“Image courtesy of Matt Banks / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

Do you take shortcuts?  One year we were driving back from a family trip from Colorado to California.  We stopped at the Grand Canyon on the way home, and came back to Colorado through the Four Corners area, and were going from there to Colorado Springs.  This was before GPS “estimates” of time, and we pulled out the map and saw what looked to be not necessarily a “shortcut” but at least a more scenic view that would cut up and over to Colorado Springs.  As we neared the tree-line on a dirt road half way to our destination (and already past our originally estimated arrival time), it was clear that while we had learned a few things along the way, and experienced some interesting scenery, we had spent more in gas, would be cranky by the time we arrived at the in-laws in Colorado Springs many hours after we intended, and this had by no means been a “shortcut”.

So, did you (do you) take shortcuts in your “new” online business?  I must sheepishly raise my hand!  When I got into the online/affiliate/direct sales word a few years ago, I’d had a successful home consulting business for over 15 years.  I KNEW how to run a business, and I knew that much of what I was being encouraged to do was just busy work for me.  There was no reason for me to walk through the steps to get where I wanted to be.

In fact, I had already spent enough money for my husband to get seriously grumpy when a friend of mine took me in hand and showed me a great community called The Daily Marketing Coach (click on the link to check it out – you will be glad you did).  There too I was encouraged to take things one step at a time, and while I initially jumped over some things that seemed “unnecessary” to me, it was only after I gave myself a good talking to and started seriously following the instructions of people who had been where I was, gone through the required steps and come out on the other side where I wanted to be, that I started seeing real momentum in my business.

There are a lot of reasons why we are tempted to take shortcuts.  The one that seems the most obvious is that a “shortcut” by its definition should get us some place faster.  Other times we think that we know better, we’re smarter, our ideas make more sense, or we’re just plain stubborn.  Whatever the reason, being willing to put our egos aside and take guidance from others is quite a powerful thing.  And guess what, it’s a lot easier than trying to figure it out all for yourself.

So, if you’ve been taking shortcuts in your business and simply feel like you’re getting nowhere, try starting over at square one and check off ALL of the boxes this time.  My guess is that you will find yourself in a much better place if you’re willing to take the necessary steps.  I invite you to check out our coaching community.  It definitely helped me!