3 Steps For Replicating Your Own Success

Entrepreneurs generally have a lot in common. We're passionate about our work. We care deeply about delivering high quality products and services to the people who need us. We have a "never-say-die" spirit.

Another thing we have in common is a bad habit of focusing on what went wrong. We often lose sight of the great things that went RIGHT, especially when it comes to reviewing our activity over a period of time.

When you focus on the negative, you can make growing your business much more difficult than it needs to be.

If you don't appreciate what's working, you can easily find yourself stuck in a never-ending cycle of chasing the next "thing" (an opportunity, a marketing strategy or idea that you think will make you more successful).

If you simply focus on what IS working and tweaking that - you'll get better, faster results with less effort.

As you reflect on your business, I encourage you to STOP and appreciate just how far you've come in the previous 12 months. Looking back on your growth helps you make plans for the future AND can encourage you to pat yourself on the back for a job well done. This simple process can inspire you and motivate you to dive into your next set of goals.

Here are a few tips for objectively analyzing your business:

1. Review your 2013 goals - If you're like most small business owners, you created a list of goals you wanted to accomplish for this year. Pull that list out and check off any goals that you've completed. With each goal jot down exactly which steps you took to get there and how you feel about the results you created. Take note of any other major accomplishments you made during the year - Sometimes you end up making strides or accomplishing things that you didn't plan for. Well done! Just because you didn't plan for them doesn't make them less important.

Write down any of these achievements on your list. By noting what you did to accomplish them, and how the opportunity came about, you can see how you can replicate the results.

2. Make an agreement with yourself that you will not wallow in regret - Even the best plans sometimes get put aside or readjusted. Don't use this exercise as an opportunity to chastise yourself over missed opportunities or plans that didn't work out the way you intended. Take note of the plans that didn't work out, because you may want to work on them again in the coming year. But let your criticism end there. This part of the process is about reflecting on what went right! Forgive yourself for any mistakes in the past and take steps to avoid the same mistakes in the future.

3. Use your past successes as leverage - If you were able to create success in one area of your business, there's no reason why you can't do it again! As you review your list of accomplishments, what success would you like to duplicate and/or expand upon? What steps did you take to get results the first time? What tweaks and adjustments need to be made? You are likely just a few steps away from creating rock solid, business building action plan that leads to finding the hidden profits in your company.

Reviewing your progress over the last year can give you a boost of confidence and help you plan for even greater success in the year to come. Whatever your version of a successful business looks like, it's yours for the taking. It's simply a matter of getting clear about what you want, mapping out a plan to achieve your goals and consistently working that plan.