I recently wrote an article focusing on the The Three Pillars , discussing how your business would be out of balance if any of these three were not solidly in place. I should have focused on one other aspect causing the lack of a strong foundation, and this is the concept of Checking the Box.
Let me explain. Many of us, in our personal or business life get caught up in doing what we think is necessary for success. We read a multitude of articles, listen to a ton of podcasts or videos and we come up with a checklist of sorts to help us on our way.
This in and of itself is a good strategy, but then our ego and lack of patience comes into play. We don’t like the fact that change takes time, nor do we want to sit amongst our peers and feel we are falling behind. So Checking the Box begins.
This habit creates a false sense of accomplishment. We tell others we are moving along towards our goals, and yet our results don’t match our supposed effort. For example, I see it with businesses who are doing Digital Marketing. Owners tell me they are doing SEO, or Social Media. When I question them to understand what they are doing or what their agency is doing for their money, they cannot answer. It just seems they want to tell their peers, “Yes I am doing Facebook.”
“Yes, I am doing Facebook.”
Now this is by no means a slight, but it is more of a mirror being held up as would any good friend, teacher or coach. The misconception is the business owner or manager feel they have to be as skilled as the agency. In this example, they need to focus on getting educated to understand what they agency is doing, not how to do it.
The same can be said for personal efforts in health, fitness or leadership. Too often corners get cut because effects of checking the box are not immediate. They take time to manifest and by then, they can be dangerous to the health of the individual or the business.
I know it may sound too simplistic but being honest with yourself or your business is the only way to really accomplish what you are setting out to do. Losing weight takes time. Sustainable growth takes time. Educating yourself on marketing or sales or building technical skills all take time.
But in the end, your stability and foundation will be stronger for your company to build on. Don’t allow ego or peer pressure to force you into Checking the Box. Do it when you have really accomplished the task. Checking the Box will then take on a whole new meaning and create a real sense of pride.