Shoulding & Business Strategy

Strategy. It’s how we intentionally achieve what we desire, with more clarity and less effort.

Shoulding. Let’s admit, shoulding all over ourselves as we move towards what we desire is not only NOT working, it creates roadblocks and detours (and a whole lotta angst) along the way.

The more things we feel we ‘should’ do, the more overwhelmed we get and the less productive we become…this is often when procrastination and shiny object syndrome kicks in — ringing true for any of you? I’ll admit it does for me.

When we focus on the ‘shoulds’ repeating in our head, we can easily miss hidden opportunities.

How often do you have thoughts that play over and over, saying you should do more? For example, that you should exercise more, call your mother more, or blog more consistently.

Or, perhaps you feel you should spend less energy on social media, networking, or friend that doesn’t support you.

We get so caught up in what we perceive we should and should not do that we lose sight of what we WANT to do, and WHY we want to do it. We lose our vision AND our critical thinking diminishes. This is when strategy gets eaten by shoulding for breakfast.

Here are three ways to stop shoulding and start getting into aligned action that will create a path to your success and happiness rather than adding to the pile of pungent shoulds:

3 Business Strategies for More Relief and Less Shoulding:

Business Strategy #1: Design Your Vision for Your Business and Life

You need a vision with goals for what you want before you can create an aligned action plan to achieve it…instead of a ‘shoulding’ list. Yes, you’ve heard me say this before, and I can’t stress this enough (for anything you want, personal and professional).

Why is having a vision with goals so important?

Because…Let’s admit; VAGUE goals Bring VAGUE Results.

…and vague results can put us into full-on shoulding mode quickly. Things get real damn quick after a few P&Ls with vague results.

Defining your vision becomes a picture of the possible. It becomes a blueprint for an aligned action, a ‘buffer’ if you will, against shoulding, procrastinating, and adding more spinning plates in the air.

A vision supports you to make choices from a thoughtful, reflective place rather than a reactive ‘shoulding’ place. Can you feel the difference in that statement?

We seldom differentiate between the ‘day-to-day busyness’ (email, phone calls, admin, etc.) and the work of growing our business and achieving our goals …. because both are necessary for the survival of our business.  Having a crystal-clear vision of what you want, helps cut away the non-essentials in your day and minimize the shoulding.

SUCCESS starts with focus…with your vision. With vision comes clarity, with clarity comes better choices, and better choices bring improved results (and less shoulding).

Business Strategy #2: Establish Clear Boundaries

You could have all the best business strategies in place, but if you don’t have boundaries that support you to (unapologetically) do the work so that you can achieve your goals, your strategy will not work, and you’ll continue to ‘should’ throughout your day, week, and year.

Boundaries are what define the edges for your business strategy, and hence, your business success. They establish what you will do and what you will not do. Boundaries create relief and spaciousness in your day, as well as help you unhook from the constant shoulding.

Business Strategy #3: Accountability 

Get an accountability partner that’s going to hold your vision up for you to keep focused on so that you will continually make choices that are aligned with your goals.

Accountability to your vision and goals is what will be the magnetic pull towards your dreams, rather than a push which has resistance to it (shoulding has resistance to it).

Girlfriends are great, and oh so necessary. Can I get an ‘oh hell yeah’ on that one please?

Out of love, compassion, and empathy, girlfriends will often pour another glass of wine, nod their head in agreement and commiserate rather than hold you accountable to your dreams.

An accountability partner means making a personal commitment. You’re making a personal commitment to yourself, your accountability partner is committing to support you, and you her.

Find a mindful community, expert, or professional coach to be your accountability partner.  Someone who has been there. They’ll help keep your eyes, actions, and words focused on your ultimate vision so that you can have the life, business, and career of your dreams.

It’s time for the shoulding to stop.

Need some help silencing the shoulding chatter in your head? I’d love to help. Comment below or shoot me an email.