FIRE Up Your Results in 2010

Well, it’s that time of year already! Time to put the finishing touches on 2009 and turn our attention to 2010. For some of my clients P-L-A-N is a four letter word, while others create planning masterpieces, then file them away and go about their business. And so I created a simple formula to help guide the planning process without creating undue stress or resistance.

Planning doesn’t have to be difficult, overwhelming or overly detailed to be effective. In fact, I’ve found that the kinds of plans that get the best results are simple one or two page documents that serve as a guide to the year. So if you are ready to FIRE Up your results in 2010, consider using my FIRE Formula™ to create your 2010 plan of action.

1. Focused Direction.

   The most important thing about a plan is that it be clear and focused. As a business owner are you crystal clear on what it is you do best and how to position it? Do you know who you work best with and do you have offers they can easily say ‘YES” to? Are you clear on your TOP 3 Priorities for the New Year?

   Your clarity will drive your results, so if you are not clear then make that your number 1 priority. A simple strategy to help hold that clarity is to choose a theme for the year and let that guide your work throughout the weeks and months. Ask yourself the following questions to help you find the right guiding theme:

   • What do I most want to accomplish in 2010?
   • What do I want to be known for?
   • How will I know it’s been a successful year? (what will I have accomplished? How will I feel? What results will I see?)
2. Integrated Approach.

   If your efforts are integrated, and aligned with your Focus for the year, you will begin to feel massive momentum and see faster results. However, if you feel divided, spread too thin or all over the map, you have an opportunity to simplify, to streamline and to tie everything together so it multiplies your impact rather than divides your efforts and results.

   Do you have an integrated mix of products, services and programs that clients can get excited about? Have you mapped out a sequence for how you will introduce your offers and move clients through a path of growth? Do you know, quarter by quarter, what you’ll be focusing on?

   Your plan doesn’t have to be super detailed. In fact, I recommend only creating a high level annual plan that just highlights the themes and focus of each quarter. Then create a more detailed 90 day plan as you approach a new quarter. Here are a few questions to ask:

   • What do I have to start doing in order to achieve my goals and vision?
   • What do I have to stop doing?
   • What are the 3 most important strategies I must use to achieve my 90 day goals?
3. Results Environment

   Your environment is perfectly designed to get the results you are currently getting. So, if you want to really FIRE Up your results in the next year, you MUST make changes in your environment to support the NEW RESULTS you want to achieve. Your environment consists of the people, places, systems, approaches and ideas you surround yourself with on a regular basis.

   So, ask yourself the following questions to help decide what changes need to be made:

   • What guidance, mentoring and support do I need to pull off this plan?
   • What processes, standards, boundaries and systems do I need to successfully achieve new results?
   • What tolerations, incompletions and/or procrastinations do I need to clean up so I can fully focus on my 2010 plan?
4. Effective Implementation

   The best laid plans are only as good as their implementation. Are you a starter but not a finisher? Then ask yourself what has to happen to keep you on track and implementing your plan. One of the biggest enemies of effective implementation is lack of focus—chasing ideas and ‘opportunities’ without making sure they are aligned with your Focused Direction and fit in with your Integrated Approach. And of course, Fear Gremlins tend to show up pretty frequently when we are at the point of taking action, so make sure you know exactly how you’ll deal with those before they arrive.

   I recommend you create a 3-5 sentence Motto that will guide your day to day actions. Here are a few examples to give you a sense of what might be included:

   • I take joyful and decisive action.
   • I only say YES to opportunities and ideas that fit my Focused Direction and align with my Integrated Plan.
   • I only do business with ideal clients and partners.
   • I finish what I start and don’t get sidetracked with new ideas until I’ve fully implemented what I’ve been working on.
   • I surround myself with the right mix of mentoring, team support and advocates to keep me playing my biggest, best game.

So the FIRE Formula™ is simple (Focus + Integration + Results Environment + Effectiveness= RESULTS) yet very effective in creating the kind of momentum required to have a transformational year.

Coaching Request:

Now, I invite you to set aside an hour and start sketching out your 2010 plan. What’s your Focus for the year? How will you integrate everything you are doing so that it multiplies your impact rather than dividing it? What changes in your environment will keep you on track and achieving results quickly? And finally, what will your implementation motto be?

If you are interested in getting help creating your own FIRE Formula™ based plan, consider booking a Strategy Session with me. Not only will you get your own customized plan created, but you’ll be invited to my EXCLUSIVE, Clients-only year end teleseminar series “FIRE Up Your Results in 2010”. In this 3 part teleseminar I will guide you through the FIRE Formula ™ and help you set yourself up for a transformational 2010.

[Strategy Sessions are 50% off December 1st-15th, 2009 (save $147) and can be scheduled anytime up until 1/31/10.]