Several business owners have come to me with big, exciting changes they would like to implement in their business, to take it to the next level.
These big dreams are always shared with great enthusiasm and animation, but months later, when I ask how it is going, often the answer is not quite as enthusiastic. In fact, often when we dream big, we quickly become overwhelmed by the enormity of the idea and never make it to the implementation stage.
So how is it that some people and businesses can take their big dreams and turn them into reality? One simple rule: to dream big, you need to think small.
Dreaming big is about wishing and desiring; it answers the question, “What do I want?”
Thinking small is about execution; it answers the question, “How do I accomplish it?”
Big dreams in business and in life come to fruition everyday through thinking small.
Anyone who has stopped smoking or lost weight knows that you do it one day, one hour, sometimes one moment at a time.
A 30-mile hike is accomplished by simply putting one foot in front of the other.
Small business owners, like myself often lose sight of this simple, well known truth about how to turn big ideas into manageable tasks that can make our big dreams a reality.
Ask yourself, “What one small thing can I do right now that will propel me towards my big goal?”
Don’t bog yourself down with multiple tasks.
We can really only accomplish one thing well at a time. Some people think that multi-tasking makes them more productive, but studies have shown that multi-tasking actually reduces your ability to accomplish tasks.
So instead of trying to do five things at a time, put deliberate, conscious effort into accomplishing one small task at a time, complete it and move on to the next.
Step by step, one small task at a time, you can make your big dreams come true.
Deb Machen is president of the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce.
