How To Plan For Success In 2013

Does thinking about planning for 2013 feel daunting to your account? Maybe you've got lots of big ideas for your business and are wondering how you can possibly do everything you previously do... and take on even more ideas for 2013.

If you can relate to this, you are not alone! The key is to stay clear on why you're building your business and focus on planning for those ideas that give good results you want. In effect, you may be more successful if you work less hard and just focus on implementing some important ideas!

So how do you already know which are the right ideas to plan for 2013?

I suggest that you get yourself away from your business for some hours, take a notepad in addition to pen, and grab yourself a nice mug of coffee. I'll take you through three simple steps for identifying and selecting the best ideas to plan for 2013.

Let's start!

Step 1 - Where you might be heading?

It's true that you already know your business better than anybody. So you probably intuitively recognize many of the things that you should do to take your enterprise forward.

However, it's important to remember to think about what you really would like for your business. Is your business heading in the direction you would like?

Success is very subjective! It indicates different things to different individuals. Don't get caught in the trap of comparing you to ultimately others and your success for you to theirs.

Look at your own definition of success and strive for that. For instance, for you success might concentrate on having more quality time with all your family. Or it might concentrate on reaching more people and getting the message heard. Or it might focus on earning a certain amount of income.

Know what drives you with your business and why you do what you do. That way you can always be true to yourself and the things that are important to you.

Consequently, think about what you definitely, really want! At this stage don't dismiss ideas as not really being feasible.

Consider - if you achieved your own personal version of success, what would your business look like? For example, the number of hours would you work? Simply how much would you earn? Who can be your typical clients / consumers? What type of products / services can you offer? And so on.

Note down your answers.

Step 2 - What ideas will get you there?

Now you know where you would like your business to be, it's time for any reality check! How close have you been to your ideal business? And what are you looking to do to move closer?

Consequently, for example if you need to spend less time in your business you should consider ideas for ways you may systemically automate areas of your work, or delegate/outsource areas of your projects, or create new offerings that generate the revenue you would like for less time, and etc.

Similarly, if you want to earn more you should consider whether there things you'll want to get better at such since marketing and selling, or whether you may develop new products/services of greater value, or create affiliate / joint venture programs and the like. Try to identify ideas for what you could do.

Think about what has proved helpful for you in 2012 that you might want to continue to do. Additionally, think about what hasn't worked for you personally. What were your biggest worries and energy drains? And what you should do differently?

Write down ideas that could take you closer to where you want to be.

Step 3 - What will you do in 2013?

So now you've identified ideas that will take you closer to your current ideal business. This step is about deciding the ideas that you will implement in 2013.

The ideas where you will implement will depend on your own business priorities for 2013, and also this will vary from business for you to business.

There will be some ideas which is to be easy to implement and others that will take more time and methods. Try to pick a few 'big' ideas - the people you believe will make the biggest difference in taking you closer to your ideal business.

When you have done this, you are able to start creating your plan with regard to 2013. You will still want to execute your normal business planning procedures. However, be sure to include the ideas you have identified here in your business plan so that you can make 2013 the year that goes closer to your own version of success for your business!