Want to know how to grow your business?

You have probably attended enough seminars and read enough books to know “how to” grow your business, but I often hear people lamenting that it isn’t working.

Perhaps a more useful question to ask yourself is: “Why must I grow my business?”

It’s no longer enough to know the how. You also need to know what is motivating or inspiring you to grow your business – “What is the MUST reason?”

The first step is to examine the difference between a “want” and a “must”. Most of us want to be successful, fit, healthy … but most of us don’t do anything until we’ve had a highly motivating must introduced into the mix.

A difference between big and small businesses is that corporations have investors demanding a good return, growth and success. That pressure introduces a must.

So, how do you turn your wants into musts?

• Make a public statement of intent – You will find that outside pressure is far more powerful than internal motivation.

• Make a personal promise: For instance, promise your children their dream holiday, then watch yourself work that much harder to make it a reality.

• Set a grow goal for your business : For example, increase annual sales by 10% by July 2008.

• List the 20 things you know you should have done, then do them!

At some point, you will move from external to internal motivation. Set your intention today.

Remember, you know most of the “how tos” already. From now on, work on growth instead of surviving in the business.