Embracing Each Step: The Journey of Overcoming and Advancing
I thought it best this week to reflect on the recent challenges and achievements mentioned in the last article. The lessons learned over the last few weeks bring home the importance of resilience and how, no matter how difficult things are in the moment, to consider anything and everything that life throws your way positively. What better time of the year to reevaluate and refocus?
As we are rapidly approaching the beginning of a new year, it seems like the perfect time to consider realistic ambitions and goals for the future. At the beginning of 2023, when I started to take the challenge of growing my business seriously, I was far too optimistic. Life was chaotically lurching for most of the year, going from one project to the next. It’s not the best way to be productive. 2024 will be better organised, with achievable goals rather than wishful thinking.
Disclosure. I use Generative AI tools to help me when writing. From outline suggestions to topics or subtleties I had yet to think of.
The Power of Positive Milestones
For the business, I have two main priorities. The first and main priority is my role as a Product Owner of a software application. 2024 will see the start of the first major rewrite in quite a while, long overdue. There isn’t much else to say on this; it’s more business as usual.
Igniting Inspiration: Small Wins Amidst Life’s Challenges
The second main priority is the Solopreneur side of things. In my opinion, networking is the only way to grow in such a niche market. As a relative newcomer to the business scene, I must use any contacts I have and, through them, expand my network. Potential clients are waiting to be picked up; they don’t know they need my company’s services yet.
The plan has always been to use AI tools wherever they are beneficial. Let’s be honest; most business areas would benefit from some form of AI assistance. Barely a week goes by without something changing; read “improving” in AI tools. So, in 2024, my business will be doubling down on training, research, and implementing the various AI tools within my company. The benefits to others will become apparent as I identify the areas that could be attractive to clients, even if they are AI pessimistic or indifferent.
Setting these positive milestones has restored my flagging motivation. However, any milestones set must be realistic and achievable. For 2023, these milestones were anything but realistic; every time a failed milestone came and went, motivation took a hit.
Coping with Life’s Unpredictability
When a family member falls seriously ill, the temptation to run around like a headless chicken can be overwhelming. Perhaps it is my age; I have plenty of life experience to count on, but I seem to be able to handle it well. After the initial shock has worn off slightly, I can stand back and think things through:
- What do we know?
- What don’t we know yet?
- When will we find out more?
There is zero point in flapping and being overly stressed. All this achieves is to cause an already stressful situation to become more stressful without any positive side.
As for family news, they have completed the first round of treatment (possibly the only round if things go well; time will tell). The nasty complication picked up during treatment seems to be under control. So what now? We wait and see what news each specialist appointment brings. We should not imagine best-case or worst-case scenarios. We should, instead, wait and see.
How can a person maintain their focus in such a situation? It may sound brutal, but the person (or persons) who can stand back and think only of the 3 points mentioned above becomes the rock that everybody else can cling to, a vital point of stability enabling everybody to function as near to normality as possible.
The rock in this analogy knows how and when to put thoughts aside to focus on each day’s needs.
Transforming Challenges into Opportunities
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again (and again): life is complicated. No matter how well we plan or what we try to anticipate and mitigate, there will always be some joker that throws a spanner in the works. During the drama mentioned above and last week, we still have committed to installing a new kitchen in January. We’ve worked hard in the previous two weeks ( I still can’t believe it’s only been two weeks since we started demolishing the old kitchen; time flies when you’re having fun). Almost everything is ready; another week should do it, and then we can relax and enjoy the holidays.
Realistic planning has been key to this success, always with a plan B to handle any unforeseens. Perhaps you’ve anticipated where I’m going with this? Small and realistic steps are planned for any endeavour, be it business-related or otherwise. As each step is achieved, the goal is closer to being realised. Honestly, the way this kitchen renovation has gone has inspired me to replicate the same methodical approach for my business in the coming year.
For example, I need to expand my network of business connections. This is a goal which can be broken down into small, achievable steps:
- Go through my list of contacts and identify any contact with the potential to help advance my progress towards the goal.
- Figure out the best approach to each contact individually. That is not some template email or direct message on LinkedIn, etc.
- Follow up on any new contacts to become a possible client.
- And (or) repeat the steps above.
The goal will be reached by following each step and investing time into them. Of course, this example is an ongoing process that is never completed. But you get the picture: small is beautiful.
Similarly, for the interest in Generative AI tools, the goal is… Here lies a problem: just what exactly is the goal? Okay, the goal is to identify the end product goal or goals. This is a perfectly valid approach if you don’t know something but have a ‘gut feeling’; the goal is to refine and figure out what is bumping around in your subconscious. You’ll figure it out eventually.
Looking Ahead: New Goals and Aspirations
So, what are your plans for the future? Perhaps it’s easier for me as someone over sixty; I only have to consider the next twenty years if I’m lucky 😉. But for most readers, you’ll have a much longer future to think about, only don’t think about it too much.
Ask yourself, what is my biggest concern right now? What about tomorrow, next week, or next month? Don’t overcomplicate things; Keep It Super Simple. Any detailed planning must be achievable and practical, which means not more than one month ahead, preferably less.
After this initial planning period, the details become less and less uncertain as we go further out. It’s impossible to produce a detailed plan A and plans B, C, and D the further into the future we are attempting to forecast (if you can do that, you should be a billionaire already and most likely wouldn’t be reading this today).
For business planning, stick with only detailing the immediate future; even this is most often changed on the fly as each day comes around. Beyond that, the planning becomes goal-oriented without fixed due dates, only generalised and ideal milestone planning. Even further out, we enter into the twilight zone. Here, ambitions have their place, ranging further from the present moment.
But don’t lose heart; by focusing on the immediate and the practical, we empower ourselves to stand back and, with a cold eye, select the next step to plan, then the next and so on until a goal has been reached. We also build up our confidence that our goals are all within reach as long as we progress towards them methodically and with forethought.
Final Thoughts
I hope you find something encouraging this week. We must do our best to remain resilient, hopeful, and continuously progressing. Celebrate small wins and learn from each challenge. Above all, no matter what we are dealing with and how hopeless things may seem, if we remain positive and focused, the chances of success in our private and business worlds are more likely to come to pass, no matter what life throws in our way.
I sincerely hope you have a peaceful few days for those celebrating the holidays. For those that don’t, I have the same wishes for you, wherever you are. Until next week.
KodifyIT B.V. is an advisory bureau targeting businesses that have either been on the receiving end of a failed project or are aware of the potential pitfalls and wish to mitigate as much risk as possible while developing a project’s client requirements. We aim to side-step any issues before they cost time and money.
I apologise to my readers for some of the spellings you may feel are incorrect. I was born and brought up in the United Kingdom, and this is the spelling I am comfortable with (Grammarly is happy with it anyway).