How to Stay on the Path to the Most Successful Year Ever

How is the year looking for you so far? It kind of goes along with the way of resolutions that we start the year with high hopes and ambitions, but once we get back to the daily grind, well, it gets ground away. All of us here at The Payroll Department want you to know that there are some steps you can take to put you back on the path of making this year the best one ever.

Adjust your perspective

Mike Rowe is an expert at finding what motivates people to continue to do all the “dirty jobs” out there. When I listen to him talk about the people he has featured, I keep coming back to one thing: perspective. How we view things makes a huge difference in not just our attitude, but also in what we can achieve. Here are some of his perspective adjustments that might help:

• Focus on the meaning or purpose in the work you do. He says dream jobs don’t exist. But the work we do must have real purpose. It’s the “why” behind it that drives us forward. Like he says, people who work in sewers or filling potholes on the roads might be apt to feel on the bottom as far as jobs go. However, if they look at what it would be like if they didn’t do those jobs – and do them well – then there comes some pride in an important task being completed.
• Lower your expectations. Expectations are a trap in so many areas of life: marriage, work, school, income, etc. We have a tendency to think, “If I get this (fill-in-the-blank, degree, partner, spouse, deal, house, etc.), then I will be happy.” If we are honest with ourselves, we know that is not the truth. No one single thing will make us happy. No, happiness is being satisfied and content with what we have. That doesn’t mean we can’t want more and work for more, but there is no one thing that will guarantee happiness.
• Do your best. Shortcuts seldom work out. We are proudest and most satisfied when we know we have done our best. Does that mean perfect? No. It means we have given our very best efforts. Sometimes others will be better, a lot of times others will be not as good. But the measuring stick is held up against what we have done in the past and what we will do in the future. Approach every task with the desire to achieve excellence and then perform that way and every day will end with a satisfied smile.

Surround yourself with success

I hate to say it, but there are basically two kinds of people we encounter each and every day: the ones who pull us up and the ones who drag us down. Some identify them as the positive people or the negative people. Others, more bluntly call them the winners and the losers.

The law of averages was illustrated by motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, when he said, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” So identify the five people you are around most often, and then ask if you would be happy to be JUST LIKE THEM. If that makes your eyebrows go up and your eyes to widen, it probably means something. Tim Ferris calls it the rule of five. If you aren’t saying, “Yeah, I want to be just like them,” it might be time to do a friend-ectomy. Sounds cold, but your business and success might just depend on it.

Develop good habits

I just read an article in Inc. that lists the 5 most terrible habits for anyone to possess. That tells me that the best ones would be to do the exact opposite. So here they are:

1. Failure to hold a vision
2. Unclear goals
3. Inaction
4. Feeding the monkey mind
5. Satisfaction with the status quo

That last one, satisfaction with the status quo, reminds me of a common thread that runs through many articles, books, and talks about building a successful business. One person can’t do it all and many people say that when they accepted that as fact and began to either delegate or outsource tasks and responsibilities to others who were better equipped or skilled for them, their success not only grew larger, but accelerated as well.

In fact, there are have been several small business owners who have outsourced their payroll to The Payroll Department and then seen a growth spurt. It’s not uncommon to see payroll rosters grow after we begin to provide payroll services.

You only have to search for business success on the internet to find that everyone and their Great Aunt Sally have ideas, strategies, and systems for success. But the most successful people will always tell you that it comes down to just a few things: dedication and commitment, determination, and good, old-fashioned hard work. Staying motivated is the key to making all those things work for us.

The Payroll Department has seen a lot of small business owners find success and grow their business to enterprises they are proud to own and run. We take our own advice, we keep ourselves surrounded by clients and colleagues that are hard-working, positive and winners. If you would like to help your business grow by outsourcing your payroll, or bookkeeping, give Teresa Ray a call at 317-852-2568. You would be in good company and on the path to making this year your best!

-Elaine of The Payroll Department Blog Team