One of the most glaring mistakes I have seen entrepreneurs and consultants (who should know better) make in formulating their business plans or strategic plans, is not taking into account how they want the business to fit into their lifestyle (and not trying to squeeze their lifestyle around the business).

Many people think I’m nuts when I tell them that planning your business with a "top-down" perspective is crucial to success. They think I am asking them to drive down the road before they’ve even gotten into the car.

How do you picture your ideal lifestyle? I’m guessing an important part of it has you securely positioned in a business where you’re completely in control - of your time as well as your finances.

Having that picture firmly in your head is the first step toward achieving it. Once you know how you want to live, you can build your business around that dream.

What are the ground rules for your business when taking into account that ideal lifestyle?

They might be:
1. No weekends
2. No Business Travel
3. Someone will run the business for you
4. High margin products
5. Little inventory
6. Wholesale (or retail or…) only
7. Referral based only
8. Etc.

Or whatever is important to you. Write these ground rules down. Look at them every day. Ever decision you make should be based upon these rules, either it fits into these rules or you don’t do it.

By the way, you are allowed to change the ground rules any time you want. They are by no means cast in stone. But you always need to have a set of rules to work with. They will prevent you from taking actions that lead you away from - not toward - your ideal lifestyle.

NOW do your business plan.

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