There’s no doubt we’re in tougher economic times. The reality of businesses closing, loans defaulting and homes foreclosing has hit close to home for many of us. There’s no shortage of bad news out there. It’s amazing how sensitive we are to how economic forecasts impact our confidence, both in marketing and the operational, or human resource investments, that strengthen our businesses.

The natural reaction for business owners and managers during these times is to tighten up and be conservative, hoping to weather the storm and wait for good news to come. But, in doing so, you can unintentionally lose out on opportunities that could make a real difference in building your business.

There are great business opportunities, regardless of whether the market is going up or down. The question is: How will you capitalize on those opportunities?

To get better results in our current market environment, it’s crucial for you to first identify, and then remove, the constraints which may be preventing your business from witnessing some great breakthroughs. To net it out, you have to think differently before you can do differently. As business philosopher and movitivational speaker Jim Rohn says, "Never wish your life was easier, just wish that you were better."

Here are just a few areas that may be holding your business back from some profound results. This isn’t a comprehensive list, by any means, but they are some of the most frequent causes.

Lack of a clear vision

There are many different definitions out there for what exactly a "vision" is for a business, but let’s keep it simple. Ask yourself, "Why did I get into business in the first place?" and "What do I really want this business to look like when it’s finished - and by when?"

The more clarity you have about your vision, the more motivation, drive and confidence you’ll have to propel your business forward, even in down times. It has been said that if you have a big enough "Why" you can achieve any "What" you want!

But, once you nail it down and can picture it with absolute clarity, your vision for your business will become a powerful force for directing your actions.

On the flip side, lacking a clear vision will have a negative impact upon your business, because you won’t spend your time doing the right things. Instead, you’ll get swept up into doing the more urgent and non-important tasks that won’t produce the return on investment you need to achieve greater success.

Lack of defined goals

With a clear vision, goals are the next natural step. They become the short and long-term measurable objectives that move you closer to achieving your vision.

To give your goals more meaning and impact, they need to be specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented and time-deadlined – or SMART – goals. In and of themselves, goals won’t guarantee instant success. However, the process you go through in defining and refining what your most important goals are (and why) is a powerful exercise and one that will be the catalyst for more motivation, inspiration and commitment in your business.

Lack of knowledge,

focus and accountability

The two constraints above contribute to this third area of constraint which is really all about execution. Your competition is getting better, so you need to get better – but at a faster rate. Rohn says, "work harder on yourself than you do your job (or your business)."

What knowledge do you need to get the "winner’s edge?

How can you work smarter, be more efficient and become a better leader?

And just knowing more isn’t enough. What you do with that knowledge really counts.

Getting focused on doing the right things and having the right accountability structure is key to helping you get more profit and productivity, this year and beyond.

Ignore the news hype about how the tough times and make this year the best year yet!