Action steps for business and life

BY TERRY L. BROCK
Technology/marketing specialist

Being “skinny” is a goal for many in weight loss. Yes, I know that skinny is a relative term and is hard to define. It varies for each person and depends on our perceptions. What one person would consider skinny is out of line for another. Here, I’m talking about the way a good friend would compliment you on how skinny you look after you really did lose some excess weight.

As with physical conditions, where it is critical to get the expert advice of a trained health care professional, it is good to get advice from others in business that we admire. Have you noticed that all customers don’t generate the same value for you? Some are much more costly and, frankly, not worth the effort. Others are enormously profitable; you wish you had many more like them. Your goal in business is to “get skinny” so you cut out the “fat” of those customers who are bogging you down with needless energy- and cash-draining activities.

Now, in the New Year, is a good time to begin the process of thinking through what you’ll discard and eliminate from your business and your life, those things that drag you down and are not in line with your values.

Here are some areas of life and business that should be open to examination for some “weight loss” or lessening of importance in your life. Others might be best eliminated completely. My job is to raise the questions. Your job is to decide what is right for you and your business.

• Activities. What are you doing that really isn’t worth it? What is a complete waste of time, money and effort? What activities fall into the “nice, but not necessary” category? What activities should be eliminated? You know they should be out of your life, but just need a push. Consider this the push you need to get rid of those activities that no longer serve you.

• Toxic relationships. An old saying going around the Internet on FaceBook and Twitter now is, “Some relationships are for a season, some for a reason and some for a lifetime.” When you have customers who are toxic, it is time to fire them. Another great quote I recently saw on Facebook was, “Sometimes, when you give up on someone, it’s not because you don’t care anymore, but because you realize they don’t.” Recognize reality. If you’ve tried and tried to make a relationship positive (in business or your personal life) and the other party refuses to embrace kindness, value-for-value and is actually harming you, wish them well and leave that toxic relationship.

• Subscriptions. This relates to magazine and other subscriptions that no longer bring you value. It also refers to commitments that were good in the past but are no longer beneficial. This can be in the form of associations, clubs and other groups. Unsubscribe to those subscriptions which no longer generate positive help for you.

Any time is a good time to get on with skinny living for your life. Get rid of fat that impedes you from achieving the goals you want. In business, focus on those activities, customers and energies that generate a positive bottom line. For personal relationships, make sure there is a value-for-value exchange. If the situation is no longer a healthy, value-for-value relationship, examine it and, if it is necessary, eliminate it so you can have an ideal skinny life that is healthy and profitable.

So, what kinds of activities, relationships and subscriptions have you found best to eliminate? How did you handle the emotions of leaving? What advice would you give to others? I look forward to hearing your comments at www.TerryBrock.com.

Terry Brock is an international marketing coach and professional speaker who works with businesses to generate profitable results. He can be reached by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com. Join the Twitter adventure with Terry through his Twitter address: @TerryBrock. Join Terry’s Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/SpeakerTerryBrock.