Nothing is more satisfying after setting a goal than crossing the finish line once you’ve put in a ton of work to complete it. However, the process that takes place before crossing that finish line can feel overwhelming and be filled with missteps along the way.
These missteps can certainly make you feel discouraged, but will also teach you some great lessons on what you can do to make the necessary changes to increase your focus on areas that will allow you to reap larger rewards.
In today’s blog post, I’ll walk you through 5 ways to get shit done and focus, as well as the following:
- What does it mean to get shit done?
- Why execution (aka Get Shit Done) should be your ongoing mantra and sprinkled into everything you do.
- How to get focused and say yes to initiatives that align with your goals.
What Does It Mean to Get Shit Done?
As the saying goes, the only way to truly bridge the gap between your dreams and reality is to take massive action. Living by the “get shit done” mantra isn’t just a trend or a fad. For those who truly practice it every single day and infuse it into their entrepreneurial journey, they generate positive results that will propel them ahead of everyone else.
Getting shit done revolves around actually doing and much less of just thinking or tracking what you want to do. It is in the actual execution itself that you’ll find where you need to make improvements and changes to ensure optimal success with your business.
Hack #1: Get Rid of the Fear of Failure
It can be easy to talk yourself out of taking the necessary steps to achieve your goals. This can stop you from living the life you want because your fears cloud your perspective and prevent you from seeing the greatness you can accomplish.
The only way that I’ve found to truly get rid of the fear of failure is to jot down actionable steps I plan to take every day and follow through with those steps. This isn’t about creating busy work for you, but being productive to the point that you see progress.
A great example I can think of that is really personal to me is my own journey of getting back into endurance running. Seven months ago I had my second baby and was determined post-birth to get back into running.
Running hasn’t just been something I’ve enjoyed — it has been a great way for me to relieve stress and anxiety as a business owner. In an effort to get back into running, I decided that I’d just start running two miles five days a week. It didn’t matter if I jogged or walked part of those two miles. If I went the distance, it was a win in my book.
Fast-forwarding to present day, I’m back to running 25-28 miles per week. It took time. The entire process itself felt like an eternity to me, but I was up for the challenge and made zero excuses. I refused to make excuses even during the times that I was injured and had to take time off to let my body heal.
That being said, the same applies when it comes to making sure your desire for success exceeds your fear of failure. It’s about moving forward and making progress, even if it’s small.
Hack #2: Set Clear Financial Goals
Whether you’re running a side hustle or a full-blown business, having financial goals is a healthy way to keep you motivated. Know that your financial goals shouldn’t be the only reason why you’re doing what you’re doing, but they should be supplemental.
It’s about doing something you absolutely love first, and then finding a way to generate an income doing just that. Once you make this the priority, your ability to find ways to get shit done and yield a positive ROI plus profit margin will grow.
Also keep in mind the following:
- Financial goals can be personal and business-related.
- Figure out how to attract customers.
- Figure out how to maintain existing customers and keep them engaged.
- Set realistic sales forecasts and then align them with your actions.
- Have a number in mind. In other words, “I want to make $10,000 by the end of Q2, and grow into a six-figure business by the end of the year.”
- Know the different channels that will help you generate income and then keep on diversifying. You don’t want your income to just come from one source.
Hack #3: Mix Up Your Daily Routine
One thing I have found that stunts my ability to perform well and keeps me in my comfort zone is to have the same routine day in and day out. When I keep the same routine every day, everything starts to feel mundane. Then, I begin to lose my sense of motivation.
Instead of starting your day out the exact same way every single day, choose at least one or two days a week to break out of your routine. This goes with how you spend your afternoons and evenings too.
Doing so will help you gain perspective on what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and what you want to achieve. This isn’t about creating distractions, but creating healthy habits that will allow you to step outside of your comfort zone.
Here are some things you can consider:
- Have coffee with a friend or colleague.
- Schedule a phone call with someone you thought of as a mentor.
- Grab lunch and head outside to eat it.
- Sneak in a lunchtime run to clear your head.
Hack #4: Outsource Where You Can
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will always put you several steps ahead. Whatever it is that you aren’t entirely great at, you can leverage freelancers and contractors to help fill in for you.
By doing this, you will free up your time to focus on tasks that you’re good at and will move the needle for your business. Additionally, outsourcing can also create business relationships — meaning that you end up working with amazing freelancers who continue with you throughout your entrepreneurial journey and are reliable.
Hack #5: Reflect and Review As Much As You Can
In a previous blog post, I highlighted the importance of reflecting and reviewing your work:
At the end of every month, set aside at least 45 minutes to look at everything you accomplished for the month. Look at how much progress you’ve made and how much further you have to go to achieve a milestone that’s going to lead you closer to a bigger goal.
Reviewing the month will help you become incredibly disciplined in your daily habits in order to really get shit done. Additionally, know that this exercise is meant to help you reflect on the following:
- What you accomplished for the month
- What you weren’t able to get to and why
- The habit that you want to focus on improving
- Activities that helped boost your energy and productivity levels
- Changes you can make to improve for the next month
Wrapping It Up
Know that these five hacks aren’t the only way you can go about getting shit done and staying focused. However, they serve as a great starting point and a part of the larger picture when it comes to achieving greater success with your entrepreneurial goals.
Make sure that you stay patient with the process. In fact, fall in love with the process because that’s where you’ll learn the most about what needs to be done in order to hit the revenue objectives you’ve put in place.
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