Are you making what you really want to do a priority?

How many times have you said to yourself, “I don’t’ have time for that,” or “I wish I had more time to do this”?

Here’s a not-so-secret secret…

If it’s important enough, you’ll make time for it!

And I’m human enough to admit that I need that reminder some days too. And that’s why I’m creating this blog post right now. Because I need the reminder big time as I transition from one business model to another.

I want to be working on the pieces of a new project and a new business model, but I find myself not making it a priority because it’s safer to do what I already know works. Let me tell you… that is NOT the way to create change!

And here’s the thing…

Doing that doesn’t make me happy. It doesn’t give me any motivation to jump out of bed in the morning and get to work. In fact, I created a new morning routine that intentionally takes about 3 hours so I don’t have to start work until closer to noon!

And that can happen when we put our priorities on the wrong thing. And honestly, I’ve been doing that since I closed the PLR shop a few months ago. Instead of moving toward the business I wanted to create, I essentially started creating a different version of a PLR site.

Does that mean I don’t like PLR at all anymore. Absolutely not!

I love working with it, and I love creating it (in much smaller doses than before). But my priority is USING all the content I already have collected. That’s what the new business model is designed around. And that’s where my priority needs to be.

Doing what I’ve always done is not going to get me to my beach house. It’s not even going to keep the bills paid here right now, because my heart’s just not in it.

I’m working on a new challenge for you right now that does feed my priorities. I’ll have more details as the launch date comes closer. It’s coming as part of a bundle in September. But I’m doing the challenge myself right now, so that I KNOW without a doubt that it works, and that if you do the work and set the right priorities, you can put it to work for you too.

But for that to happen, I am having to make what I really want a priority in my life and in my business.

Here are 8 things I’m doing to make my new goals my priority:

1. Setting time-centered boundaries

This is going to look different for me than it does for you, because unless you’re copying my business model exactly, we’re not going to prioritize the same things. And it’s also going to change as you work through projects and different facets of your business.

For example, I’m going to be spending the first two hours of my day working through the challenge and recording the tasks. Blog posts and newsletters will come afterward, where in my old model the first half of my day was spent curating and creating a newsletter.

Your business model might be built on creating video content, so your top priority would be creating and editing videos, and everything else would come later.

2. Setting clear expectations for others

This one’s not quite as important for me since I don’t really have anyone else to answer to or be responsible for right now.

But if you’re working at home and taking care of the kids, or you have a partner that needs you too, then you’ll want to set expectations for how you want them to treat you when it’s time for you to work.

Similarly, if you have clients or customers that you talk to on a regular basis, you’ll want to make sure they know that there are times when you’re just not available because your family is the priority at those times.

3. Setting clear goals

I don’t know why, but I’ve always resisted the whole SMART goals formula. My goals usually go something like “I want this and I want it done now so that I can do x in six months”

Definitely not smart, measurable, attainable, realistic, or timely usually.

So, while I’m definitely open to considering setting clearer goals than I have in the past, I doubt I’ll embrace that whole SMART thing. I really don’t like being told there’s only one right way to do things. (Such a rebel, I know!)

4. Creating an action plan to achieve my goals

Now, action steps are something I can get behind. Mine usually look like very messy to-do lists. They have to be on paper and not in a journal. I create my action lists on regular binder paper and have one for each project I’m working on.

Deadlines go into my planner and then I work the steps backward from that to get everything done. And I’ve started doing a week’s worth of basic to do lists all at once, so that I know at least roughly from day to day what actions need to be taken.

This is where you can really see exactly what you’re making a priority! Pay attention to what you’re putting on those to do lists, what makes it into your daily schedule, and what you actually get done. The results might surprise you.

5. Setting up automations and systems

I don’t have a team right now, so automations and systems are becoming my new best friends. I’m just starting this step, so will update you as it happens.

I will tell you my favorite starting point for systems in my business is Cindy Bidar’s Six Figure Systems Membership. Her checklists and toolkits have been lifesavers for me in the past, and I’ll be leaning on them again going forward.

6. Learning to love the schedule

This one is a work in progress for me. I have a weekly planner layout that I use to keep track of everything, but the old me did not like schedules or being regimented. I’m taking a cue from a good friend of mine who has learned to love her schedule, and I’ve been watching her grow by leaps and bounds because of it.

7. Developing consistent habits

I’ve always said that consistency is important when talking about content creation. It’s just as important when you’re building new priorities and a new business. There is no room for jumping around and chasing shiny objects when you have a clear plan and clear goals.

Knowing what you need to do every day, and DOING IT, is the key to the whole plan coming together and creating your success and your best life as you envision it right now.

8. Being flexible!

Plans, schedules and to-do lists are all helpful in allowing you to see what you’ve got done and how much progress you’re making. And in the beginning, it pays to stick to the schedule until you get a handle on what works and what doesn’t.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible. After all, it’s your plan, and your life that you’re creating. So when you can see something that’s not working, change your plan to do less of that or find an alternative solution. The same goes for what is working. Do more of that in order to make your workflows, your results, and ultimately, your life better.

Final Thoughts

The whole thing about prioritizing what you really want to be doing requires both time and energy management, as well as a little (or a lot of) mindset work. You need to get clear on what you really want, how much you want it, and whether you’re motivated enough to make the necessary changes to make it happen.

I’m ready to get serious about my new business model and make the most of the rest of 2024. There’s still about 6 weeks before Q4 is on us, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve got plans. Big ones.

How about you? What do you want to prioritize in your business before the end of the year?

*Note: This post includes affiliate links, for which I will receive a small commission should you make a purchase.