The Smell of Fall Triggers A Biz Review

Wow – September already. I’ve always associated September with a return to school, even though most kids now have already been back for a month!

The slight chill in the morning air, the crinkle sound of leaves falling and the scent of wood fires awakens a yearning in me to learn and grow. It reminds me that the year is nearly ¾ over and it’s time for a little business check in.

I recently had a chance to review my business plan while in Seattle for the birth of my 5^th grandchild, Elyas Haakin and a visit with Nate (#1) and Caleb (#4). When we weren’t at the zoo with the older two or running to Target for a bottle warmer, I took some time to reflect and tweak.

I highly recommend you do the same.

Create a space to reflect by lighting a candle or turning on music that makes you feel peaceful and happy. This ritual will alert your brain that something special is about to happen. It will fire up the neurons of intuition and higher thinking.

Think back to the start of the year. If you set a theme, or named your year, notice all the synchronicity around your theme. Give thanks for whatever gifts, unforeseen assistance and happy coincidences that have come into your life since January.

Remember your goals for 2014 and note how far you’ve come toward achieving them. You may not be quite there yet, but you are much future along than you were. So congratulate yourself and really celebrate moving forward.

Finally, examine the gap between where you are today and where you want to be on Dec. 31. It’s likely that some things are working really well, but other strategies are not quite delivering the way you thought they would.

Get really close and find the point where your strategies are not quite working. The “Point Of Failure”. Being brave enough to seek out your failure points is the mark of a great leader. So find that point of failure, that exact action, thought or habit where the whole system starts to go wrong and retool.

The Point of Failure is your compass toward what your next business lesson needs to be

Seek the advice of a coach, a mastermind group, or a mentor and find the best way to tweak your strategy. Ask yourself, “What do I need to learn, try or practice in order to achieve my dream business, my dream life? Who can share with me the knowledge I’ll need to up my game?”

Then celebrate that you have the opportunity to learn and grow. That you are free to make mistakes, fail, get up and try again.

So enjoy your review, and continue to Kickass in your biz!

What does September awaken in you?