But not in the way you may think, just because you do something today your reward won't always be the next day, or the next, it may take a week, a month, a year but it will happen. Whether we are talking private or in your business life, planning and action pays off at some time, I may upset you now, but it could take years before whatever it was you did pays off. Can't wait that long? Then maybe you shouldn't receive the reward. Did that sound hard? Yes I guess it did, but I don't take fools lightly, if you wanted to grow your own veg it would be foolish to think you could plant seeds today and eat the veg tomorrow, no you would take the time to prepare the ground, plant the seeds, water them, weed them, and wait, because you know deep down it takes time to grow veg from seeds to something on your plate you can enjoy. Tell me the veg you grow yourself doesn't taste better than from the shop. So what am I getting at? Time; everything takes time, so whether it's something you want to change in yourself or build into your business it's not going to happen overnight. You don't start a diet one day and reach your target the next unless you had nothing to loss or you lied about your target. We have been asked how we could take off so much time over the holidays; well it's what we did last year that enable us to do it this year. We planned for it, we budget for it, and we action it. I keep journals, not all the time, but now and then I will take a book and write down my thoughts, my feelings, my dreams, and my plans to make these come true. The other day I pick up one of these books and on the first page I read Saturday 3rd Jan 2009 the kitchen I filled two pages on what was wrong with my kitchen. Over the next year I worked on that plan, because that is what it was, a plan of action, if you don't like something change it. The funny thing is it wasn't the kitchen at fault in a way it was me. For those that don't know me, I had an accident in 2008 and it's because of that my kitchen wasn't working for me, it's been makeover and still parts of it are not right due to my condition, some things you can't change so you just get on with it. After the first two pages I came across where I wrote in big bold letters, Need to make more money then a check list, first one on it was plan work better so more money in less out. Ok what was I thinking? Well it's got a star by it so I changed something and it worked,(I always put a star when I've done it)  work better so more money in less out? How was I going to make that work, well I made a list of our clients, the areas they lived, and I planned it so we worked in set areas at set times, if a client wasn't booked in when we were in their area they got missed off the list. I know what you are thinking that's losing money, but when you break it down on how much we were wasting on petrol driving all over the place and our waste costs, it was cheaper to take a full van to the recycling centre then just the odd bag which is what had been happening. We cut back on how much was going out and clients got to know if they missed us when in their area we wouldn't be doubling back. They too got their act together and make sure they booked at the time that was right for us. Oh and that's a biggie, it's your life or your business, it as to be right for you. And don't be afraid to loss a customer, we have found for every one we lost we gain three. Sometimes you are just not right for each other. Plans can go haywire as I wrote on Thursday 28th June 2009 as always we've gone one step forward and eight back, work coming in but lots of rain, (you would guess by now we work outdoors) don't anyone up there love us? This is followed by three stars, its seams as soon as I wrote those words the weather changed and we were back to playing catch up. Sometimes it's just the act of doing something. I'm not saying I stopped the rain by putting it down on paper, (but I do cast spells) but sometimes things happen. It's in your mind if you write it, speaking it, it can work out. February 26th 2009 was a day and a half, my life and the pages on my book were full of stars and one of them a dear friend visited me. As she had not seen me since before my accident the shock on her face was unmistakable. I knew then I looked as bad as I felt, but she's a positive kind of person it was her I told what was on my mind, and she who said I should join Facebook, why? Because the one thing that was eating me away was the worry over our business, I had been the one going out and networking and getting fresh business all the time, of course we had a good client bank but for how long? And so she signed me up and away I went. Feeling foolish at first but then I noted that we were being asked about work related things and so social media became a part of our business. I planned and target what I wanted for the business the following year, never think about just tomorrow, TOMORROW is TODAY just a few hours away, I'm please to say the business held its own and when I can named five likeminded business in our area that have closed over the last few years I believe it was down to the foresight and planning that we both put in that as keep us going. So if you fill your life with negativity, noise, and emotions high, become time poor and don't plan further then tonight. Stop give yourself time off, (I'm talking to business owners now) ok if you don't work for one day you loss a day's money, but if you use that day to plan, work on your business not in it and action what you plan you could make yourself a full year's worth of work. At the end of 2012 we met new clients they came from the work we did with our web designer and we did a small job for them, throughout the first half of 2013 we did other jobs for them each one a little bigger until middle of the year they asked us to design and make over their garden, we have a small amount of work to do for them this year in the spring. When we sat and planned our web site with the designer I knew then what I wanted from it, did I get it? Yes; forward planning all the time. But it's not all down to planning; it's also who you know, and how they can help you, did you see what I did there? I didn't say what you can do for them, but what they can do for you. What's the different? Well any good networker will tell you, you never look for the work someone is going to give you but the work you or someone you know can give them. It's a pay around thing, YOU pay someone for work they do for YOU, they then pay someone to do work for them, that person pays someone to do work for them and that person pays YOU to do work for them. I believe we are all connected by just three people. So a big part of my planning is the years networking events. My blood boils sometime when people say I don't do networking or I don't have the time. We all do it, with our family, friends, people in the shops we use, in our jobs, everywhere; networking is just talking to someone, and if you tell me you don't talk I'll say liar. The problem for business owners is when it's a fix meeting, but that shouldn't be, if you are yourself; you chat to people there no problem , all that happens is they get to know you, what you do, and the next time they or someone they know needs what it is you do they will call you. YOU don't have to go looking for work it comes to YOU. it's part of my plan, network, when I need a new laptop, fridge, settee or even a car I know who to phone to give me the best service, and I know that sometime or other one of their clients will book our services and as we chat like you do (networking) we will find out we know the same people. The plan works. 2014 as all the hall marks of being a great year, with two new moons in this month 1st and 30th Jan, start planning for the rest of the year and well into next year, don't be impatient remember it takes time but it will come and reward you. Happy planning.