Beyond Failure

Have you failed? Failed big time? Are you facing bankruptcy?

Do you know how many greats fail many times before they succeed?

The key is to keep trying, keep learning.

As children we know how to do this, we want to ride that bike so much that we keep getting back on it, skinned knees and all.

The horse rider who is throw again and again wants to ride so passionately they keep getting back on.

In business, if at the core of who you are is a business person then get up, dust yourself off and go again. This time with wisdom from the lessons learned.

If wisdom is present so is humility. Perhaps you now view that stodgy old person differently? Perhaps you can now hear what your father was trying to say. Sure he might not light the sky with his business success but he is still in business, what is his key? Ask the question!

Humility will enable to to go further, don't waste time blaming others, find the truth, walk in it and open your eyes, ears and heart to those you had blocked out in the grandiose design in you mind.

Results

Do you run hither and thither looking for answers? Or are you settled and working the plan?

Yesterday I arose at 4am and drove 4 hours to Melbourne for a meeting that was barely useful. If I was not able to secure an appointment with the marketing department I would have wasted my time.

After driving 4 hours home and consuming many coffees and energy food to stay awake I resolved that I would not be going again, not for what evolved.

I had felt obliged to go because I am beginning a new practice, however, I have been involved in two other practices and what was being offered I knew. All I gained was making contact with colleagues.

I could have stayed and used my time more wisely and saved myself the physical tiredness and financial cost.

I have to now step out and believe, it is time to do the stuff, to act and bring in the harvest.

Get Up Early

In wanting success we must be prepared to pay the price, get up early, get organised. While we can work all night the fresh perspective of morning after a night's sleep (and coffee) is the best.

Planning the day the put the plan into practice gives a sense of accomplishment and well being.

What is important today? Not what is demanding. Try to look at it this way. You have a demanding child insisting on his own way, do you give in just to keep him quiet? No! You deal with his behaviour, same with business.

The young business is immature and lacks experience and wisdom, so treat it that way, don't spoil it by destroying yourself to bend over backwards to yield ground.

Keep to the programme, keep a cool head! and win!

Get Ready

When an elderly man turned 90 he went and rented a huge hall for his 100th birthday, he was asked, "wasn't that a little presumptuous?" He replied, "No I know that what you are ready for generally shows up."

What you may be doing right now, may be unseen and go unnoticed but if it is building habit patterns for the day when the increase comes, it will come. If you build a dam then the rains will come.

Habits are best started early, while there is time to think and plan. There will come a day of business when there is no time and if all the processes and procedures are in place you will fly, if they are not you will stumble and the small hole in your plan will grow to a huge black hole and it will consume you.

Begin early, don't look around and fret about what is not happening, be glad and plan, stay focused.

The List

Are you bogged down in the doing? Do you feel hemmed in by a plethora of things that need attention? Write a list! Tick off one thing at a time and don't panic, chose the most important, not most urgent and prioritise the list accordingly.

This is good medicine. The actual ticking off of things on the list give a sense of achievement and watching the list shrink quietens the troubled soul.

Write down the list on something that you will follow. Nowadays most of us have IPhones or something similar and they have a function of a note page. They also have calendars, calculators, alarms etc. These are handy tools that we can carry anywhere and use almost any where. We can carry our office in our pocket, almost. The IPad probably carries more.

For those of us who commute the IPhone and IPad are a great tool to organise our day while in transit.

No I am not being paid by Apple to say all this, there are other alternatives.

Remember the list!

Keeping the Balls in the Air

Juggling all the areas of business can be an art, a challenge and a commitment. We cannot afford to just focus on one area all the times and neglect others or clients will go elsewhere.

I am discovering people will not wait anymore. They want instant answers, instant provision and if you do not provide it they will find someone who will.

This does not help if you are caught in having to work on one particular area of your business. For example you are extending into another area and this takes a whole lot of time, money and focus. However while you are preoccupied clients continue to have needs and will go and get them fulfilled elsewhere. The risk we take is that they are gone forever.

How do we keep all the balls in the air? it takes practice, staff and systems. If you are a sole operator then you are it and this is when it can be particularly challenging. Don't assume that clients will be faithful to you, not even friends will be faithful if you fail to deliver.

Don't lose heart by being disappointed that friends and family do not wait, understand that is business. Keep you eyes open and keep the relationship sweet so that when you are ready they may try again.

Blockages

If I buy a hose and attach it to the tap I expect water to come out. I bought a business and expected increased cash flow and increased numbers of clients. What I got was blockages. Let me explain.

In setting up a business we need accreditation, systems, software, practices, support. When I paint a picture I can firstly put down the rough outline, (the business plan). I then have to take the time to fill in the spaces with colour, clients. To do this I need tools.

In my case I found that to do business I needed authority to do it,(accreditation), I needed policies and procedures to govern and software to do the business with, I needed programmes that would care for my clients, remind me when services are due, send them birthday cards. I needed Internet platforms that would process the business.

I am wanting the house called business but first must lay the slab, create the frame, then clad the walls. Not until all the basics are done can I decorate. All I received when I bought the business was the piece of land, it is up to me to construct.

Now I can see where value in a business comes from, the bit that you don't see unless it is not there, the hard work is in the establishment not in the running.