In a previous post I talked about The Power of Saying No and how saying no is actually saying yes to staying on track to achieve your goals. Unfortunately, as entrepreneurs many of us suffer from FOMO - the fear of missing out. We fear that by saying no to an invitation we might be letting our “big break” slip away. So how do you know whether the thing in front of you is an opportunity or a distraction?
You get clear. Very clear. Crystal clear on your objective and your goals. An objective is the overall desired result. It’s what you ultimately want to achieve or the change you want to make through your business. Your objective is probably based on the thing that drives you and your reason for starting a business in the first place. Think about its purpose. Why does this business exist? Why do you do what you do?
Your goals are what you have chosen to accomplish to further your objective. You’ve mapped out a clear path to work towards them and you know what you need to do each day to achieve your goals. Because you’ve already done the work of getting clear, it’s easy to know what to do when an invitation is extended. You just run it through your objective filter!
Here are 3 filtering questions to help you:
- Does this offer align with my objective?
- Will this offer help me accomplish my goals?
- Is this the right time for me to accept this offer?
If the answer is yes to all 3, then you know you’ve found an opportunity. If the answer is no to any of the three you have probably stumbled upon a distraction. If you’re more confused than before you started asking questions, then you’re probably not crystal clear on your objective, goals, or both. Circle back and start there.
Not a fan of circling this particular forest without a guide? Contact me and we’ll find the path together.
Enjoy the journey.