"Release the hand from the marble that holds it prisoner."

Michelangelo was quoted saying that the sculptor "releases the hand from the marble that holds it prisoner" as he made reference to 4 (famous) statues from marble. They are unfinished intentionally, as he uses that as an illustration of how hard it is to allow for something amazing, grand and successful to actually take shape in the creative process.

Echoing this thought in business and even for any creative endeavour. It is actually incredibly difficult to take a vision and make it a successful reality. Often the cause of failure lies in being too reactive to the forces that surround the person or business. Whether, it is overwhelmed by the day-to-day of running a business (and still managing life and/or kids), they lose sight of the big picture. Or simply it is not having a vision or confidence in a vision in the first place.

Whatever the reason, to actually carve out a successful business in this highly competitive world and "release the hand from the marble that holds it prisoner" a clear strategic plan with a business vision is needed.

And this isn't "pie in the sky" vision-making. I am talking about actionable strategic-planning that gives you confidence in your everyday.

Perhaps a competitor is undercutting you and you are letting it slide (in kind)? Maybe you are scared about being vulnerable in your brand? Clarity on where you are heading and how to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be in your vision gives you an unstoppable energy to create that success.

Here are 2 thoughts to get you there:

• Action breeds Confidence and that Leads to a Vision: Let's start by saying, some of the greatest entrepreneurs didn't walk into their business knowing what their vision was. So it is ok if that is you! Mark Zuckerberg didn't start Facebook with a cohesive vision, he had a tool/product that everyone used and that evolved into Facebook. Along the way the vision began to take shape, as the ideas were validated by a large market. In Zuckerberg's case it was 'through action comes the vision you want to create and through the vision you are driven to action'. Then the momentum grew and with that action, came a vision and that bred confidence. The truth is there is so much hesitation in people's actions through life. We all fear the unknown and when there is money or vulnerability involved, so many are scared to take the risk. As a Small-Medium Business Owner (SME), increasing your self-awareness helps you recognise whether your actions are supporting or hindering your product sales or service success. This understanding enables you to identify the right or wrong actions to take. With this clarity, you gain confidence by knowing what the validated steps are, such as identifying which product sells best, and this insight guides you on where to take decisive action. Consequently, your vision becomes clearer and so does your confidence.

• Zoom in / Zoom Out: This follows on from the first thought. Many business owners think it is vital to have a 5-year plan and remain loyal to that plan as a strategic framework for the entire 5 years. The problem is, in an age of constant change and instant communication, what may have been a useful strategy in the past may not actually work in the future. The solution is to have two planning timelines.
  

  • Zoom Out to 10-20year view: This is not about specific business outcomes but more about what your industry could look like? Taking the developing trends and forecasting them out. Take the fitness industry for example, what impact will artificial intelligence and the personalisation of services have on you? What competitive edge can you work towards now? Or what about bio-hacking or the science of epigenetics on skincare products? Or online food services, how will consumers shop for their groceries, will it change? How do you think your business landscape could look? What would change if you think about who your future consumer will be? When thinking about looking ahead 10-20 years, you may want to look at the dynamics of Gen-Alpha (those born between 2010 - 2024), what will they expect of your product or service?
    

  • Zoom in to identify opportunities: When you have an idea on how the future could look, you can then develop upcoming initiatives that support that future. Two steps to consider: Caveat: be considerate on the initiatives you evaluate, don't stack too many and like the first point - continue to pause and reflect on what is being actioned. Does it have any validation? Is it supporting your current or future competitive edge or not? The key is to recognise that things always change and if there is awareness of that, it helps you capitalise on opportunities and that "frees the hand from the marble" creating more confidence in the process.
    

    • Invest and scale a part of the business that could embrace the 10-20year view. Maybe that is improving the ethical practices of your products (if product design forms your business) or innovate and consider technological integration to meet the profile of your future consumer?
      

    • Identify an initiative that over the next 12-24months could strengthen your existing business and invest in it. Think digital marketing or e-commerce expansion or product diversification or improving your market penetration. These are realistic initiatives that can be executed on over the short-term.
      

What all these thoughts do is they help you trust your process more.

Maybe (like most great entrepreneurs) you have a subtle vision, perhaps it is owning a basketball team or it is simply owning your own home. Whatever it is, you have to know that getting to that vision will never run in a straight line.

The key is to keep moving forward. Revise every action, see what generates the returns you need in a market that is big enough for you to be sustainable in. This informs your vision and the strategies you need to execute on to keep moving towards your vision.

You may be stepping into the unknown and taking risks, but that is what business is. One big game of risk.

The more you take them though and they generate successful outcomes, the more that breeds the confidence and your vision.

And before you know it, you are thriving and you have released the hand from the marble that holds it prisoner.

Trust the process,

TK.