Clearly, we are living at a time none of us, as business owners, ever imagined. The ever-changing landscape of our current reality forces us to deal with restrictions put upon us, as well as challenges that seem so out of our control. In times like these we must sincerely gather our own grit, resilience, and determination to keep making good decisions. It is helpful to leverage the words of the “philosopher king” Marcus Aurelius: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” WE HAVE THE POWER WITHIN to find a way to turn every negative into a positive.

“The obstacle is the way.” No matter how bad or seemingly undesirable a situation becomes—we can always practice virtue, using the situation as an opportunity to be our best selves. We do not control when things get hard, but we always control how we respond. We can show patience, courage, humility, resourcefulness, reason, justice, and creativity. The things that test us make us who we are. WE CAN grow stronger and better with every obstacle we face. WE CAN rally to every challenge and thrive as a result. With this all said, we must get serious about our own accountability strategies. Daily you have to remind your TEAM of the brutal fact that your company ONLY gets paid for RESULTS for your customers, clients, and patients. Entrepreneurs are on a RESULTS economy, not a time economy like people who have “jobs.” You as the Business Owner need to have task-oriented behavior versus emotional behavior. Without the task-oriented behavior, it’s much harder to make your 2021 goals become real.

Set Up Accountability for Your Progress. Find someone in your life that you trust enough to hold you accountable. Many entrepreneurs con themselves by doing busy work instead of profit work in their businesses. Or get lost in social media, wasting precious creative energy that could be used for profitable ventures. Keep this very important rule of success in mind: There are real consequences for not doing the right work at the right time. Your lack of personal responsibility will show up in many ways including your bank account, lack of self-care, stress in your relationships, and a host of other aggravating & annoying problems.

Create a Vision. Everyone needs a clear roadmap to where you are going and all the details of how to get there. Yet most people wing it, with no serious time spent creating an effective action plan. If you look at all the high achievers in your profession, you’ll notice that they plan their work and work their plan. High achievers are very aware of the fact that “luck” means being prepared to take advantage of situations that come unannounced.

Take Action. The people who take purposeful, directional, and persistent action are the ones who achieve their aspirations. Take action on at least one of your goals every day.

Be Flexible. 2020 should have taught all of us this big lesson in life. As a Business Productivity and Performance Coach I clearly see with overwhelming evidence that the most successful Entrepreneurs are the ones who are flexible enough to understand that the best-laid plans are often changed. When working on your goals, make sure you are open-minded and flexible enough to start over or change directions. This skill can be the one resource that keeps you and your business going in these Unparalleled Times.

Be Self-Controlled and Managed. Right now, the most important focus you must have is on your own business, life, and family. Successful people actively manage their mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial energy. They realize that is their number one responsibility—not to try to control or change the outside world. I am seeing people spend more time on the problems of the world, while ignoring the most important things that will continue their long-term success. Wake up folks—you must get your priorities straight and make sure you are doing the right things at the right times.

Be a Lifetime Learner. Exposing yourself to success information is an important part of creating the income you desire. There is only one way to get answers—by learning them. Your goal should be to learn one new thing every day. Expose yourself to new information. Be in a good mastermind group, have a coach, attend either online or in-person learning events, stop watching dumb TV, and get in the habit of reading every night. Learning is what keeps your brain and your business healthy.

Be Truthful to Yourself. Right now, more than ever before, Business Owners have to hold themselves to high yet realistic standards. There is no time for fantasy or denial. You may not like the truth or the numbers, but only the truth will make your 2021 goals obtainable. It’s better to be a bit self-critical than it is to be self-deluding when it comes to being self-employed.

Take Smart Risks. It may often be scary to venture into the unknown, leaving behind the safe and familiar world, but to have more in life you must take SMART risks. Before you take risks, be sure to look at the downside as well as the upside and decide IF YOU CAN live with both. Having a coach who can guide you with fresh eyes is always a must.

Create a Support Team. Your team will make or break you. Do you have people who are not really an asset to you and causing you stress? They may be well intentioned, but if they are not a good fit for their position, they can sink your ship. Your team must have the abilities, skills, and talents that you do not have in order to help you create a well-balanced, profitable business.

Lee Milteer is Productivity and Performance Business Coach, Award-Winning Professional Speaker, who has counseled and trained more than a million people throughout her career. Lee is the founder of the Millionaire Smarts® Coaching Program, as well as a best-selling author. Book Lee to speak at your virtual or live events. Learn more at www.milteer.com or contact her at [email protected].