The pursuit of excellence in 2019

The New Year presents entrepreneurs with yet another opportunity to go back to the drawing board and re-strategise for a greater year.

Thus, this heralds reiterating your mission, vision, and guiding principles; numerous strategy sessions; vision board creations at the start of the year.

These sessions focus on the following salient points such as sales, increasing customer base and striving for perfection.

Though these are great objectives for any business to abide by, it will be important to include other factors which may not immediately increase the bottom line, but will improve the traits, personality and fulfilment of any entrepreneur.

Find work that gives you purpose: Work is not wholly about financial benefits and rewards. It’s about finding fulfilment, making an impact, building a legacy and sharing your values.

Strive to do work that matters, reflect your brand in your work and always remember to solve a problem.

Sometimes, opportunities that do not reflect your personal values are presented to you; times like these are the most difficult times but also the best times to share your values.

Strive for excellence: Set standards for the work that you do. Quality is always irreplaceable.

Design distinct ways of fulfilling your responsibilities. Make constant efforts to improve your skills and do your work creatively.

This year the motto of every entrepreneur should be “Kaizen: Continuous Improvement”.

Even after you have found a method that works, continuously seek to improve on it and dare to do things differently.

Have a Tribe: You can’t walk this path alone. The entrepreneur’s journey can be very lonely, so maintain a close circle of people cheering you on.

Partner with other entrepreneurs and learn from them, find mentors that can assist you in developing yourself and your business.

Your network and support system are essential to your success, be as strategic in relating with them. Also, do not forget to create a balance; live, laugh, work hard.

Work hard at your craft: Your abilities should never be referred to as mediocre, invest in your work, your employees and your output.

Self-mastery is key to business growth, master what you do, never stop learning, remain teachable. No one knows it all and there’s always a lesson to be learnt.

Be intentional: This year, entrepreneurs should be strategic with their dealings, opportunities are always available to those who seek them out.

Actively search for opportunities, nurse them and carry out every job with the same level of energy and passion.

Quality work is easily marketed, the recipients of your service are your cheapest and most effective marketing tool. Diamonds always appear as rocks till they get refined.

Integrate your personal life with your work: It’s easy to burn out but it’s also easy to have fun with the work that you do.

Infuse a bit of your personality into you work, take out time to relax, do the things you love, spend time with family.

These things help reduce the tension and are also the strongest reminder of why you do what you do.

The New Year is always a great time to start all over again, take time out to think through it all.

Seek help, attaining success is not as complex as it seems, it however takes time – a little less time than you think though.

Put your best into what you do, it will all play out perfectly. The reward for hard work is always success.