Why you shouldn’t organize

Two weeks ago, I spent 5 days with business consultants Mark Silver and Holly Glaser – along with 20 other business owners – at a wooded retreat center at the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. The topic? Creating momentum in your business.

It was fabulous.

I realized over the week that one of the most important sources of entrepreneurial momentum is knowing what your business stands for and why it exists.

Hitting home

If you’ve subscribed to my newsletter for a while, you know that I care deeply about my clients and the success of their business.

Yet, as I’ve encouraged people to get their offices ship-shape, something kept happening. They’d tell me about their problem areas and then we’d write an action plan. But over time, some clients would lose enthusiasm for clearing out the clutter or setting up new systems. Sometimes they saw this work as “time away” from the business and their clients. They’d lose steam.

Not surprisingly, that wasn’t my intention.

A new approach

At Mark’s retreat, I discovered the missing ingredient that helps people get motivated and stay engaged in the process of creating an effective, inspiring home office.

Are you dying to find out that secret ingredient?

It’s passion.

Beginning with the end in mind

I believe that you have a gift. When your workspace isn’t working, it blocks the flow of your gift to the world. It can actually prevent your unique offerings from getting to the people who need them most.

If you’ve been focusing on trying to “fix” your office’s problems (piles or clutter or whatever), it’s okay to stop.

(That means don’t get organized.)

You don’t have to get organized just for the sake of organizing. Don’t force yourself to live up to an unrealistic, uninspiring standard. That’s a dead end that will just deplete you and your business.

Instead…

A favorite author of mine, Robert Fritz, says that you can’t help but create the results you want if you begin with the end in mind.

By starting with a big, juicy vision of how your work can change the world, it will allow you to see with great clarity the very things your office needs to support your work.

Then, you can take it down to the practical level of removing clutter or setting up filing… but the difference is that you’re making changes that align with your vision.

That’s a whole different ball game from just “getting organized”, don’t you think?

Why it matters

It all comes down to this: the world needs your gifts. It needs them more than you can know.

In order to bring your gifts to those who need them, your business needs support – and your office is a fabulous place to start.

Things to try

1. Notice if you guilt/beat yourself up about your clutter/piles/office

If you do, try stopping. Really. I’m extending to you gentle permission to accept your workspace exactly as it is. Take a deep breath. It’s okay. It’s perfect.

See your space for what it is: precious, holy ground that can deeply nurture your business.

2. Connect with your passion

Do you remember the day you got the idea to start your business? Reflect for a moment on what kind of impact you want your business to have in the world?

3. Make tracks

As you keep this global impact in your heart, ask yourself if there’s something you can do in your workspace that would help spread your message to the world more effectively. Is it more regular connections with your contacts? A clearer billing system? An easier way to find the information you need?

What does your business vision need to provide it with complete support? There are no “right” answers, just trust whatever comes up – and then make a note of it.

Connecting your vision with this practical step will make it easier to complete and more fulfilling when it’s done.