Achieved my goals in 2015? Maybe
What a frustration!!!
A year ago, I bought the Entrepreneurial Strengths finder Test to find out where my strengths lie in the entrepreneurial field - or in other words: which of the 10 important qualifications for successful entrepreneurial activity I have already developed.
There were three categories (strong, medium, weak). I had developed five important skills strongly, two moderately and three more weakly. My goal for 2015 was to train and further develop three of the five less strong strengths. Even then, I resolved to take the test again at the end of 2015 to check whether I had succeeded. I practised delegating (one of my weak points), tried to strengthen my business focus (and focus in general) and, above all, wanted to gain more confidence.
Now I've done the test again - and realised that the editors have abolished the categories! You can therefore only see which order the eThe results show that the individual strengths of a company are not strong, medium or weak. The result: I don't know if I have reached my goal. It's as if the others in the marathon have suddenly taken away the finish line so that you don't know whether you've actually arrived. What a frustration!
Test or no test - what is clear: I have become better at delegating. My employees also confirm this. It's still a training ground for me to work out how much instruction someone needs - there's still room to grow here.
Confidence in terms of business has grown this year, as even the test shows. Confidence was in 6th place a year ago - so it's there, but not very strong. This may come as a surprise to some, but I was actually not so confident at times when it came to running the company. I had tried a lot, some things worked, others didn't and I often found it difficult to recognise a pattern. I always put all my energy into it, why did some things work and others didn't - despite great effort. And my salary was often far below that of a simple secretary - despite the great risks and responsibility. I found that really frustrating. And I often felt helpless because I didn't know where to start.
Some things that I tried, even with the advice of experts, simply didn't work. And all the unsuccessful trial and error made me tired. Then, in February, I read in an online business guide that good newsletters are far more effective at reaching people than most social media stuff. So I focussed on writing our publishing newsletter really well. Conveying content that inspires people and helps them move forward. Not just advertising products (that too, of course). And telling people about it and inviting them to sign up. I'll do that right now: you can sign up for it on our Down to Earth Internet page)
The result: after years of a downward trend, the number of subscribers to the newsletter increased. And sales too. Where other publishers are giving up or being sold, we have a slight increase. In books sold and in confidence.
My confidence even goes so far that in 2016 I dared to invest 20% of my working time in a voluntary project: Kolibri - Living together with refugees. The ambitious goal for 2016: to create the political and practical conditions for 10,000 or more refugees to be able to live privately with Berliners in the long term next year. Of course I will delegate and involve others right from the start. And be as focussed as possible to achieve the goal. I am confident that we will achieve the goal. Because confidence has grown this year, even if the test doesn't tell me exactly how much!
Here's to a happy new year!
