The year 2020 is fascinating to me for two reasons.
For one, it was touted in the late 1990s as the year we would live our best lives as Zimbabweans. This came with a nudge to accept benevolent austerity for the following two decades while building a dynamic, inclusive and vibrant economy.
This was under the auspices of 'vision 2020'. I bet no one still remembers the exact words on that national vision statement because frankly, apart from making noise about it at launch, nothing ever happened in that direction in the years that followed.
The austerity measures were only reemphasized in 2019, (not in the pursuit of vision 2020 but in an effort to get back to where we fell from) except with the reality of experiencing a vibrant economy shifted to 2030.
Secondly, it is the start of a new decade and naturally, most people will feel energized to give one more shot at everything they have ever wanted to achieve in their lifetime.
Sadly, this happens every year. We all make resolutions and get excited about our plans for a new dispensation in our lives albeit for a few weeks, at most 10 then get back to our default settings where life happens to us. And this happens to the best of us all.
The sad fact in both scenarios is that we will always get to the destination we choose in the realm of time, in season and at the exact time but more often, we fail to get to the destination in the realm of achievements.
That we get to the set time without achieving the set objectives is never a handicap in planning. There has never been a shortage of plans and policies for Zimbabwe. In the same manner, there has never been a shortage of plans and strategies for your business or resolutions for your life.
We often foil at execution and unfortunately, this is where it matters. Think of it this way:
- The business that’s taking most of your clients from you is using the same tools you have access to. They are just executing better.
- 20 years ago, some countries did not have flowery plans and policies as the ones we had on paper, yet they executed their less flowery plans in a better and more effective manner and today, they stand positioned decades ahead of us in terms of development.
- There is a guy who did not take up gym membership last year but dealt with his diet and probably walked frequently in the mornings. Today he looks fitter than most guys who had a premium gym membership and all the equipment a workout could ask for. Mr. 'walking guy' executed better and more effectively.
So, if it is about executing better, what can you do to grow your business better this year? Or to maintain a rhythm to your life and achieve your goals?
Focus.
It is much easier to be effective with your efficiency if you are focused on achieving a small piece of the puzzle in the shortest time possible and moving to the next in quick succession.
If your big picture in 2020 is to sign at least 24 clients, focus on the two you need to score for January and increase your target capacity as you achieve the little puzzle pieces in pursuit of the big picture. Focus.
If your big picture is to lose at least 10kgs of weight, focus on the monthly target as if that’s all you needed to achieve. You will not only reach it with ease, but you may actually lose more than you ever thought you could in 6 moths. Focus.
There is never a shortage of plans or the environment to execute them. There is however a shortage of will and focus to brutally execute your way to success.
Focus, Execute and Repeat.
To infinity and beyond.
