Focus

It is amazing how focus can evaporate. One moment you are totally focused on a healthy diet; the next minute you are two thirds of the way through a pint of Cherry Garcia. One moment you are in total workout mode, then you turn around and you have become a couch potato. And to make matters worse, this loss of focus happens in business just as easily.

More often than not, entrepreneurs have a laser focus- on ten things at once. But drop out of the top ten, and the idea, project, discipline- falls into a black hole. And try to find it later- needle in a haystack.

It is important to to know what is important and to act on it and to follow it rigorously- or have someone else do it for you. It is important to recognize what you know and what you don't- what you do well and what you don't.

All businesses require focus on finance, operations, sales, marketing and leadership. Someone has to think about the big picture, the present and the future. Someone has to manage the details day in and day out. Entrepreneurs need to know that those bases are covered. Delegate what you don't do well or what you don't want to do and stay focused on the rest.  Business is not easy in the best of times and we are far from the best of times.

Focus on your niche and fine tune the revenue streams within that niche. Build on your strengths. Be the best at what you are good at.

We all know what a lack of focus feels like. It is a slow drifting away from something central to our essence. And if we don't catch it we end up in uncharted territory. The way back is not clear.

Entrepreneurs need to make focus a clear and highly prioritized goal; a valued competency. Constantly focus on your clientele- why they should want to use you in the first place, why they should continue with you; why you rather than a competitor. Focus on why you are even in existence. WHy does the world need your business?

If you stay focused on those questions and continue to have good answers, you will do well. If you lose that focus, bad things will probably happen.