When the 7 Habits Just Aren't Habit-y Enough

One of the things I enjoy most about driving is the time it affords me to read more books.  You can make so much more out of a day when you get 45 minutes to 2 hours worth of reading done, every single day.

When you're no longer commuting into Seattle, however, you miss the opportunity for mandatory traffic jams.

Needless to say, living a life with 2 more hours in it per day is great, but the loss of that reading time does bum me out.

As I am climbing on the horse of small business ownership, I thought that my daily errands could still contain nuggets of education, so I've been listening to 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey in 10 minute bursts throughout my day.  I'm only on habit one, but the foreword alone was enough to get me revved up.  If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend the audio book.

As I've learned so far, habit one is be proactive.  This could not be more important, especially for someone who has long contemplated branching out on her own, but has been too busy/lazy and unfocused/unprepared to start.

Habit two is begin with the end in mind, which is awfully close to Richard Branson's advice to be intentional.  He gives five tips on how to live and work with intention, and I'm taking it as a template for my own next steps:

1. Start Fresh Every Day

Every morning is an opportunity to get a little more done.  I have my morning routine, which does not change regardless of when I get up, or what I have to do that day.  Getting my morning game face on helps me get ready for the day, and the routine of it grounds me. 

2. Write Your Intentions Down

Hello blog, receptacle of my ideas and hopes and dreams: my big goal is to have 3 real, paying clients by the end of the year.  (More on my business plan to come.)

3. Use Your Time Wisely

I'm making investments in my church and community, and using my free time as a presently-unemployed housewife to gain some skills (I think Stephen Covey might call that sharpening the saw, but I haven't finished the book yet.).  I'll write on my blog more often, and I'll take advantage of time driving around town to hunt for new clients to approach.

4. Think Ahead

My game plan doesn't end after the first two months.  I've got some serious ground to cover, and I've got some side projects planned to augment my income.  You never know when a back-up plan will end up taking over your primary plan.  The name of the game is diversification.

5. Have Fun

I am blessed to have the flexibility to push my boundaries.  My husband has a good job, so anything I can make in my free time is just more pennies in the piggy.  I enjoy the hard work, so I am looking forward to the challenge.

With all that said, I have some big goals to meet, so please excuse me while I go turn the world.