A mistake that many people make is that they spend much of their work time in busy-ness as opposed to business.

Just sprinting at tasks and trying to do “EVERYTHING” quickly is a strategy for a crisis, is rarely sustainable and can often lead to feelings of anxiety, overwhelm and panic.

The key to building a business quickly is to do it with control. If you think about it like running a marathon as opposed to a 100m dash, then your business can build every day and pass the checkpoints with control.

The 4Rs below are a framework for taking that step back, appreciating what you’ve achieved and identifying what you would do better next time.

Part 1 – Reflection

Take a moment to do a thing that relaxes you – a walk, a bath – and consider just how far you have already come. Look backwards to day 1 of your business and reflect on all you have achieved. Stay present in the moment and don’t look to the future at all. Just smile and enjoy reliving your journey so far.

Part 2 – Review

Now it’s time to sit down and work on the work you have already done and ask yourself what you “Liked Best” (LBs) about each step of your journey so far. Now write yourself a list of all that was good about it. Don’t move off this part until you have finished all the good stuff. (It’s so easy to jump to mistakes and improvements: let’s build the successes first!)

Part 3 – Refine

Going over each item/step/achievement again, write yourself a list of what you would choose to do differently when faced with the same scenario again. Looking at what you will do “Next Time” (NTs) as opposed to what you did wrong keeps you on the journey of self-improvement as opposed to self-sabotage.

Part 4 – Reschedule

Following every activity or action should always be a next step. Many of the prospects and customers you have created over time need to be contacted again and your business cycle and daily activity is continuous so this process can and should be worked through periodically.

Moving forward in your business should always be about continuous improvement – fast or slow.

Recognize what works and what doesn’t and commit to focusing only on the positive and constructive, not the negative and destructive, and you will feel in control of the future success of your business.

Exactly How to Sell: The Sales Guide for Non-Sales Professionals

Exactly How to Sell walks you through a tried and true process that draws on time tested methods that are designed to attract and keep more customers. No matter what you are selling (yourself, your product or your services) this simple read is certain to provide you actionable strategies to deliver you more of the sales results you are looking for.

Inside, Phil M. Jones writes from experience and explains how to get more customers and keep them all happy—while they’re spending more money, more often. Using simple, practical, and easy-to-implement methods in line with the modern business landscape, Phil educates and guides you, giving you the confidence you need to develop the skills you need to win more business.