It’s hard to believe that June is almost over and that we’re halfway through the year!  Have you reached your business goals so far?  Are you on your way to achieving your targets for the rest of 2011?

Either way, now is a great time to review the first six months of your Right-Brain Business Plan® and make adjustments for the next six months and beyond.

Below are four simple steps for conducting a mid-year check-in:

1.  Celebrate your accomplishments.

Ask yourself, “What’s working?” Whether you have a solid plan in place or not, I bet that you have made progress in your creative businesses.  Perhaps you started blogging, posted new items to your Etsy store or landed new clients.

As you reflect back on your accomplishments, you might even notice that some of them weren’t in your original plan.  That’s okay.  Maybe you didn’t anticipate some great opportunities that have come your way.   These could be valuable clues to where you want to go next.  How do these successes align to your overall vision?  How can you proactively invite more into your business in the future?

Now, if you’re saying things to yourself such as, “But I don’t even have a business plan” or “Ummm, I haven’t even finished anything I said I would,” I challenge you to write down at least one achievement per month for the past six months.  I bet that you can find small things to celebrate!  The more you acknowledge your forward movement, the more momentum and clarity you’ll gain.

2.  Course correct, if needed.

Ask yourself, “What’s not working?” Don’t worry.  Plans aren’t perfect.  You don’t have a crystal ball (or if you do, I’d love to borrow it!).  It’s totally reasonable that you didn’t take into account some unforeseen challenges.  Maybe you need to adjust your marketing efforts.  Or perhaps you need to look into updating your offerings or re-jigging your pricing structure.

What have you learned from what’s not working in your business?  As you think about where you want to head, what will you shift or do differently?  Yes, plans provide structure but they are not cast in stone.  This is an opportunity to discover creative solutions and since you’re a right-brain entrepreneur, I know that you’re creative!

3.  Go where there’s flow.

Ask yourself, “What brings me joy in my business?” If you’re enjoying yourself, having fun and following your passion, running your business will be a lot easier and fulfilling.  Light-bulb moments often come when you’re in a creative flow, so feed your Inner Muse with inspiration and joy.  After all, you started your business because you love what you do, so honor that!

And sure, running your business also includes some not-so-favorite tasks that you would rather avoid.  But don’t wallow in the yucky stuckness and don’t bury your head in the sand.  Both will just cause frustration.  Instead, call upon your Inner Muse to help you move through the tough spots with grace and flow.  What can you outsource or barter?  Where can you ask for help?  Having a support system in place can certainly help keep things moving forward.

4.  Set an intention.

Ask yourself, “What do I want for my business in the next six months?” Whether you’re continuing to march down the path of your original vision or you’ve tweaked your plans, make sure that you’re explicit about your intention.  Having a simple, clear focus will help you make authentic and aligned choices in your business.

May the next six months and beyond be filled with creative flow and business success!

If you’d like a simple tool to help you do your mid-year check-in, download the Stop, Start, Continue illustrated play sheet shown above along with eight other play sheets plus more free Right-Brain Business Plan® goodies.