Another new year is on the horizon – a fresh start, blank page, and open invitation to greatness. For business owners, Q4 (or your year-end) presents the perfect moment to reflect, recalibrate, and commit to what truly matters. In a world overflowing with opportunities, the challenge isn’t finding ideas – it’s choosing where to focus.
In 10x Is Easier Than 2x, Dan Sullivan offers a powerful insight: achieving extraordinary results isn’t about doing more – it’s about focusing relentlessly on a few high-impact priorities and executing them exceptionally well. The leap from “good” to “great” is generated by focus, discipline, and a commitment to foundational KPIs. Doing the hard work and staying true to your foundation isn’t glamorous, but it’s the cornerstone of sustainable growth.
Consider this: the leap from a “C” student to a “B” student is manageable – it’s linear improvement. However, moving from “B” to “A” demands an entirely different level of sacrifice, attention to detail, and mental fortitude. If you’ve built a successful business, you already understand how every new level raises the game. Your old ceiling has now become your new floor. You are on the first steppingstone once again but playing a bigger game. Excellence requires recalibrating effort and priorities, again and again.
So, what’s the secret? Your daily commitments define your future. Saying “yes” to what matters most also means saying “no” to everything else. Saying “no” to 99 good ideas so you can say “yes” to that 1 great innovation.
If it was easy, everyone would be operating at extremely high levels with massively successful businesses. The easy (and less beneficial) route is being agreeable to everything and everyone, taking on all ideas that come your way. Remember, if you take the easy route today, the future will be harder. Conversely, if you tackle the hard work now, the future becomes easier. A saying and mindset shift I remind myself of repeatedly is that entrepreneurs do today what others won’t, so tomorrow they can do what others can’t. It takes awareness, self-discipline, and creating positive friction.
My view is that life and business both operate like pendulums. If you’re unwilling to push through the challenging “1s and 2s”, you’ll never reach the euphoric highs of the “9s and 10s” – the yin and yangs of the world. Having a “pressure is a privilege” mentality is key. On this journey, mental toughness is your greatest asset. Every successful business owner I know has faced moments of fatigue, doubt, and frustration. The difference? The great ones leverage adversities into opportunities. They cultivate a mindset of resilience, belief, and unwavering determination.
As you step into the new year, ask yourself: How much are you willing to sacrifice to make this year extraordinary? How much time, energy, and focus will you dedicate to what matters most? The path won’t be easy, but it will be worthwhile. Stack the great days together, highlight where you spend your time, continue building stronger foundations, and embrace the discipline to turn your vision into reality. When you focus on what matters most, the score will take care of itself.
Let’s make this a historic year!
Welcome to 2025,
Zak
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