It’s hard to believe we are halfway through the year, but 12 o’clock noon, July 2, is the official halfway mark of 2016. Though the halfway point on a calendar has no wiggle room, luckily halfway in business (and in life) can have a variety of meanings, with a less restrictive timeline.
Hopefully, your business and year are tracking on plan or ahead of your annual goals. And, as we close in on the halfway point of the year, here are a few great quotes and observations on halfway to help launch you into the second half of this year.
“A goal properly set is halfway reached.” – Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker and author
It all starts with setting goals—SMART goals, goals you can actually achieve. At the midway point, sometimes it is necessary to adjust goals. Maybe you have blown past a projected number and need to increase in one area or reduce in another. Setting clear goals that everyone understands sets the stage for success. At the halfway mark, look at your goals.
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – President Theodore Roosevelt
Do you believe you can? Does your team believe they can? Believing you can achieve something is a powerful self-fulfilling prophesy. And self-doubt is something that can sneak into just about any business, especially when unexpected challenges arise. That often leads to fear. There is a great acronym for FEAR: False Expectations Appearing Real. At the halfway mark, do you believe you can? Does your team?
“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.”
Versions of this quote date back to the 1700s—talk about a quote ahead of its time! In our social media world of instant everything, this couldn’t be more accurate. Today every business needs to be conscious of what is being posted and shared about them on the Internet. Comments on Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and Google are just a handful of the places both truth and lies can be posted about your business for the world to see. It may not be fair, but it is reality. At the halfway mark, is there online information about you or your company that needs to be addressed?
“Whatever you do, don’t do it halfway.” – Bob Beamon, Olympic track and field athlete
Are you all in? Do you have any projects you have started, but they seemed to have lost traction? They are still works in progress, but they aren’t getting your best effort? Now is a good time to take stock and get them back on track. Half effort produces half results. If a quality product or service is your goal, at the halfway mark are you giving it your best effort?
“The fellow who says he’ll meet you halfway usually thinks he’s standing on the dividing line.” – Orlando Aloysius Battista, chemist and author
Some halfway marks are easy to define. July 2 is a good example. In business, it can be harder to define, especially in negotiations. Contracts, sales, employees, project status, new product development, where to meet someone for lunch—at some point, almost all of these functions of business will require some level of negotiating to reach common ground. Both sides may have to give a little to achieve the goal. If you find yourself stuck on something at the halfway mark, try a view from the other “fellow’s” perspective. It may help both of you see the situation with more clarity.
What about you? Where are you at this halfway point of the year? Are your sales on track? Are your projects on schedule? Do you have any thoughts or suggestions to share that might be helpful for other businesses at this halfway point of the year? As always, we value all your feedback.
