How to Remain Focused on Your Canine or Equine Business

Often a goal for business owners is to employ people and lots of them! Is this something you can relate to? Now there are obvious advantages.

Depending on your business type, employing people can mean you’ve got lots of work and can’t do it all yourself. So is sensible to have staff.

But it can get overwhelming. Not only is there the process of recruitment and employment contracts. Also training and development too to consider. You'll also have expenditure, on salaries, equipment, etc for your staff.

You can also be overwhelmed from having too much work, or not enough. Or other reasons too.

All this can mean you lose focus on your ultimate goal. How do you know if this is happening?

  • You may feel stressed.
  • Keep feeling ill.
  • Being overwhelmed, unable to make decisions.
  • Longing to get to the next day off.
  • In other words not enjoying the here and now.

One of my mentors recently mentioned a study to me. Conducted by Steven Cole of the UCLA School of Medicine, and Barbara Fredrickson of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This revealed that people who found deeper meaning in their lives had strong immune systems. Compared to those who had a more self-centered approach to life.

http://peplab.web.unc.edu/files/2018/11/koketal2013.pdf

What does this mean? By following your goals and finding deeper meaning in your efforts. Will make you stronger, literally.

Operating your horse, dog or veterinary business may not always be plain sailing. And it’d be difficult for anyone to feel 100% motivated all the time. But it would be good to be pretty close to that wouldn’t it?!

My mentor also mentioned this thought provoking quote. From Holocaust survivor and celebrated psychiatrist Viktor Frankl. He wrote, “
Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose”. Worth reviewing again?

If you do decide to use staff to help you develop your business. If you’ve a strong meaning and purpose in your actions, then it should help you:

  • Be clear to your team, what you want them to do.
  • And how they can contribute to the success of your business.

You don’t need to always use staff though to develop your business. What can you do as a sole trader? Can you achieve what you want, without recruiting a team?

Remember too, that being a sole trader doesn’t need to mean that you're isolated. You can have a business coach. Go to networking groups and lots more opportunities for you. All of these can help you remain motivated and focused on achieving your goals.

Action Point..
  • Get your journal or notebook. Spend some time today thinking about what you want to achieve with your horse or dog care business.
  • Write down your vision.
  • Then write down your immediate goals? Do you have more than one goal? Write them all down. Then prioritise - what do you need to work towards first to achieve your vision?
  • Revisit your vision daily. If you're feeling deflated, or overwhelmed. Then by revisiting this vision it will help you remember what you're working towards. (and what you want your staff to help you achieve).
  • Even if you aren't feeling overwhelmed, then reminding yourself of your vision daily will help program your mind to keep focused on the main prize. Your business or personal success! (whatever that means to you).
  • This should help you give you meaning and purpose!


If you'd like any further advice on applying these tips for you in your horse or dog care business. Then please email me at info @ taranet.co.uk

How to Get Confidence Running Your Equine or Canine Business

Email me at info @ taranet.co.uk to learn more about business coaching and consultancy.

Regards, Suzanne

About The Author
Suzanne Harris is an equestrian and canine entrepreneurial coach and consultant to veterinarians who want to help prevent animals being affected by domestic abuse.