If You Don’t Know What You Want for Your Business, How Can You Get It?

Originaly published on AllBusiness.com

The other day, I was chatting with someone I hadn’t seen in a while. She asked how my business was doing.

“Business? Er, it’s fine.”

My reply shocked me, because normally I grin and say, “Really well, thanks!” But lately I’ve been feeling a little adrift in terms of what I want for my business, and therefore business hasn’t been booming like normal. I realize it’s my own damn fault.

I’m a big believer in setting intentions and making what you want a reality. I do it in my personal life, so why wasn’t I doing it for my business? Can you relate?

Don’t call them resolutions

For years, I was the first in line, waving my business resolutions like a flag at the start of the year. Every year, I had a long list of very specific goals I wanted to achieve for my company. This year, I went in a different direction and just focused on one.

But there’s value in putting energy into what you want to achieve. If the word “resolutions” turns you off, use “goals.” Or “desires.” “Intentions.” Whatever rings your bell. Just have some.

Frame them in the positive

I’m about to get a little woo-woo on you (I do live in California). Ready? When you write out your intentions for your business, write them in the positive, not the negative. For example:

Yes, I want more clients that are a dream to work with.

No, I don’t want any more clients that stress me out at night.

There’s a belief among the Law of Attraction crowd that when you say something in the negative, the Universe only hears the subject of the sentence (“clients that stress me out”) and delivers that. So stay positive.

And yes, it seems crazy that simply by writing down (or saying aloud) your intentions, that they could come true, but have a little faith. And get to work …

Start crack-a-lackin’

Here’s where a lot of people derail with the whole intentions thing: They make a big list of what they want to achieve, and then they sit there, staring at the list, waiting for it to magically come to fruition. It doesn’t work like that. You still have to put the sweat in to get results.

So if you have a goal to get more clients, guess what? You’re going to need to find them. Attend networking events. Ask for referrals from current clients. This will be easier now that you’ve set the desire to attract more clients, but you can’t be lazy about it.

Setting intentions is just one part of the equation. You also must be committed to making them happen.

Feeling adrift?

If you’re like me lately, you don’t know where you want to take your business, and as a result, it might not be thriving in the way you’d like it to be. So ask yourself, what do I want to happen for my business in the next six months? Year? Five? That’s a great starting point to help you figure out the more intricate details of your goals.

Never be afraid to ask the Universe for what you want. You never know: You just might get it!