How to Make Your Construction Business 'On-Purpose' for Your Priorities

A business that works always is ‘On-Purpose’ and ‘On-Target’ according to your priorities. It gives you what you want! What will make your business ‘On-Purpose’ for you?  I want my business to make a profit and allow me time to enjoy the 5 F’s:  family, friends, faith, finances and fun. What do you want?

Prioritize and commit

A business owner told me he wanted to take more time off. After we discussed this goal, I asked him to be more specific. He said, “I would like to have at least four hours off on Sundays!”

Everyone is in a different place. But to get what you want, start by being specific about how you’ll balance your business and personal life! Make a commitment, “I will leave the office at 4:45 p.m.” “I will not check e-mails or voice mail between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m.” “I won’t get involved in decisions my project managers are authorized to make.” “I’ll take a four day weekend off every month.”

Stick to your priorities and what you want your business to do for you. Resolve every day to focus on your personal and business priorities, make progress towards achieving your balanced life goals and not postpone your life and family for business pressures.

Get started living

What’s the best time to start living different? (Hint: It’s not “ASAP.”) The best time is now! Trying new ideas and doing new and different things daily is hard to accomplish. But, forgetting old comfortable ways of doing is even harder! Putting your priorities first is tough. Each day of your life involves difficult demands and tradeoffs. To be ‘On-Target’ you must be ruthless about your decisions, choices, commitments and priorities.

Accept responsibility - The following responses to circumstances have become the norm in today’s society: “It’s not my fault.” “It’s just not fair.” “It’s not my job.” When winners take on a job, they get it done. Period. No excuses. No rules. No reasons why not. Need I say more?

Accept reality - Sitting and waiting for “it” to change is counterproductive to living ‘On-Purpose!’ Accept your current situation as it is. You can’t change the past! However, YOU can change your future - starting now! Get on with it. Go for it. Make the best of what you’ve got and make tomorrow even better. Start making those slow but steady changes in how you manage your life. You can do it!

Accept risk - Most successful businesses were started by individuals with a clearly defined vision, purpose and goals. The definition of an entrepreneur is one who “assumes the risk” in a business in expectation of gaining a profit. Step up and step out in both your professional and personal life. Take a stand. Take a risk and act like an entrepreneur. Expect the best to become the best! Take that first step to get what you want. Yes, the first step is often the hardest. I encourage people in this predicament to ask: “What are you waiting for? What’s the worst that can happen?” If you never try, you’ll never achieve.

Failure is the key to success

As a youngster, my dad often took me snow skiing to the local mountains. I’ll never forget his instructions as I watched the expert skiers shussing down the slopes with perfect parallel turns. He’d say, “You’ll never get better standing watching and wishing you could ski like them.” With that I would take off and swish down the mountain as fast as I could. My goal was to fall down on every run. This way I knew I was pushing it to the max. You don’t get better if you don’t fall down often. You get better when you try new tricks and techniques. Have you ever noticed in life successful people always get up when they fall down. And the really successful ones fall down a lot!

“Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you.”

Have you ever noticed successful people who have their lives in order are also more active, involved and generous with charity, church and volunteer organizations? They find time to make giving a top priority in their lives. The fact is your success is an outcome of how much you do for others. Your deeds have lasting impact, not your stuff, power, position or busy schedule. Successful people make more time to serve others. Becoming a success is directly proportional to what you give. It’s a fine line — some people give to get — but that won’t work for most.

What you get is a RESULT of what you give

Giving is the outward expression of your inner commitment, character and dedication. There is a direct conduit between your heart and your wallet. A banker once told me that the first line he looks at on a loan applicant’s tax return is “contributions.” He tells me he can usually judge a person’s true integrity by looking at that one entry. People who donate money generously on a regular basis can be trusted. People who don’t find time or money to give to others are self centered and can’t get everything in life they want. People who don’t give are the only ones who complain about giving. Give giving a try. I guarantee you will get more in return than you ever give.