When running a small business, you’re constantly told to “go big or go home.” You start to go all-out because it’s easy to believe that this will give your company the momentum it needs. But what people fail to mention is that you’re going to get burnt out fast. You can’t just jump into “going big.” First, you need to make everything less overwhelming.
Start by taking small steps.
Instead of sitting down and white-boarding the big long term initiatives, think about a punch list of 10 smaller initiatives that you could get done this month. You’ll start to feel accomplished from knocking those tasks off your list and better yet, they will spark the momentum you’re craving.
If your goals are too lofty and you can't make a dent in them, you will pull back and those plans will fade into oblivion. Start small, get those tasks done with a high degree of quality, and watch how they build off each other. At then end of the year, your company will be in a different place from all the incremental changes that you made.
The same is true about small problems. Don't disregard the little things that irk you - tackle them now and turn their solutions into wins. Action leads to more action and the gratification of completing tasks pays dividends.
Don’t get worn down and frustrated by big goals. Make small changes a consistent part of your company’s culture.