First, let me wish you all a Happy New Year!
We’ve made it through 2022, now we are ready for hopefully better things to come. And that had me thinking the other day, how do we keep the momentum going in the new year? Not just in our personal lives, but our professional ones as well.
As I begin my third year with Sofydoll Designs, I reflect back on my first year in business. I was fresh and gung-ho…putting all my time and effort into getting Sofydoll off the ground. Late, late nights. Early mornings. Bringing work with me on vacation. Naturally, the hard work paid off and come 2022 I was able chill a little and still keep some income coming in.
Now, in my third year, I know I have to up my game a little if I want to be more successful and also for my income to grow. This means taking some risks and making some (smart) choices. Maybe you’re in the same predicament.
The question is, how do we do keep the momentum going?
I can’t necessarily answer that question for you, each situation is different. I can only tell you what I am going to do. As I mentioned in my last post, I purposely slowed down a little in December. I did put out one product and a freebie but mainly just tried to sit back and enjoy the holidays. I’ve decided to keep that pace for January as well. This time however, I will be working more behind the scenes…and strategizing.
I have a plan, I suggest you get one too.
Here’s how you can start:
- In your mind, have a vision of what professional success for you would look like. Think big, but also be realistic.
- Create a mood board of sorts and put this vision on display. This can consist of images, quotes, future investments, wants etc. Keep it handy in a journal or even on a board in your ‘office’ space. It’s important to have your goals where you can see them every day.
- Come up with a plan on how you might achieve the things on this ‘mood board’. Decide on a daily routine, figure out your finances for investing and put aside some you time to learn new skills. If you’re an A Type personality, you can put a to-do list or checklist together. Whatever you need to keep yourself on track.
Once you have your motivation (your vision of success) and a plan (how you will go about achieving it) you’ll find that things will be that much easier to put in motion. Try not to set your expectations too high, make them doable and work on them in stages. It’s important that you don’t burn yourself out in the process. In your plan, be sure to also include ‘me time’. This way you don’t deplete your energy so you can keep your mind clear and your momentum strong.
I know this can be scary, I also know you can do this. We’re all works-in-progress, we take chances and make mistakes. We get back up and try something else. We find ways to inspire ourselves and expect that there will be ups and downs. It’s all part of the process and a great learning experience.
While the above steps are important, the best way to keep momentum is actually pretty simple; believe in yourself. Believe that you can and will do this. Have confidence and don’t be afraid to take some risks. If you’re strategic and realistic in your planning it will be hard for success not to happen.
So here’s to a successful 2023!
