How many of you make a new year’s resolution to lose weight or go to the gym? How many of you actually reach your goals? This is a prime example of knowing WHAT to do but not staying motivated to actually DO it.

Intellectually we all KNOW that eating healthy foods and exercising is the key to losing weight yet many of us never seem to stick with it. The same is true with growing your business. We all KNOW we should have a business plan and market our businesses consistently yet life gets in the way and our plans never materialize or we take a break from marketing because we’re too busy handling our customers’ needs.

Enter the business coach.

In this particular instance, a business coach will keep you focused on your goal and the individual tasks at hand. Instead of getting distracted, you will have a plan in place for your next steps. Plus, your coach will want an accountability report so if you get distracted, you’ll have to admit that and own up to wasting that time. For some people, writing down the next steps in the checklist form helps keep them focused. Whether it’s a paper note or a list on your phone, knowing the next steps helps drive you forward in your productivity.

Of course, life can get in the way of business and you may have to take some time off or shorten your business hours when emergencies happen. A business coach can help you reconfigure your business plans as needed so you’re not losing progress. Whether that means changing courses altogether or simply hiring an independent contractor to take over some of the tasks, your coach will be your sounding board if your mind is preoccupied with a life problem.

Your business progress can also be halted by technology. For instance, you may KNOW that you need an online shopping cart but indecision about which software to buy and uncertainty about how to install it can halt your next steps. A business coach will have recommendations about the software or, at the very least, the name of a technical person who can assist you with the purchase and installation.

Keep in mind that business coaches are available to give advice, not to do the work for you. Listen to your coach’s unique perspective on your business and her advice then take action and follow through with your next steps. Likewise, you shouldn’t be so timid about making decisions that you are afraid to take action without asking your coach. Developing a coach/client relationship which allows you to feel confident in your own decisions is important to the growth of the business.

Are you ready to hire a business coach? Call me to schedule a discovery call to figure out if we’re a good fit together.