I learned that I had to let go to move on…
August 5, 2007
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What happens when you write everyday for 11 years on multiple blogs?
In my case, it created a mess.
As a result of the summer transformation project that I initiated at the end of June, I modified my approach, developed a 10 Year Strategic Plan, and created this new blog.
Then I took my own advice, “For things to change, things have to change.” Except this time, I made sure the changes were in alignment with my 10 year strategic plan!
This is the first of three major transitions that will change the way I blog, the coaching services I provide, and products I will develop.
How To Use This Blog
All articles have been re-categorized to reflect the various ‘transitions’ a business undergoes throughout it’s Life Cycle (still some work to do categorizing audio, and video podcasts).
Think about your current situation and choose an appropriate ‘transition’ main category.
Here is a short description of each transition main category:
- Starting: everything related to getting a business up and running. Developing your ideas, making the decision to start, developing a business model, finding a mentor/coach, and getting your first customers.
- Building: putting together a financial and business plan, getting the money and resources you need, people, equipment, and machinery. Developing new products and services, hiring your first staff, and putting together a winning marketing and sales plan.
- Coping: developing strengths and learning to cope with ceiling of complexity. Re-balance financial structure, improve customer service, improve cash flow and profits, train and develop human resources, focus on important tasks and project instead of dealing with the urgent.
- Fortifying: overcome burnout, deal with effects of frustration, distraction, boredom, frustration, the grass is greener syndrome, renew motivation, identify and resolve HR problems, and stop micro managing. You will get help to hire your first manager, increasing profits and take an extended vacation.
- Exiting: you may be thinking of selling to extract the income trapped in your business, perhaps have had a sudden illness, weary of the routine, and lost inspiration, or you have been thinking of gifting the business to a key employee.
- Retiring: learn how to reassess your personal priorities, perhaps you are working less hours, and are just in a holding pattern by not making any major decisions or changes in the business.
Tell me what you think and especially if you are having any problems viewing any content.
Live Large!
Comments
10 Responses to “I learned that I had to let go to move on…”
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Greg,
I love what you’ve done with the site. Also, your reorganization into the six transitions is so clear and seems “right.” No problems at all viewing the site on Firefox 2.0 on a Mac. Great job and nice post. Look forward to reading more.
– Mark
Thanks Mark, I appreciate your feedback. BTW, I added you to my blog roll.
As per our conversation the other night, I’m thrilled with the new site and the new theme. It’s hard to take your own advice, sometimes! My wife remembers all the great advice I give her. If I said that the right way, that would make a great joke, but it’s actually the truth. I don’t know what the short circuit is that we have with taking our own best advice, but it’s great to have faithful companions around to keep you honest with yourself.
Michael: If you are talking about not taking your own advice, that could be quite funny - I would love to hear it when you get it figured out.
The disconnect occurs because we loose perspective, we get so close to our own business that we cannot see the forest for the trees.
I have learned the hard way, that research (surveys, talking to people etc.), the planning process, and lots of testing bring increased perspective.
Plus without getting clear about my “long term strategic plan” I would not have been able to make the decision(s) I made that lead to the subsequent actions that got me here.
It is a process, trust the process.
As a person who recently went through the same type of things with my blogs (stopped three, started two with better focus…), I can affirm that doing what you did is not easy — just from the technical, logistical view of getting it all put back together.
However, overlaying all of it with a good plan is key and helps to establish a brand faster and easier.
For me, I’m too close to my own stuff — which is why I love white boards.
Thanks for sharing this.
Hey Scot, welcome and the longer you blog the harder it is to make those decisions. Wordpress has come a long way with all the export and import options, I found it a lot easier than I thought, although it was still a lot of work.
Scot, I am curious, how do you use white boards to gain perspective?
I always have characterized myself as “an analog guy in a digital world.” And it’s really true: I can execute really well with the digital world, but my best creativity comes from the old fashioned analog. And the best analog tool for me is the white board.
The white board is a blank sheet that can be erased. All I need is a subject — what is your perspective on X — and off I go. Brainstorming, organizing, placing things in logical order — the white board takes the chaos of the moment, calls creativity and enables structure to come from the perspective.
The white board begs you to build the perspective needed to solve the problem or answer the question.
Sure, MindMap it when in process or when done. But nothing beats marker in hand with a blank slate in front of you to help figure out where you’re going.
That is really interesting, White boards intimidate me. The fact that they can be erased is what intimidates me.
I use mind maps the way you use white boards. Which proves that we each are different and need to find our own way, with tools that work the way we think.
I really appreciate your sharing how you use a white board.
Guess I am a digital guy in a digital world.
[…] of the things Greg talked about on “I learned that I had to let go to move on” was to put together a strategic plan. In the comments, Greg noted how difficult that is as […]
As an aside, I love mind maps. It is the most intuitive digital tool out there and if I had to replace a white board, it would be with MindManager.