Breaking habits: Let go and grow!

From flyingsolo.com.au
by Roz Howland
October 2009

What’s one thing you could give up that would benefit your business?

Simplifying parts of your business and life can be liberating. Here’s how to commit to breaking habits and letting go.

On a recent trip to the States I met an industry leader and successful business owner who told me she had consciously spent the past 12 months without a mobile phone.

Impressive, I thought. Especially for such a successful business owner and a Gen Y-er at that!

She wanted to challenge herself, to prove business can still run successfully on a simplified version and to break old and habitual patterns. Breaking habits and stepping outside of one’s comfort zone is to grow.

Without wanting to sound trivial - because what I’m about to say is anything but - I recently embarked on my own ‘letting go’ challenge. Although it’s personal, it relates to my solo business.

I have vowed not to acquire any shoes for the next 12 months. Yes, that's right, 12 whole months.

It’s not about money or the GFC (although a few shoe shops will undoubtedly close down now). It’s about something else. It’s about challenge, growth and consciousness.

Why would I take this challenge and what benefits could it possibly bring to my business?

I have taken the vow and am committed to it because it:

• is something I’ve never done before;
• takes me out of my comfort zone;
• it breaks a habit;
• changes my way of thinking about the shoes I already have;
• allows me to focus on the important stuff when shopping;
• puts me in control of the shoes and not the other way around!

How is it benefiting my business?

As soloists we know just how intrinsically linked our personal growth is to our professional growth.

The ‘mind shake-up’ I willingly created for myself personally extends to my business and how I operate within it.

Since the shoe challenge, in my business I have:

• Done something new – taken on Vice Presidency with my peak body (AAPO).
• Stepped out of my comfort zone - taken an office in town (more on that next article!)
• Broken a habit – limited my Internet access to office only.
• Changed my thinking about my ‘best’ clients.
• Focused more on the important stuff by clearing all commitments that were merely masquerading as important!

Feel the freedom of breaking habits and doing something new.

For more from Roz Howland, head to www.flyingsolo.com.au, Australia's online community for solo business owners.