As a young boy on sports teams and at sports camps, I was trained on the value of discipline.  Rising early in the morning to go on a run, arriving early for practice, and getting up 100 shots per day were all part of the package of becoming a good player.  Those same disciplines have spilled over into my business, and while the tools and tasks have changed, the value of discipline has only been magnified.

We operate our business and our outsourced CFO program on following various disciplines, one of the most important of which is planning out the next years financial expectations.  This morning, we met with one of our long time clients where they marveled at the ability to accurately forecast operational results.  The magic in the discipline of planning for the future is that you align your actions and decisions with your expectations – and it comes true!  Too many business owners disregard this discipline because they don’t believe it’s possible to predict what will happen.  In my 28 years as a CPA, my experience tells me otherwise!  Each year, we are able to work with our clients building forecasts that actually come true – with significantly better results.

I wasn’t the strongest or the fastest athlete on my teams, but the disciplined approach and work ethic I followed exceeded many of the other team members – and the team benefited.  Following a disciplined approach in your business will result in higher profits, more satisfied employees, and a reduction in the uncertainty that you currently experience.  Make a change in 2017 to increase the discipline of planning and watch your performance soar.  Our clients are experiencing the benefits, and so can you.