How much mud do you have to throw?

If you throw enough mud, some of it will stick

I have no idea who first said that, but like all clichés and sayings it contains a lot of truth – and can also distract from the truth.

Even when you hit the wall, some mud just slides off…

Businesses throwing mud

I am reading a book on freelancing at the moment. The author, Kris Emery, writes about her early days as a translation and transcription freelancer by saying her approach was to throw a lot of mud.

However, she ‘threw a lot of mud, but just not in any particular direction… [she] didn’t have the big picture really figured out’.

I don’t think Kris is alone in not setting plans or specific goals for her business – I know I haven’t always had clear goals, either, and that it can be easy to get caught in all the everyday details and forget to keep a direction and goal in mind.

A direction and goal also helps keep the motivation and passion up so it’s important.

Do you have clear goals and ideals for your business?

How often do you review them?

Aiming your mud throwing

Kris went on to write ‘If I’d had just one focus, one goal to focus on, it would have been a heck of a lot easier. Cutting my losses was empowering and helped me gain that focus.’

Everyone is busy these days, and often being busy can get in the way of creating and following a strategy.

But how much of that is just busy-work and unimportant? How much is perhaps important but not targetted at heading towards the right goals?

By setting a focus in one direction, it is easier to aim that mud so some of it really will stick and easier to walk away from those tasks (and clients) that are busy work or distracting us.

I know that I got some focus back from attending PB Event and have dedicated more time to backend tasks that had been added to a list of things to do ‘as soon as I get time’. It is possible to make time when you have priorities set – simply stop wasting time on the non essentials (ie cut your losses) and accept small pockets of time add up to mean a lot.

What sorts of things help you regain some focus and motivation?

Do you think you are aiming your business’ mud or just hoping for the best as you throw?