Heart and Business - January 2016 - Santa Fe

Business as a Practice

By Heather Robertson

 

Being in business is one of the fastest ways to get to know your strengths and, also, the areas that need a bit of work.   There's no doubt about it, business builds character (integrity, temper, dharma, worth, honesty, courage, strength, fortitude, backbone).  It requires strength, focus, commitment, clarity, confidence, and consistency and certainly requires time to integrate your unique gifts so deeply, that it's then possible to demonstrate your brilliance in the world.

 

The truth is we discover, determine, and decide, as we grow no matter what the commitment.  Business is truly a practice.  To be clear, a practice is study, discipline, exercise, training, application, warm-up, and a constant go over again and again.  Would you say the profession, career, or business you've chosen asks this of you?

 

I often liken it to a yoga practice or working with a trainer.  These activities require focus, commitment and a degree of consistency.  If you've ever practiced yoga, climbed a mountain that kicked your butt, or trained for an extended amount of time there are moments that surface I call the "ego eradicator".  Yes, the tipping point when the challenge becomes humbling and we have no other choice but to re-center our perspective.

 

To truly develop business practice it's essential to bump up against challenge in order to become more resilient, wise, developed, or more clear.  In order to move through and not around growth there are two primary areas that most circle back to frequently:  clarity and confidence. These are the sticking points that determine forward movement or stagnation.  If effort is to be fruitful clarity is number one.  Now, to step into the sweet spot of clarity we must open the door, eliminate mental congestion and move with intentional action.

 

The fastest pathway to Clarification is Simplification.

 

Ask yourself:

• What is clarity?

• Why does it matter?

• Without clarity what is the experience and what does it cost me?

 

Looking to simplify?  Here are some suggestions:
 

• Commit and with consistency

• Focus   

• Organize and re-organize 

• Energy Management. Batch your time and focus

• Gain more knowledge in one particular area with focus

• Get honest with what needs to change, figure out a system, and commit for at least 3 months

• Reach out to those who have more experience than you do and are focused

• Find a partner that will help to hold the focus

• List what's complicated, organize it in order of importance, visualize what it would look like simplified and full of ease and make decisions.

 

The goal is to elevate and grow capacity for growth.  Remaining the same while growing a business or career is not an option.  Capacity for more responsibility, clarity, and confidence must expand and the pathway requires commitment and consistency.

 

Being is business is a doorway into your light, your light lives in your heart and the brighter your light the farther you will see the path ahead. 

 

Shine on!

Heather