Hello. My name is Sara Orellana, and I am an entrepreneur who specializes in helping businesses, leaders, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits achieve their dreams and goals. For the past 20 years, I have lived, worked, volunteered, and raised my family in southwest Oklahoma.
Oklahoma is a unique place to live and own a business. We hold the last vestiges of the wild West. Adventure, ingenuity, tenacity, and grit are bred into our bones. We understand the challenges life can throw at us, and also have the skills to turn those challenges into opportunities. We are not afraid to pour our blood, sweat and tears into our work.
Over the course of the next two months, I will cover the eight skills successful businesses, leaders, and entrepreneurs know, understand, and use daily.
Each of us has what it takes to achieve our dreams and goals. There is nothing we cannot accomplish. We simply need the right tools and resources.
This column will share the tools and resources I have learned and developed over a 20-year career. Topics will be covered in series, with each column covering one skill, resource, or tool.
Unlike other resource articles, you will not need to purchase anything extra. Every concept presented can be mastered and implemented in less than one day. As entrepreneurs, leaders, business owners, and nonprofit executives, the last thing we need are resources and tips that require a trip to the store or a significant investment of resources -- particularly our time.
If you are anything like me, we want to accomplish a goal, check the box next to it on our to-do list, and move on. We don’t take the time to acknowledge or celebrate our accomplishments. This is perhaps the largest faux pas of our careers.
We face challenges. When it seems as though we will never be able to move the needle to accomplish a goal, or overcome a challenge, revisiting our wins will give us the strength we need to shake off the negative perspective. We know we have the skills needed to achieve what we set out to do. But without a record of these wins, without the memories of the celebrations, we tend to lose momentum.
As you are reading, I challenge you to create a “Wins List.” Rename the list to whatever you find inspiring, but every time you have a win, no matter how small, write it on your list. Then, in the moments you struggle to maintain momentum, you have a visual reminder of what you have accomplished.
Being able to see your accomplishments reminds you what you are capable of doing and empowers you to keep moving forward. It creates the ultimate pep talk by the person who knows you best: You.
I hope you enjoy and utilize the tips, resources, and tools I plan to share in this column. If there is a specific topic you would like covered, have follow-up questions, or would like to reach out, please do.
Sara Orellana is an independent entrepreneur who specializes in strategic planning, leadership, and grant writing. She can be reached at sara@3raptorconsulting.com.