Are You Spinning Your Wheels Hoping For Different Results?

Are you doing the same thing over and over hoping for different results? If so, that’s the definition of insanity. If you’re trying to improve something you need a plan that will get you out of the rut. Otherwise you could get stuck in an ongoing circle that goes nowhere.
You don’t want a band-aid approach here – trying to find a quick fix for the symptom instead of taking care of the real problem – you need a long-term solution. That means going all the way back to the start to remind yourself what you’re trying to accomplish. When you’re trying to improve something, you need to remind yourself of the result you want to achieve.

If you feel like you are spinning your wheels and not getting traction, here is a formula for improvement:

Assess the situation. First, make sure there is a problem before you try to change something. Most people give up on their goals way too soon. Each situation can be a little different but if you are trying to implement something new in your business a good rule of thumb is six months. That is assuming you are doing everything you need to do. Only you know if you are truly making the necessary efforts so look inside first before giving up. An internal assessment will usually tell you whether you are pushing on the wrong door or just being impatient.

Think outside the box. If you have determined that there really is a problem and you aren’t just being impatient, the next step is to find some different ways to get the results you want. You can ask for outside opinions, watch what other people are doing, and sit down and brainstorm all the possible solutions. It can help to bring in an outside perspective at this point because if you knew the answer you would already be doing it. It has nothing to do with skill or knowledge so this is the time to pocket your pride and accept the fact that as a business owner it is difficult to be objective. We tend to get tunnel vision when it comes to our stuff.

Try something new. Implementation is the only way to know if your new idea will work or not. This is where knowing your numbers comes in really handy. If you have goals, and you are tracking, you will know whether or not you made the right change. Again, you face the danger of giving up too soon so make sure you give the new idea enough time to work. Decide the point at which you will know if you are making measurable progress and go from there. One day is usually not enough time, but one year is too long in most cases.

Sometimes just a small tweak can make a huge difference so make sure you don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Meaning, don’t toss out an entire idea just because it isn’t working right now. If you have a good idea stick with the overall concept and keep tweaking until you start getting the results you want. My encouragement for you is that you will review where you are with your goals and if you aren’t exactly where you want to be, assess the situation, think outside the box, and try something new. Remember, you can achieve whatever you believe as long as you are willing to work for it!