by Matthew Best
It's been said that beginnings are often disguised at painful endings. Take a look around you at life cycles. The ending of business or personal relationships. The ending of a job or the "failure" of a business. The ending of a sporting event.
These are all endings, but also beginnings - the question is what it is the beginning of? So often we get caught up in the status quo that we struggle to hold on to what we are familiar with. In doing this, we make the ending more painful. We are often left asking ourselves if we could have preventing the ending at all. When we lock ourselves on the familiar we miss the new beginning.
New beginnings are where the opportunities exist. New beginnings challenge us to grow, to do something new, to expand ourselves beyond what we think we know and are comfortable with.
This isn't always a pleasant experience, but it is growth. What are the endings and beginnings in your business? What are you doing today
to embrace a new beginning as an opportunity for growth?
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at http://somedayisland.com/newsletter.html
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
What’s the Principle?
by Matt Best
I've been doing a great deal of reading lately. I've read books and authors such as Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations published in 1776, David Hume, also a 1700's author, Alexis DeTocqueville's Democracy in America, published in the mid 1800's, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, and The 5000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen.
These are all books that I categorize as political philosophy - man's relationship to himself through government.
What is interesting is that each of these books and authors teaches something unique and at the same time they emphasize a common theme or set of principles.
I would not have seen the significance of the principles had I not read these series of books.
The principles are the things that matter - they apply regardless of who utilizes them or where. As I have been telling my clients lately, when we understand the principles and the process, we have clarity and we can accomplish great things.
When we attempt to violate the principles, we suffer the consequences.
What are the principles that govern your business? Are you conflicting with these principles or are you working in conjunction with these principles? Are you even aware of the principles? If not, what will you do about this?
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at www.passportforsuccess.org
I've been doing a great deal of reading lately. I've read books and authors such as Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations published in 1776, David Hume, also a 1700's author, Alexis DeTocqueville's Democracy in America, published in the mid 1800's, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, and The 5000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen.
These are all books that I categorize as political philosophy - man's relationship to himself through government.
What is interesting is that each of these books and authors teaches something unique and at the same time they emphasize a common theme or set of principles.
I would not have seen the significance of the principles had I not read these series of books.
The principles are the things that matter - they apply regardless of who utilizes them or where. As I have been telling my clients lately, when we understand the principles and the process, we have clarity and we can accomplish great things.
When we attempt to violate the principles, we suffer the consequences.
What are the principles that govern your business? Are you conflicting with these principles or are you working in conjunction with these principles? Are you even aware of the principles? If not, what will you do about this?
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at www.passportforsuccess.org
Friday, April 10, 2009
Recession Proof Attitude
by Matthew Best
Let's do a quick check - how's your attitude? Are you depressed, angry, upset, annoyed, etc? Do you watch the news, read the paper, see articles on the internet, listen to your friends and neighbors complain?
It's pretty easy to let all the negativity get to you, isn't it? We are all inundated with negativity nonstop.
Let me get right to the point - I'm sick of hearing about it! Consider this - more millionaires have been "made" during recessions and depressions than during "good" economic times.
So what is about these people that help them to be so successful?
Here's what I've learned - they can't stop being inundated with all the negativity, but they can choose to either ignore it, blow it off, etc. These people decide that they aren't interested in letting others decide how they are going to feel. They have a plan and a direction, they stay focused on it, and plow ahead.
These people understood that their emotions are there to assist them, not control them. When we act out of anger, fear, etc. we usually end up with less than desirable results. Our emotions are there to assist us in understanding what is going on - but not base our decisions solely on emotion. That's why we have a rational mind.
These people listen. Listening in many different ways. They listen to their emotions, they pay attention to what's going on around them, they see the trends that are coming. In other words, they keep their eyes open to opportunities and dangers.
Here's my final thought - get out there and succeed! You can do it!
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at www.passportforsuccess.org
Let's do a quick check - how's your attitude? Are you depressed, angry, upset, annoyed, etc? Do you watch the news, read the paper, see articles on the internet, listen to your friends and neighbors complain?
It's pretty easy to let all the negativity get to you, isn't it? We are all inundated with negativity nonstop.
Let me get right to the point - I'm sick of hearing about it! Consider this - more millionaires have been "made" during recessions and depressions than during "good" economic times.
So what is about these people that help them to be so successful?
Here's what I've learned - they can't stop being inundated with all the negativity, but they can choose to either ignore it, blow it off, etc. These people decide that they aren't interested in letting others decide how they are going to feel. They have a plan and a direction, they stay focused on it, and plow ahead.
These people understood that their emotions are there to assist them, not control them. When we act out of anger, fear, etc. we usually end up with less than desirable results. Our emotions are there to assist us in understanding what is going on - but not base our decisions solely on emotion. That's why we have a rational mind.
These people listen. Listening in many different ways. They listen to their emotions, they pay attention to what's going on around them, they see the trends that are coming. In other words, they keep their eyes open to opportunities and dangers.
Here's my final thought - get out there and succeed! You can do it!
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at www.passportforsuccess.org
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Trust
by Matthew Best
The band U2 recently released a brand new album. I purchased it soon after its release. I hadn't even heard a single song that was on the album. So why did I buy it?
I bought it because U2 is my all time favorite band. I've bought all of their albums over the years. I love their music.
This got me thinking about trust. Even though I had not heard a single song on the new album, I trusted that I would like it. I have this trust because in one sense, being a fan of U2, I have a relationship with the band - as all true fans do.
U2 has done an excellent job of building a loyal following. Fans have come to expect things from the relationship. They expect to hear the unique guitar sound of The Edge, one of the members of the band. In fact, you can tell a U2 song just by hearing The Edge's guitar playing.
Fans expect to see a new album out ever few years. Fans expect Bono, the lead singer, to be outspoken about the issues he cares about. Fans expect the band to put on great shows.
The band has done an excellent job of meeting these expectations and then some.
U2 has an excellent level of trust and loyalty with their fans because they work continuously to build that trust. They created the expectations they were willing to commit to.
What are you doing in your business to build trust with your own fans? What expectations are you creating? Are you at a point that if you offer a new product or service, that fans would buy it, just because you put it out? If not, why not and what are you going to do about it?
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at www.passportforsuccess.org
The band U2 recently released a brand new album. I purchased it soon after its release. I hadn't even heard a single song that was on the album. So why did I buy it?
I bought it because U2 is my all time favorite band. I've bought all of their albums over the years. I love their music.
This got me thinking about trust. Even though I had not heard a single song on the new album, I trusted that I would like it. I have this trust because in one sense, being a fan of U2, I have a relationship with the band - as all true fans do.
U2 has done an excellent job of building a loyal following. Fans have come to expect things from the relationship. They expect to hear the unique guitar sound of The Edge, one of the members of the band. In fact, you can tell a U2 song just by hearing The Edge's guitar playing.
Fans expect to see a new album out ever few years. Fans expect Bono, the lead singer, to be outspoken about the issues he cares about. Fans expect the band to put on great shows.
The band has done an excellent job of meeting these expectations and then some.
U2 has an excellent level of trust and loyalty with their fans because they work continuously to build that trust. They created the expectations they were willing to commit to.
What are you doing in your business to build trust with your own fans? What expectations are you creating? Are you at a point that if you offer a new product or service, that fans would buy it, just because you put it out? If not, why not and what are you going to do about it?
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at www.passportforsuccess.org
Monday, March 23, 2009
How Have You Failed Your Way to Success Lately?
by Matthew Best
I have a colleague who once set a goal to fail more than he had in the past. You read that correctly - he wanted to fail more.
You may be wondering if my colleague lost his marbles. No, not at all. It's the idea that we fail forward to success.
There is the famous story about Thomas Edison. Edison invented the light bulb, but it took him over 10,000 attempts to get it right. When asked by a reporter about those 10,000 "failures," Edison responded that they weren't failures at all - he just figured out 10,000 ways not to make a light bulb.
I can't tell you how many partnerships I've tried to put together over the years. The vast majority fail, if they even end up making it off the ground at all. That's ok though. I never expected to hit the jackpot with a successful partnership the first time out. I had much to learn about partnerships. I'm getting much better at understanding how not to create a partnership.
The biggest obstacle you will probably face to failing forward is your own perseverance. Edison must have had an abundance of perseverance. If this is an area that is lacking for you - work on it - it will be worth it.
So how have you failed on your journey of success today? If you aren't failing, you aren't trying something new. And if you aren't trying something new, you are stagnant and your business is serious danger.
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at Passportforsuccess.org.
I have a colleague who once set a goal to fail more than he had in the past. You read that correctly - he wanted to fail more.
You may be wondering if my colleague lost his marbles. No, not at all. It's the idea that we fail forward to success.
There is the famous story about Thomas Edison. Edison invented the light bulb, but it took him over 10,000 attempts to get it right. When asked by a reporter about those 10,000 "failures," Edison responded that they weren't failures at all - he just figured out 10,000 ways not to make a light bulb.
I can't tell you how many partnerships I've tried to put together over the years. The vast majority fail, if they even end up making it off the ground at all. That's ok though. I never expected to hit the jackpot with a successful partnership the first time out. I had much to learn about partnerships. I'm getting much better at understanding how not to create a partnership.
The biggest obstacle you will probably face to failing forward is your own perseverance. Edison must have had an abundance of perseverance. If this is an area that is lacking for you - work on it - it will be worth it.
So how have you failed on your journey of success today? If you aren't failing, you aren't trying something new. And if you aren't trying something new, you are stagnant and your business is serious danger.
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at Passportforsuccess.org.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Breaking Down Your Goals
by Matthew Best
Most entrepreneurs I know have no problem with goal setting - at least they think they are good at it. In fact, most entrepreneurs I know have a ton of goals. Their challenge comes down to two things - prioritization and manageable goals.
Prioritizing your goals will allow you know which goal to work on first. What's the easiest way to prioritize your goals? Run a tournament. It's March Madness time, so this should be an easy concept. Set your goals up in brackets and have two goals "compete" against one another. Decide which goal would be more satisfying to have complete. That's your winner. Keep doing this until you have your top goal and start working on it.
As for manageable goals - the key is to break you goals down to smaller chunks. If you have a revenue goal of $100,000, it may be easier to set a smaller goal of generating $10,000 or $5,000. If you can figure out how to generate $5,000 once, you can repeat the process.
Another key to breaking your goal down is to make sure you understand the connection between your smaller goal and what you are really trying to accomplish. This can be a big challenge. Going back to our example - You really want to generate $100,000, not $5,000 - so you have to make sure you identify your motivation for generating $5,000. Without identifying this - you're bound to hit a road bump in your goal and without the motivation to continue, you'll likely give up.
Make sure the motivation taps into your emotion. Why do you really want to generate $5,000? Get passionate about it - as if it were the most important goal of the year. You'll have your motivation and you'll probably be ready to get started. Don't delay - get moving.
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at Passportforsuccess.org.
Most entrepreneurs I know have no problem with goal setting - at least they think they are good at it. In fact, most entrepreneurs I know have a ton of goals. Their challenge comes down to two things - prioritization and manageable goals.
Prioritizing your goals will allow you know which goal to work on first. What's the easiest way to prioritize your goals? Run a tournament. It's March Madness time, so this should be an easy concept. Set your goals up in brackets and have two goals "compete" against one another. Decide which goal would be more satisfying to have complete. That's your winner. Keep doing this until you have your top goal and start working on it.
As for manageable goals - the key is to break you goals down to smaller chunks. If you have a revenue goal of $100,000, it may be easier to set a smaller goal of generating $10,000 or $5,000. If you can figure out how to generate $5,000 once, you can repeat the process.
Another key to breaking your goal down is to make sure you understand the connection between your smaller goal and what you are really trying to accomplish. This can be a big challenge. Going back to our example - You really want to generate $100,000, not $5,000 - so you have to make sure you identify your motivation for generating $5,000. Without identifying this - you're bound to hit a road bump in your goal and without the motivation to continue, you'll likely give up.
Make sure the motivation taps into your emotion. Why do you really want to generate $5,000? Get passionate about it - as if it were the most important goal of the year. You'll have your motivation and you'll probably be ready to get started. Don't delay - get moving.
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at Passportforsuccess.org.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Running a Business is like having a Newborn
by Matthew Best
This past week my wife delivered our fourth child. It's a wonderful experience that changes your life.
In fact, when you think about it - running a business is very much like having a newborn.
When you have a newborn you just don't sleep on your own schedule - it's the baby's schedule. Isn't that also true for your business? When a customer wants something, you go out of your way to fulfill their need on their time frame. It doesn't always work out, but your customer appreciates the effort.
You devote as much time, attention, and energy to your children as possible to see them grow up to be successful young adults who can make it on their own. Think about how much time, energy and attention you put into your own business - if you are like most business owners, you treat your business as if it were a member of the family. It's health and well-being have an impact on the rest of the family.
Having and raising a baby is not an easy job. Could anyone argue differently about owning and running a business?
Ask any parent if they love their child unconditionally and you should get a resounding yes. That is why kids can get away with so much - parents will put up with a great deal of frustration because they love their child. The same is true for a business owner. A business owner is willing to put up with a great deal of frustration - from irate customers, to uncertain profits, to late hours - all because of the love and devotion an owner will put into their business.
Lastly, A child can make you proud. The first time they say a word, or take a step, or ride a bike without training wheels are proud moments for any parent. You have first moments in business too. The first dollar you earn, your first client, the first time you make an actual profit. These are proud moments for a business owner.
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at Passportforsuccess.org.
This past week my wife delivered our fourth child. It's a wonderful experience that changes your life.
In fact, when you think about it - running a business is very much like having a newborn.
When you have a newborn you just don't sleep on your own schedule - it's the baby's schedule. Isn't that also true for your business? When a customer wants something, you go out of your way to fulfill their need on their time frame. It doesn't always work out, but your customer appreciates the effort.
You devote as much time, attention, and energy to your children as possible to see them grow up to be successful young adults who can make it on their own. Think about how much time, energy and attention you put into your own business - if you are like most business owners, you treat your business as if it were a member of the family. It's health and well-being have an impact on the rest of the family.
Having and raising a baby is not an easy job. Could anyone argue differently about owning and running a business?
Ask any parent if they love their child unconditionally and you should get a resounding yes. That is why kids can get away with so much - parents will put up with a great deal of frustration because they love their child. The same is true for a business owner. A business owner is willing to put up with a great deal of frustration - from irate customers, to uncertain profits, to late hours - all because of the love and devotion an owner will put into their business.
Lastly, A child can make you proud. The first time they say a word, or take a step, or ride a bike without training wheels are proud moments for any parent. You have first moments in business too. The first dollar you earn, your first client, the first time you make an actual profit. These are proud moments for a business owner.
Like what you are reading? Want more? Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter - Passport for Success. It is delivered to your e-mail box every Monday morning. Sign-up at Passportforsuccess.org.
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