Have you ever felt stuck while in perpetual motion?
You can feel yourself moving, living, going about your daily routine. You show up to your nine-to-five job, you go through the motions, and you are, well, busy.
There’s never enough time in the day, is there? You feel like you’re constantly moving.
But you know that really you’re going NOWHERE.
If each day is starting to feel this way, you’re on the treadmill.
It’s time to hop off. This is where it starts.
Strategic vs opportunistic
The difference between the treadmill and freedom is ASSETS.
When you’ve decided to start a business and take control of your finances, you’re faced with two different approaches, whether you’re aware of it or not.
The two different approaches are:
- Opportunistic
- Strategic
The opportunistic approach is the default approach, the one you will fall into if you don’t plan ahead. The opportunistic approach is a reactionary way of doing business. It relies on short-term solutions.
With the opportunistic approach, you are constantly switching ideas and having trouble committing to one way of working.
You’re offering up new services frequently without taking the time to test and learn and develop each service.
Though it may seem like you’re simply generating new business, you’re only developing WEAK connections to audience members and failing to make a true impact.
There’s lots of start-and-stop with the opportunistic approach. You’re always hopeful – the next approach could be a break-through!
But when the next approach isn’t the amazing solution you had hoped it would be, you get discouraged.
So, it’s back to the drawing board again!
The strategic approach is the key to ending this cycle
With the strategic approach, you take a step back and look at the situation from a bird’s-eye view from the beginning.
The strategic approach is a deliberate, long-term, focused way of doing business. You have a plan, and you stick to that plan, at least for a while.
You’re consistent, from your messaging to your audience to your offers to your reputation. You don’t jump onto trends without careful consideration. You’re operating from a place of power and confidence.
The main difference between the opportunistic approach and the strategic approach?
Building assets.
Assets are not built in a day. Assets are the collection of knowledge and experience packaged as a service that is valuable to your audience.
The Big Question
Now that you understand the difference, you must ask yourself… Are you opportunistic or strategic in your approach to business?
Be honest with yourself with this one (it’s not supposed to be an easy question).
Are you building valuable assets and sustaining your growth over time, or are you active and busy just for today?
Are you on a leisurely hike through beautiful, varied terrain? Or are you on the treadmill, waiting for the day you can finally get off?
If you’re working with the opportunistic approach, you must first recognise it to change it.
If you want to start on a path of long-term growth, financial security, freedom, and fulfilment, you’ll need to switch to a strategic approach. You might need help.
You know where to find us.