I’ve come to believe that life is all about puzzling through challenges. Just 3 months ago, I completed a 300-piece puzzle that’s now proudly framed and displayed on my wall. Solving that puzzle was very challenging. It tested my problem-solving skills and memory to the max. But the sense of accomplishment I felt when I placed that final piece? Exceptional!
In today’s newsletter, we’re going to look at how we can take this puzzle-solving mindset and apply it to our business.
It’s officially been a year since I launched Camp Virtual Assistance LLC and in the beginning stages, it definitely felt like I was trying to put together a puzzle. I knew what my vision was, but I had to figure out how all the pieces would come into play.
Imagine your business being this 300-piece puzzle. How would you go about solving it?
Here is how I approached this challenge:
1. I Put Together a Strategy
The box cover of the puzzle was the vision. I gathered all the edge pieces and put them in one pile. Then, I gathered all the pieces that had mostly similar colors and put them in another pile.
The vision for your business can seem overwhelming, but if you break it down into smaller sections, it makes it more manageable.
2. I Learned To Move On
One of the things that I did was that I decided that I would work on my puzzle during my hour lunch break. The goal was to solve 10-12 pieces during that time. Sometimes I accomplished that, and other times I didn’t.
I did run into multiple roadblocks along the way where certain pieces did not fit in places where I initially thought it would. I did not let that discourage me. In fact, I just moved on to another part of the puzzle.
In business, that is called flexibility. You don’t want to get hung up in an area of your business that is not working. Occasionally, plans may need to change if you get stuck.
3. I Was Patient
To be frank, I had to be if this puzzle was going to be solved! It was a slow process, approximately four weeks, but I celebrated whenever I finished up a part of the puzzle, like a wing, or a foot.
Similarly, business growth does not happen overnight. It is important to celebrate your small victories along the way. If you gradually piece together your goals, overtime the image will begin to get more coherent. Like with my puzzle, piece by piece, I started to see the bigger picture.
Here’s the bottom line:
I realized that the journey of solving the puzzle was similar to the journey of building Camp Virtual Assistance LLC. It was full of challenges, adjustments, and celebrations.
Completing this 300-piece puzzle, for me, was not only a personal accomplishment, but an important lesson in business. Each piece represented a task or a challenge, that by itself, seemed unimportant, but collectively formed a complete picture.
So, as you continue to build your business, be strategic, be flexible and be patient. With each piece you solve, you are one step closer to your vision.
Chuckle of the day! 😂
Why do puzzle pieces never get lost? Because they always find a way to fit in!
Shamayne Brown is a virtual assistant and the founder of Camp Virtual Assistance.
She works with solo professionals and small business owners who are ready to invest in their business and need the support that she offers.
She specializes in creating email newsletters as well as other admin and creative design tasks.
Click here to connect on LinkedIn.
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