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Leading from the Core

Is it Time To Push The “Pause” Button For Your Business?

Posted on November 25th, 2015 by Randall Taussig

As entrepreneurs, we are typically motivated by achieving large, significant goals and we usually push hard to reach them. This is a great discipline shared by many of the most successful of our bunch.

pause-buttonBut balance is needed as well. Just as important as the tenacity to reach goals, is the awareness of when to pause, assess progress, and possibly re-assess priorities.

I have mentioned the “90-day world” in past blogs. This is the discipline of focusing for 90 days on the most important priorities (Rocks) and then coming “up for air” to see how things went, make adjustments, and then continue to move forward for the next 90 days. This repeating cycle will help assure that your business stays on course for the long term.

Consider taking a real “pause” at Thanksgiving

In addition to the 90-day cycle, I find this time of year to be an especially powerful period to step back before gearing up for the New Year.

Thanksgiving is a good time to reflect back on the year, often yielding new perspective. And since we’re typically with family and friends, it’s not unusual for them to inquire about our businesses. I have found that many people love to see the world through entrepreneurs’ eyes. What a great opportunity to reflect and share!

I take time during the holidays to do my own annual planning. It works well for my business and me since it’s typically a slow week. I’m able to think creatively and feel excitement about what’s actually “possible” in the upcoming year!

But before diving into next year’s planning, it’s a powerful thing to first take time to reflect on the past year. Chances are, you will have learned some important lessons that will help improve outcomes in the coming year.

Here’s to the discipline of pushing the “pause” button first, at least once, and then expect to launch a great year…

Happy Thanksgiving!