Happy Monday with the SOAR! Business Coaching!  This is Karen Buckley with your LAST SOAR! Business Coaching Exercise for 2011!  (and it’s a vital one so keep reading!)

Wow, how did it get to be November already? Don’t we still have the last quarter of the year to get everything done? I Wish. It is time to wrap this year and prepare for a fast approaching 2012.

When I was re-growing my businesses (The Wisdom Connection AND Communicore Consulting – am I crazy or what??)  after mostly staying home with my babies for a couple of years, I spent the first year floundering, feeling ineffective and getting down on myself. At the end of that year I asked for help from a business coach (yes, we do get our own coaching! J) She sat me down to summarize my year and lo and behold I’d accomplished more than I’d guessed!

No matter what level of business you have, it’s time to do the same for your year. If you don’t take stock at the end of the year you miss out! It’s really important to celebrate and objectively assess what you did do or you’ll repeat mistakes, restrict creative ideas and turn down the shine of your confidence.

To succeed in 2012 you need a plan of action and a commitment to follow through that includes lots of connection and support like SOAR! That’s how you’ll stay on the road and make it through the rough spots. Sometimes it’s tough if you are isolated or don’t feel supported. You might grow discouraged, deciding the goal you’ve set is too much or letting daily demands fritter your energy away. (Can anyone relate!

Get in the driver’s seat by summarizing what happened in 2011 and starting to think about 2012 by answering these questions in your journal or with a Wisdom Partner (a colleague you trust to help you grow).

What have you learned, overcome and celebrated this year?

1. What were your goals for the year? What did you accomplish? What remains to be done?
2. What do you consider THE milestone or turning point of your year? Celebrate!
3. As you look back at each risk you took:
   • What helped you feel stronger and more capable?
   • What took you off track or diminished your capacity?
   • What support really worked for you?
4. What change in approach to your photography work or business did you decide to make this year? What was the result? (i.e., built one part of the business more than another, re-priced your offerings)

Looking ahead into 2012:

1. What is your biggest boldest dream for 2012?
2. Who or how do you need to be to achieve this? (e.g. outrageously creative, steady and persistent, a woman of integrity, etc.
3. What support system do you need to put in place? Who is included and what support do you want to ask of them?

You’ll also want to close out your books by summarizing your income and expenses. Were you profitable? Did you lose money? Where? Once you know what is so, you’ll start the New Year with a realistic picture of where to put your time, attention, and resources. Don’t forget to develop a wise system for keeping yourself on track. (4 rules for focusing your self-accountability on my blog today.)

This year – give yourself what you need! Who knows! You might even make it onto the racetrack and come in with flying colors across the finish line.

Best,

Karen Buckley

 

 

 

 

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