STOP thinking!

...and START doing!

My clients will tell you that I'm a big believer in proper planning and the first place we look to make improvements is their Strategic Plan. (which oftentimes doesn't exist until we work together to create one!) That said...there comes a time when the Plan is as good as it's going to get until you take Step #5 in our Million Dollar Agent & Million Dollar Advisor systems: "E3" (that's E-cubed). This step is to Execute, then Evaluate, then Execute again.

Over-planning is a form of
PROCRASTINATION!

No one likes to waste time, effort or money on things that will go flat or completely fail, which is not what I'm suggesting. I'm speaking here to those of you who are risk-averse and never ready to really take the dive off the cliff - and perhaps never will. I'm speaking to "perfectionists" who absolutely will not make a move until you feel extremely certain you will not fail. So you spend time "planning", then "strategizing", then "planning" some more. You gather outside opinions, backup stats, estimates of potential loss, hold internal meetings and maybe even external focus groups. What happens? Come on...tell the truth...

Nothing. Ever. Gets. Done.

I know it can be nerve wracking (I get it...I'm a recovering Perfectionist myself.) Perhaps it will help to know that there are definite benefits to diving in. For your business to really thrive, you've got to hit the phase called "Momentum" but you cannot sustain Momentum unless you have feedback. You need that feedback to understand where to make changes and alterations to put the Plan back on track. You cannot get feedback unless and until you put your Plan in ACTION. This is Step #5 "E3", which as I mentioned, is to Execute, then Evaluate, then Execute.

Before you can reach - and sustain - Momentum, you must have feedback.

Here are some valuable tactics to implement when putting E3 into real, live action:

1. Turn in your "Busy" Badge - Most business owners walk around professing how "busy" they are, thinking that it makes them appear more successful. If they're "busy" after all, it must make others think that they're in high demand. Wrong! It makes you appear ineffective. Being busy planning and strategizing and researching will NOT get you to the success you're working so hard to chase down. "Busy" is no badge of honor. Being IN ACTION and doing leads to real results!

4. Put Pareto & Kaizen to work for YOU - If you understand and put to use these two ideas as it affects your business, you'll find it a lot easier to implement the "E3" step. 19th century engineer, sociologist, economist and philosopher Pareto created his "Pareto's Principle", also known as "the 80/20 rule. It explains that 80% of your results will come from the highest 20% of your efforts. To apply this here, remember that your most successful outcomes will come from your most viable 20% of efforts. In short, stop worrying about getting to a 100% perfect Plan before you start doing because you'll likely re-work most of it along the way!

The Japanese term "Kaizen", meaning "improvement", was first incorporated into Japanese business principles to seek and make the smallest improvements that would yield the largest impact in the shortest amount of time. Applying Kaizen to put your Plan in action reminds you not to waste more time, money and effort to re-work and re-work and re-work your Plan. Instead, get to work on it and consistently look for small adjustments you can make to true up your path to your most successful outcome.

3. Consider it a Test - Instead of waiting for every aspect to be perfectly planned so it can be perfectly executed, reframe your attitude by positioning it as a test. As a Beta Test, you can set aside your expectations of perfection and obsessive need to control every step taken. Start doing at your earliest plausible point then move on to #4 here. Now don't go off with a half-baked Plan, but do get to doing as soon as you feel confident your Plan has wings to get off the ground successfully without crashing and burning (even if not perfectly).

4. Gather & use the data - Don't bother to execute if you're not going to bother gathering feedback (aka "data") and using that data to your benefit. Most business owners will skip this step, not wanting to look at what they deem as "failures" in their Plan. Do not make that mistake! Be brave enough and smart enough to see it as invaluable insights you would never gain just by "thinking about it". Be diligent about getting all the feedback you can at specified stages or intervals. Be objective in the feedback/data and don't take it personally. Remember, it's all to put you on track to your fastest path to success, in this way using challenges and setbacks as your fast track tools!

5. Ask key questions - Once you have the data and feedback, you want to ask yourself and your teams the critical questions below. Your answers will provide vital insights to the best options and most effective tactics to getting back on the path of success for your business.
-  What did we do right?
-  What could we have done better?
-  What will we never do again to ensure our future success?
-  What will we always do to ensure our future success?

Want help to stop think & start doing? Ready to have a true business model that allows you to have a life too? Schedule your complimentary "Business Breakthrough Session" with me at https://bit.ly/finbbsapp TODAY.

Aprille Trupiano is an International Expert on Business and CEO of AT International. She works with business owners, especially Insurance Agents, Financial Advisors and Mortgage professionals around the globe, teaching them how to be the CEO of their business and developing Million Dollar Producers. Working with Aprille and AT International, clients say they get to spend more time with family, play more and they STILL make money at the office!