Chuck Blakeman

Author, speaker, and founder of the Crankset Group.



A Business Maturity Date Really Works

We bought our tickets to NZ today.

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This article was published on November 18, 2010. So far, 4 people have left their thoughts. Share your own thoughts.

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Two years ago, in March of 2009, I wrote this blog http://chuckb.me/xF about how I started my business 3 1/2 years ago in March of 2007. Four years after we started we’ll have a Mature Business, which is what we intended to do.

In March of 2009, I wrote about March of 2007:

“2 years ago this week, March 6, 2007, I started my business…

But something is different. I have a Business Maturity Date…

In 3 years, 11 months, 2 weeks, and 22 ½ hrs. from when I started, I expect to be done building a business that makes money when I’m not around. I’ve got a lot of work to do and the clock is ticking relentlessly, the train is screeching, belching, and going in circles, and at the same time I’ve got little time left already to build this business to maturity.

My Business Maturity Date? Friday, February 18, 2011, at 10am – 1 year 11 months and two weeks from now. At 8:30am on that morning I will have a staff meeting and turn over the business to them to run, leaving the office in good hands, and be out of the office by 10am to pack my bags. At 6:10pm that evening my wife and I will be on a plane to Auckland, New Zealand, her dream vacation, for three weeks of celebration. We land in Auckland at 7:25am Sunday morning. The trip will cost $12,380."

There were three problems with that blog post nearly two years ago. 1) The plane now leaves at 5:30pm, not 6:10, 2) it lands at 7:05am, not 7:25am, and 3) the trip will cost $12,840, not $12,380.

But other than that we’re on schedule. Our business will be making money while we’re on vacation for three and half weeks in New Zealand and it will be in great hands while we’re gone. In most ways we’re farther ahead than we thought we would be in 2009 when I wrote that blog post.

It shouldn’t be surprising because I’ve said for four years “You get what you intend, not what you hope for.” And for a number of years we’ve been intending to build a business that would make money while we’re on vacation.

We stopped intending to work hard and make money a long time ago because that always gave us exactly what we intended – hard work and SOME money.

Does it change you a little bit even reading this? Imagine what it’s done to me, and what it will do to you when you make the same commitment. It will change you forever.

What are you intending to do?



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First, congratulations on setting your intention and then obviously following through. Macdonalds may have coined “You deserve a break today.” but really you do deserve your vacation. In 2007 I took 7 weeks in Hawaii, it was the beginning of an awakening. I took a year to care for my mother while she was ill in 2008/2009. 2010 has been all about my Radical Sabbatical. Now I’m forming my intention for 2011 and beyond.


Chuck

11/22/10

Greg,

Thanks for your encouragement! We will definitely “take a break” while we’re in New Zealand. there will be a lot of bike riding and sitting around drinking wine with a great view of a mountain side. Keep me posted on how your intentions for 2011 form!


Chuck

11/22/10

Greg,

Thanks for your encouragement! We will definitely “take a break” while we’re in New Zealand. there will be a lot of bike riding and sitting around drinking wine with a great view of a mountain side. Keep me posted on how your intentions for 2011 form!


Rich Anderson

11/23/10

Awesome Chuck! Keep rocking!

Mine? We will have 100 ION’s installed by 12.31.11.

Ever since I went public with that commitment, we started rocking.

Thanks for what you do!


Rick Zwetsch

12/31/10

CONGRATS Chuck…this is GREAT news! We were in your Process Mapping Workshop earlier this year when you told us about New Zealand! We’re coming to the end of our 2nd year in business and I think it’s time to set OUR intentions! CHEERS to you both – we hope you have the time of your lives!


Chuck

01/16/11

Rich,

Love seeing “numbers” and “dates” – that gives us clarity of intention.

Rick,

The time for going to New Zealand is close – thanks for your encouragement. We’re going to have the time of our lives indeed.




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