Enthusiasm as your business planner

This post is part of The Declaration of You's Tour, which I was honored to be invited to. Learn more — and join in — by clicking here. Although I haven't read the book (yet), I'm a big fan of Jessica Swift's work…and I always like talking about enthusiasm, so I was thrilled to accept the invitation.

The other day I was writing in my journal, trying to answer a conundrum in my business, when the following popped out:

What if the “right” thing to do for your business is to find your own way? What if the path to success is in finding your own path?

This would mean, your #1 business priority is….you. Your gifts Your passions. Your enthusiasm.

Your sole responsibility: Show up, every day, to your enthusiasm.

I write about this all the time, but it's so easy to forget, or doubt. We think we have to do more.
You worry that you have to pushpushpush to get it going. Because it's true that business is hard work. But it's not hard someone-else-told-me-to work. The hard work can be based on what you want, and where you're going.

When it is, the hard work streams directly from your enthusiasm. Your to-do list is full of things that you put there, because you want them done.

We lose this, when we think we don't get to have what we want until we “make it.” We think we have to follow the rules, compare our work to others, strive strive strive before we get to have what we're after: freedom, love, comfort.

But you don't have to wait.
You can experience that before you've got your dream business. You can have it while you build your business.

The trick?
Following your enthusiasm, at every step. Don't let other people's awesomeness distract you. Don't let anyone tell you what has to go on your list, but you. Don't even let your own ideas for how it “has to be” derail you.

Following your enthusiasm is simple, but hard to remember. Here's my own self-prescribed plan:

Define (and regularly redefine) what it is you really want, what you're really after. (Is it really the money…or what you'll do with the money? The press…or what the press will mean to you?) Put the real things, the experiences and feelings you truly want, at the top of your priorities.

Map out the steps to getting the things that are get-able, making sure that you're not adding in steps that don't have to be there. Or, just let it flow, and pay attention when it shows up before you thought it would. (ie., you can't map joy, but you can notice it everyday. You can map out income goals.)

Get up each day, and work on the things you're enthusiastic about.

Check in regularly – is this what I want? Am I feeling what I want right now? Note if the things you're enthusiastic about every day line up with the steps on your map. If they never line up, reassess your priorities and the things you're mapping towards.

Your enthusiasm is the best guide towards the business you'll actually enjoy being inside of.Trust it. Listen to it.

What are you most enthuastic about today?

Have a hard time talking about your most enthusiastic work? Join us for a 3 day word-finding adventure, that uses your favorite images to inspire your words.