OUR BLOG

As a business coach, my primary responsibility is to help people succeed … not only to reach their goals, but to attain that level of personal satisfaction and meaning that comes from fulfilling their mission.

In this series of articles, we’re exploring the qualities and attributes that set you apart as a small business owner … the ones you absolutely must have … or develop … if you want to succeed in business!

We’ve looked at the importance of having rigor and grit.

The third key I want to talk about is knowing where to focus your energies.

Back in the heyday of the passenger ship, there was a man who owned a steamship with an engine that wouldn’t run properly no matter what his crew did to fix it. So, he called on an outside expert to diagnose the problem and get the engine running smoothly again.

It didn’t take long. The master mechanic came on board, listened intently to the engine for a while, reached into his toolkit, brought out a hammer, and fetched the engine housing a mighty whack. Instantly, the engine started humming like it was new.

I just did a major program launch online. It involved a lot of writing, editing, and graphic design. Lots of logistics and technology. Lots of partnering. And I worked with a couple of coaches on the best way to go about everything. It wasn’t cheap to do this.

I can’t remember anything.

I’ve studied and practiced, but I’m tired and I can’t remember what I intended to say in the way I want to say it.

I appeared on a panel recently addressing a group of entrepreneurs and “wantrapreneurs” when an intriguing question came up.

Are entrepreneurs born that way or can you learn to be an entrepreneur?

Dilemma.

A client called me recently. She wasn’t sure what to do. She’d made a special offer for a complimentary session on her blog.

Jerry Seinfeld’s a funny guy. That said, I’ll bet you could name several comedians you think are funnier.

But can you name any who are richer?

No, you can’t, because he’s by far the richest. So how did he get so rich?

Sometimes people can’t tell you what they want.

They’re so tied into the what’s-so of their current reality they have a hard time seeing beyond it. That’s why we need visionaries. And why you need to be a visionary.

Would you ever want to give someone the impression you don’t really need or want their business? Of course not!

But, could you be doing this unwittingly? Hmmm …

Now what would possibly give people the impression you’re not all that interested in serving them?

It’s so tempting.

The weather’s great, the days feel lazier, the kids are out of school, there are so many fun things to do … and you think, “Well, why not take some time off in June, July, and August and really kick back into gear in September? Nothing much happens in the summer anyway.”

Great plan … except for one thing. Momentum. Lost momentum to be precise.