WHY I DON’T HAVE HAIR
So you think you’re a cutting edge, technology savvy, app centric business person do you? You’ve got a degree and you’ve downloaded every book on the market that has anything to do with business.
You know all the hip business terminology; you’ve bought all the latest technology; you’re hanging out with only the hottest apps; and you’ve tried every “silver bullet” cure-all strategies that are available today.
You’re in meetings everyday from sunrise to midnight and next week you’re going to a meditation camp to get in contact with your past lives, spirit guides and business muse.
All bases are covered. Check.
You can’t lose, Right?
Wrong! This is why I don’t have hair! I’ve pulled it all out dealing with business people and entrepreneurs who have been brainwashed to believe in quick fix, “silver bullet” solutions. We’re bombarded daily by personal and business development “experts” who sell and teach that the way to wealth and success is their particular magic application/strategy/approach. It’s easy to be totally sucked into the black hole of an industry promising instant success.
Now don’t get me wrong, some of these ideas and products are really good. The problem is that many people will take huge allotments of time to implement a strategy, then, find it doesn’t work for them. Then with nothing else in place, they find a new direction and spend all of their time and money implementing it…and the cycle spins out of control….again.
I’ve been blessed and very lucky. I’ve had remarkable mentors. People like Brian Tracy and Zig Ziglar and the writings of Ken Blanchard and Napoleon Hill. Their message is timeless. It is a message of the power in mastering the foundational elements of business success; those steps that have proven to be the foundation to every successful business throughout time.
In my business coaching practice, I preach the gospel of continuous strengthening of individual foundational skills. In fact, weakness in, and an inability to identify, correct and improve those weak key elements is the number one issue that sets apart a struggling business and thriving businesses.
Brian Tracy reminded me recently exactly how basic this thinking can be. He told me that there are really only two purposes of a business; 1) To Create Value and 2) To Generate Revenue. That’s it and it’s that simple. If you don’t focus on these two things you’re unemployed.
So take a deep breath and step back and take a look at everything you’re doing. Ask yourself (and be honest) “How good are my foundational skills?” “How good are my company’s foundational skills?” This applies to things like: Time management; Goal setting; Customer service; Sales processes; Results tracking and metrics; Accountability; Financial management; Communications; Marketing and more.
Look, you can argue with me all you want. I don’t care; I don’t have any more hair to pull out. The fact is, I’ve spent nearly forty years in the trenches and learning business from a “street fighting” perspective. Let’s get down and dirty. Let’s get after it.
Some days I won and won big; other days I had my butt handed to me. I always dusted myself off, evaluated what happened, learned from the situation and moved on. I also learned something else. Successful people the world over, at all levels shared most the same foundational beliefs around creating value and generating revenue.
The 9 Rules To Run Your Life (And Business) by, that I live and teach are:
- If I master the basics, constantly hone those skills, I’ll always be in the top 1%.
- I must fail before I can succeed. Any failure is only a failure because I didn’t learn something from the situation.
- The more I work on mastering the basics the better I become and the more successful I become.
- Strive for CLARITY in everything!
- Shut up and listen
- I will never stop learning. NEVER….Ever!
- The harder I work the luckier I am
- Always but always over deliver, and….
- I must always work really, really, really, really, really, really hard
So if there’s still any doubt or opposition to my thoughts left in your mind; if you still want to argue about the importance of mastering the foundational elements of business first, don’t sweat it, it’s ok, just keep doing what you’re doing. That will insure more opportunity and business for those of us who get it.
Those who “get it” are the ones that I want to work with and that I believe own the future. Heck, maybe I might be able to grow some hair back.
