You’re a small business owner. You’ve been hustling day in and day out to make your business a success. But have you ever stopped to think about how your energetic state impacts your performance? It turns out, the energy you bring to your business can significantly impact how well you perform. Here’s a look at how your energetic state affects your small business.

Your energetic state precedes you when you walk into a room.

It impacts everyone that you interact with. Your state is reflected in the energy you feel internally and that others may feel radiating from you, your ability to focus and, consequently, the outcomes you experience.

Checking your energetic state each day, first thing, upfront, without exception, is a habit that brings the focus, energy and clarity necessary for a highly productive day. It is a habit practised by great leaders and high performers, and I recommend that it become a daily habit for you.

Here is how I reflect every morning and before every meeting and meaningful interaction with a practice called ILP (Intentions, Language and Physiology).

Set Your Intentions

WHY are you doing what you are about to do, WHY is it important to you both now and into the future, WHAT do you want to achieve, and HOW will you BE in order to play your big game in life?

Setting your intentions can be a powerful tool to make a change or create something new.

Intention helps us focus our energy and stay on the right path to success. By setting intentions, we can discover why we are doing what we are doing and keep our goals in sight. Stating what we wish to achieve allows us to remain open to opportunities that arise and to notice shifts in direction, which is particularly important in business meetings.

Being mindful of our intention allows us to stay to notice when we’re off track, when we become less intentional. Keeping these four questions in mind – why, what, how and when – is essential for manifesting our desires into reality.

Notice Your Language

WHAT are you saying to yourself and others? WHAT words are you using? WILL these words limit or expand you? Edit your language now to be more conducive to achieving your intentions.

The language we use is incredibly powerful. It can either limit us or expand us. If we’re constantly telling ourselves we’re not good enough or can’t do something, we’ll end up believing it.

On the other hand, if we use language that is supportive and positive, it can help us achieve our goals. So it’s important to be aware of our words, both in our internal dialogue and when talking to others.

By consciously using language that empowers us, we can open up new possibilities for ourselves and our businesses.

Notice Your Body Language and Posture

Does it reflect interest or disinterest, curiosity or closure, excitement or boredom? Adjust your posture now – sit or stand tall, shoulders back, and smile!

People often don’t realize the power of their body language. An action as simple as crossing your arms or furrowing your brow can speak volumes about any attitude or emotion you may be feeling.

When interacting with others, taking a step back and observing your body language is essential, ensuring that it reflects the openness and positivity that we hope to achieve through conversation. One way to do this is by maintaining good posture; sitting or standing up tall while keeping your shoulder back and neck relaxed helps convey confidence and keeps you alert. You can do this BEFORE you go into a meeting to feel more relaxed and in control.

Smiling is also an easy way to communicate enthusiasm visually — if we smile, we appear friendlier, more interested in what’s being said, and open to new ideas! The importance of evaluating our bodies’ positioning cannot be understated: it’s something that everyone should be aware of so that they can project their best self with every interaction.

The benefits of checking your energetic state are not restricted to first up in the morning. Check-in before starting a challenging project, going into a critical meeting, or making an announcement to the team to make sure the best version of you turns up. ILP is like a 3-legged stool. If one leg is weak, the stool itself is compromised. Like the stool, the outcomes will be compromised if your intentions are vague, no matter how empowering your language is or how brilliantly you turn up physically.

There is always an opportunity to fine-tune any one of the components of ILP. This tool encourages awareness of your state and enables you to notice even small shifts in your focus, language, and physiology. Don’t underestimate the power of this ILP process. Make it a habit to check into your state and reset often.

Mastering the skills of ILP is included in the 12 Week Business Fit Challenge. Learn more about the program and register here.