Sorry for that title, especially if it offends you in any way. I use it for one purpose: to draw your full attention to the importance of the F-word in small business. That word is "focus."
More than anything else, entrepreneurs need to develop focus in their approach to every aspect of what they do. If the business owner can't focus on what he is trying to accomplish, his efforts will be severely diluted and wasted on things that don't matter to his business.
In no other business is focus so critical as it is in solo business. Why? In solo business, if you don't do it, who else will?
If you don't dream it, or create it, or organize it, or set it up, or follow it through, or finish it . . . whatever "it" happens to be . . . "it" doesn't get done.
So what is focus? What does it mean to focus on a problem, or a task, or a customer?
"Focus" can be used as either a noun or a verb. "Focus" as a noun refers to a thing, as in "Information products are the focus of your business."
"Focus" as a verb refers to taking an action, as in "You are going to focus your effort today on fixing a problem in your business."
Here are some synonyms for each particular use:
Focus, as a noun: bull's eye, center, core, cynosure, focal point, heart, headquarters, hub, limelight, locus, meeting place, nerve center, polestar, seat, spotlight, and target.
Focus, as a verb: adjust, apply, attend to, attract, bring out, center, centralize, concentrate, convene, converge, devote, dig, direct, engage in, fasten, fix, fixate, get detail, go at, go for, hammer away, have at, home in, hone in, join, key on, knuckle down, meet, move in, pinpoint, pitch into, plug, put, rivet, sharpen, spotlight, take up, try, turn to, undertake, zero in, and zoom in.
Now read carefully these definitions for the term "focus." They come from different dictionaries, and will give you particular insights into the term and how it relates to your business operation.
1. The distinctness or clarity of an image rendered by your vision.
2. A center of interest or activity.
3. Close or narrow attention; concentration on the specific.
4. A condition in which something can be clearly apprehended or perceived.
5. To direct toward a particular point or purpose.
6. To adjust one's vision so as to render a clear, distinct image.
7. To converge on or toward a central point.
8. To bring into focus or alignment; to converge or cause to converge; of ideas or emotions.
All these definitions are a little different, but they underscore a common theme: adjusting or directing your vision toward a narrow and distinct purpose.
In Part 2, we're going to discuss the seven most critical ways you can apply focus to your solo business to ensure that it will be a raging success!
 |
Post#166 |
.jpg)
