I was inspired to write this How To because I've seen so many posts on social about it being 100 days until Christmas (!) but I guess some of the ideas I share below would be relevant for any 100 day section you find in your year.
Fixing on a time limit like this can be blooming useful as a tool to gain some laser focus in a business. Maybe you have a deadline, or a specific goal or maybe need to gain a specific income in that time.
We could:
set some super specific goals (useful)
create some momentum if we got stuck
use the time limit to break down our long list of tasks
gain some control of any 'drift' in the business
speed up our development or growth
avoid being late with a launch
If any of those little ideas have sparked some interest then how about setting a 100 day plan for yourself to help you finish the year with pizazz or simply get super focussed on your dream for the next 100 days.
Here are some ideas to get you started but I suggest that you dive into the Forum in the Member Hub to share with #teamsimply for more ideas and support.
Set the goal
Goal setting for me is a double edged sword. On the one hand it can be motivating and focussing but on the other it can feel fixed in a world that changes all the time. However, if you're using a 100 day plan then how about creating a goal that really really means something to you to help you stay connected with it? Perhaps you want to achieve a financial goal but rather than stressing out about the numbers directly, you decide to focus on what that additional income will do for you - maybe you will be stress free, maybe you will be able to invest in new equipment, maybe you will be able to pay for a new website or logo. Adding meaning to your goal really helps when you're half way through and losing hope.
Create little slices
For any of you who read the How To Guide about finding your mojo, you'll remember that there's real science in breaking down goals into smaller ones to produce a dopamine hit in our brains. This builds momentum by adding little rewards for your brain to keep going. There's nothing like ticking off a list!
Using whatever tech you love or old school pen and paper, realistically break down the goal into smaller slices. For example, if you want to make a additional £1000 in 100 days, you could focus on each 10 day cycle of £100 or even simply the extra £10 you want to make each day. Feels easier now eh?
Build in motivation
It's down right rude to mention motivation when micro business owners have more of it than most. But...it is possible to get stuck, get fearful, lose momentum. It's therefore important to build in mitigations to these potential roadblocks. If you know you're a worrier, then find a 'goal buddy' to talk to during your 100 days. Maybe a fellow #teamsimply friend in the forum or through chat message, maybe a friend who will be there to encourage and remind you of why you're doing what you're doing. You could add in accountability by sharing your goal with the same people as above or in one of our monthly Thrive Sessions, so that you can report back to someone more important than the dog! Perhaps you simply build in mini rewards each time you achieve one of your slices - slice of cake anyone?!
Use the power of yet
This brilliant notion (not mine but I heard it from Carol Dwek - mindset researcher) is one simple word that relaxes your brain and improves mindset. Your mindset is on a continual line between 'fixed' and 'growth'. If your mindset is fixed, then you believe that everything is fixed around you, nothing changes and all is the same forever. If your mindset moves more to 'growth', then you're adopting a mindset of potential opportunity, next steps and movement. So...if you get to day 50 and you're not quite on schedule towards your goal, then you can say, 'I'm not quite there yet....' which unleashes the possibility of continued momentum forward. It's gentler and more positive to support your journey through 100 days.
Take real action
We've so far talked a lot about goals and plans but how can we turn this into action that matters? Personally, I'm a fan of my colour coded Google calendar to allocate time slots to my actions. Monday is a big content day for me (pink!) and maybe I have coaching days or university delivery in other colours. This way, I have focussed time allocated to complete each part of work. The upshot is that research shows us that allocating a time slot for each task makes it much more likely to actually happen because we've made an appointment with ourselves and with the plan.
Remember the bigger picture
I'm sure you'll all relate to the fact that we all have other elements to our lives - it's not all our little business. It's probably all tangled up together too. In order to step up to your 100 days fully, then change will need to happen in all parts of your life. Think about what additional steps you can add into your plan that will give you the best environment within which to succeed. Do you need to share your goals with the family so that someone else is on cooking duty? Do you need to add in your exercise routine to give you the motivational energy to power you through? Do you need to build in relaxation time each week to help you avoid any stress? Do you need to include a new habit tracker during your 100 days that will unlock your potential (better hydration, food, sleep, time with friends etc). Remember too that #teamsimply is here to support you.
100 days yes....but not in stone
This might be counter to all that is above but important none the less. You have chosen to build a life you love through micro business, self employment, side hustle etc. That road meanders, takes weird turns and sometimes comes to halt. Remember that that is normal and ok. If you get ill on day 60 or you get to the end of your 100 days having got to 40% of your additional goal, the sky won't fall in. You will have achieved 60 extra days of focus than you might have done without your plan. You will have added in an extra 40% of activity or results that may not have arisen if you hadn't got started. Goals and plans are great and help us stay focussed but life happens for us, not to us, so if you end up learning new lessons along the way, then you have received a great result all the same.
I'm going to set up a '100 day Challenge' thread in the Forum for any of you who are using this time to get clear on a goal or plan you want to achieve. You can share your plan, ask for help or ideas and gain some real warmth and positivity along the way.
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