have no big visions or aspirations for their own endeavors.
His newly-acquired peer group, on the other hand, offers him a whole different type of inspiration—sound business advice that serves to take his career to the next level. Motivated by their wise and steady counsel, S.J. came up with a source of passive income for the winter, allowing him to hone in on building his business acumen and map out his next steps. He’s currently taken up residency in a different part of the country so he can focus his newly-found attention in a fresh and productive direction. Napoleon Hill best summed up S.J.’s solution: “You are the sum total of the 5 people with whom you spend the most time.”
A new habit to replace an old one
Tim has a safety and security business (deterring intruders, evading attackers and creating comprehensive security plans for private sector businesses). For 18 months, he chased one sales opportunity after another in an attempt to make money. His efforts yielded enough revenue to pay his bills, but he wasn’t creating a consistent pipeline of business. There’s a name for this kind of approach in the business world: chasing rabbits.
During our 3 months of intense coaching, Tim changed his habit of chasing any and every opportunity that came his way, and replaced it with a new habit of targeting a niche market: Medical Facilities. In doing so, his referral and promotional efforts became specific and focused, and he began landing bigger clients and more contracts overall.
Pivotal action
Each of these individuals made one crucial change in their mindset and/or in their behavior, ultimately changing the trajectory of their success. Of course, there were many more tasks calling for continuous action to keep the ball rolling. The tricky part for any successful person is to recognize the need to make this kind of change in a timely fashion, and to identify the one pivotal action that will move the ball forward and yield successful results.
Some people discover the necessary pivotal action inadvertently, such as noticing a random line in a movie, or overhearing a great idea at a coffee shop. Others employ a formalized trial and error process to locate the change they require, while others find it through books and articles. Some people have a blind spot when it comes to pinpointing the change they need, and enlist the help of a mentor or a coach to gain a greater perspective on their situation.
So how and where do your current endeavors seem to be slowing down or reaching a plateau? And what might be the one critical change you could make to turn your whole deal around?
