Facing the Ghosts of Business Past, Present and Future

“Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead,” said Scrooge. “But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change.”

My favorite holiday story is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  Ebenezer Scrooge is a rich old codger with enormous wealth but little empathy and kindness.  On Christmas Eve he goes to sleep, only to be awoken by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.  The spirits show Scrooge where has gone wrong in the past, how his actions are affecting those in the present, and finally, if he continues on the same path, what his bleak future will look like.  Scrooge wakes up on Christmas morning a new man, promising to mend his ways and create a new future for himself.

As you consider your business in 2016, take a look at your business past, present and future.  What past actions have helped your business?  What past actions have hindered it?  At present, how well is your business working for you, your clients, your family and your life?  If you continue to take the same actions in 2016, what will be the results a year from now?  Will your clients, your family, and you be better off?  Or worse off?

There’s a famous quote from Albert Einstein, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”  Much like poor Old Scrooge, if your past actions have lead to a present you are less than happy with, continuing to take the same actions will lead to the same results.  As we head into a new year, it’s a great time to consider where you have been, where you are, and where you really want to go.  And not just in your business, but your life as well.  Is your business building the kind of life you want to have?  If not, it’s definitely time to re-evaluate and make a better plan for 2016.