Don't be afraid to narrow down

Little known fact: the more specific you are about what you want, what you'll do, and what you won't do, the more likely you are to get it.

When you niche contracts, your possibilities expand. Read more below...

What most people do

Most people are afraid to make declarative statements for fear of missing out.

In their business, they try to cater to everyone, for fear of missing out on potential clients - and hamstring their profits by not defining a niche they can serve better than anyone.

In their friendships, they try to keep too many relationships spinning, for fear of being left alone - and dilute the quality of their most important connections by not investing enough time and energy in those.

In their fitness, they do a mix of cardio, weight lifting and yoga and keep their goals vague (be healthier...), for fear of getting it wrong, and miss the chance to do something amazing.

What to do instead

Take a look at your goals - work, business, love, health et al. - and practice setting a very specific objective. Once you make that statement, it becomes a 'first domino' that clarifies your focus, shows you new opportunities, and takes care of many of your secondary goals.

i.e.

"I help mid-career women in the finance industry to move into executive positions' is much more useful, marketable and profitable than 'I help people develop their careers.'

When you define a niche like that, you create laser-focused content and offerings that attract your ideal client, enabling you to build deep expertise, charge more and spend your marketing dollar more wisely.

'I call my best friend for an hour every Friday' is much more impactful than 'I'm trying to keep up with 6 Whatsapp chats going' for developing a connection that will deepen and serve you throughout life.

When the sh*t hits the fan with your marriage, kids or career, or you need a couch to crash on for a week, it's not your school-Mum group chat that will be there for you - it's your bestie.

'I am going to add 4kg of muscle to my frame' is more helpful than 'I am trying to get more toned' to help you set nutrition, sleep and workout goals, and become a healthier person.

Use narrowing for boundaries too

The same is true for your boundaries - which we touched on last week.

"I put my family first' is a good start, but it will be unhelpful when it comes to making judgement calls and tricky trade-offs.

'I am always home for dinner and bedtime' is a more specific goal that requires a different level of commitment that will change the way you run your life.

'I don't waste time in meetings' is a nice intention that will be rapidly compromised.

'I only attend meetings with a clear agenda and at least three days notice' is a more specific boundary that will change how you interact with people and what you do with your time.

The beautiful paradox of narrowing down your goals and focus to something clear and specific is that other things will fall into place. It's a planning paradox. When you commit to a linchpin goal - whether it's in business, nutrition or relationships - you inspire behaviours, habits, actions and opportunities that create the bigger picture success you've been looking for.

Your bravery will be rewarded - so go on... get specific.

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More on this

I shared a post on LinkedIn yesterday that talked about the danger of dilution in a strategic planning process. Check it out here, along with a helpful 12 minute video that outlines how to nail your strategic plans and move them into action.