“Having a schedule that’s overly structured will make my life boring.”
“If I set specific goals, then I’m unlikely to surpass them.”
“I can only write when I feel inspired. I can’t just sit down and write something good.”
Entrepreneurs hate being put in boxes. It’s the reason you gave up that whole 9-5, working-for-someone-else thing in the first place, isn’t it? Creativity and freedom are your raisons d’etre, and all this planning and process just isn’t you.
But what if those “boxes” — those schedules, plans, and to-do lists — were not actually constraints, but were the tools that unlocked your freedom? Tools that allowed you to let go of the boring, necessary parts of your business, yet still feel confident that they were getting done. Tools that allow other people to understand both your vision and goals and their role in making it happen.
What are these boxes, these tools, these magical items that will free up your time while still getting things accomplished?
Processes.
A written plan.
A schedule that flows with the rhythms of your energy levels.
A team that is working to their strengths.
These are some of the key tools all entrepreneurs need as part of their arsenal.
How to Get Excited about Planning and Goals
Plans are not prisons
You do not have to follow your plan *perfectly*. Your plan isn’t a structured, cut-and-dry assembly line where you must complete mindless tasks on time and in order. Your plan is a map for your journey.
You know what happens on journeys? Things change. You encounter obstacles. Your plan is simply the foundation for figuring out how to get from here to there. The bit in the middle, when you’re actually traveling that path, that’s where you’ll find creativity, change, and passion.
When you plan effectively, you can better enjoy the downtime that you need, like vacations. Planning your holidays and your long weekends and your children’s birthday parties before you plot out your work stuff is like planning your stops on a road trip to enjoy those really cool sights. They’re going to happen - you should make room for them first.
Goals are not a ceiling… or a floor
Many people will set sky-high goals and then later beat themselves up when they’re not achieved. Others will set incredibly low goals, knowing that this, at least, is attainable.
Both of those are a different kind of prison. The minimum goal will never get you to the places you want. You’ll be fine, I guess, but will you be GREAT?
You need that sky-high goal - as long as you’re reasonable about how high, in what timeframe, and at what cost.
Set the sky-high goals. Set the low goals. Know what “okay” looks like, while at the same time seeking “great”. We call those stretch goals and minimum goals. Know when to re-evaluate. Maybe that means the goal is a little further out, maybe it’s a little closer, or maybe it’s changed entirely. Adjustments are necessary - and expected.
How to Get Excited About Process
Processes are not prisons either
The process is just how your plan actually comes to pass - plans are useless without implementation. Entrepreneurs are often great at imagining, but sometimes not so great at implementation.
Processes are for your team
For your plan to help you reach your goals, you’ll need time, effort, and the right team to build your processes. Just like your plans, your processes should be dynamic and adjustable, and the right team will work with you on changes and improvements along the journey.
With a well-developed process, new team members will be more effective, faster, and less disappointing with a process. Things that are obvious to you are NOT obvious to new people. Giving them a map provides them with the foundation from which they can learn, grow, and become a core resource on your journey.
Do you hate training? Hate repeating your instructions? Forget what you said the last time?
Process solves all of that. Output quality increases. Errors are reduced. Your confidence that the stuff is getting done while you go do the fun thing grows. When your team goes on vacation, or leaves you (yes, that happens to everyone), a new person can step into their role with minimal disruption because of the process you and your team have developed.
Your team becomes more accountable, and is less likely to think that you’re impossible to work with. They understand what is expected of them, and strive to meet those expectations. They have a place from which to grow, which only increases the value of your business.
You don’t have to manage it
For some entrepreneurs, managing is the worst. You might be a person who is great at creating but not particularly good at maintaining or improving. For a lot of business owners, maintenance is the epitome of boring.
But managing processes doesn’t have to be your job, nor should it be. Your job is to create the process (with time and effort upfront and help from your team). Your team’s job is then to make it happen. Then you just trust in the results. A little upfront cost gets you a whole lot of long-term benefits.
Sharing is caring
Have a central knowledge source where everyone can find not just the goals and plans you created but also the process documents they’re constantly creating and improving.
It becomes like a little machine that works on its own, efficiently chugging towards your goals.
Sound like a good idea? Need help managing, collaboratively creating and implementing? The team at Admin Slayer does this too!