We’ve all heard that old wise business quote that you “must work ON your business and not just IN your business” but no one ever truly says how.

This tool that I am about to share with you, called the M-5 will give you a true framework on what you should be working on right now, for your business.

The following image is a tool that consists of a series of questions in five areas that you must ask yourself or your team in order to propel your business forward, especially during hard times.

The M  – 5 stands for Motives, Mindset, Movement, Measures, and Mitigate

Motives – These are your Mission, Ultimate Vision and Values. Your purpose and the ultimate answer to why you will never give up the pursuit of business success.

Mindset – The beliefs you hold will be what ultimately guides your success. When uncertainty happens, our beliefs or mindsets will be the only certainty we can hold on to. An example of mindset would be that some people see challenges as problems and others view those same challenges and see them as opportunities to grow.

Movement – This is were we take action but we must ask ourselves, are we being strategic or tactical. A simple example would be in sales. When I had my 1st sales job, I would just cold call anybody cause they told me it was a numbers game. That’s tactical. When a wise seasoned salesman told me to focus on specific people (like business owners) and tailor my pitch to them, I began to triple my close rate. That’s being strategic.

Measures – What gets measured gets done and it has been said that a goal without measures is just a wish. You have to measure your results to see where you stand compared to your goals and ultimate vision and purpose. If not then, what are you doing this for?

Mitigate – This is an Action Word because Once you have measured your results and identified where you are in relation to your ultimate vision, you have now discovered your gap. Now you must make that Gap “less severe” meaning, How are you going to close that gap and get to your ultimate vision?