Any Road

If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. - Anon.

The world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show he knows where he is going - Napoleon Hill

Every book that I have read about self-improvement, business improvement or any other type of book that talks about how to improve a situation always starts with a defined end state. What is the goal of all of this work and exertion. If you don't know it, can't see it in your head, and don't have it clearly defined, there is no possible way that you can work efficiently towards it.

And with all I know, I still don't know enough to have my personal plan written. I don't recall my end state that I am striving for. I have written it before, but it has spent too much time in a desk drawer for it to come clearly to my head. I need to rewrite it, post it up where I can clearly see it every day, and make it a living document that I revise occasionally to keep in tune with my desires.

In Michael Gerber's E-Myth Revisited he talks about having a "primary aim" which is a broader life-goal that should help steer the efforts of your life, your work, and the business you own. He contends that if you don't know what you want, how can your business give it to you? It is so true. If you don't know each morning what you are waking up to accomplish any path that suits your fancy for the day will work. In the end you'll walk in circles, sideways, backwards, all the while wondering "Why aren't I getting anywhere in life?" when the answer is clearly "I have no where I'm trying to get to."

Having Faith

I have been listening to Norman Vincent Peale's "The Power of Positive Thinking" in the car each day, to and from work, along with my Think and Grow Rich study. Dr. Peale's audio CDs are an excellent vehicle to increase my positive outlook on life and our business. It has been a tremendous help lately.

Having Faith is one of the most important concepts in his work. The idea that your faith is what brings the things in which you believe in to reality. It's an incredibly powerful concept that I am heartened by. I like the idea that as long as you believe strongly in something and take concerted, decisive action toward the goal you can achieve whatever your mind can believe. Faith is the power that will make that happen.

What is hope? Hope is wishing for a thing to come true; faith is believing that it will come true. - Norman Vincent Peale

Personal Motivation

My wife thinks I'm never listening. She says it all the time, "You're not even listening!" or "It doesn't matter because you're not going to hear this anyway." Some times she is definitely correct. I can't do two things at once. If I try to read email and hold a conversation - forget it - you can tell in a heart beat. That's my mea culpa.

But, some times she is wrong. I like to think its more than "some times" but that is a point that she and I can argue later. Some times, I am listening. And most of the time what she is saying makes sense. Last night she said something to the effect of "you don't need all of those motivational books, we [her and my son] she be enough [motivation] for you." Those aren't her exact words, I have a terrible memory for things that I hear vs. what I read.

But it struck a chord. While reading Napoleon Hill et. al is very helpful and inspiring, there is NOTHING more inspiring in the world than coming home at the end of the day to see my wife and my son. It truly is the best feeling in the world. And for that split second everything is perfect. Nothing matters, there are no worries, it is pure, simple joy. That is what I need to constantly remember - I can have that feeling any time I want, simply by walking in my front door. What a powerful thought.

I am going to capture that thought in my head and use it as my reserve from now on. I'm going to continue to read and learn and build from the foundation of the great writers, thinkers, and doers, but I am going to rely more on that "walk through the door" feeling to push me along. It is the best thing this world has to offer.

Decisiveness

Analysis of several hundred people who had accumulated fortunes well beyond the million-dollar mark disclosed the fact that every one of them had the habit of reaching decisions promptly, and of changing these decisions slowly, if, and
when they were changed. People who fail to accumulate money, without exception, have the habit of reaching decisions, if at all, very slowly, and of changing these decisions quickly and often.

Again, from Napoleon Hill. I am about 3/4 of the way through the book and then we'll get on to other luminaries; but there really is so much good stuff to right about in Think and Grow Rich - its amazing.

It's important to do the research, perform your analysis, plot your objective and strategy, and then make a decision and go with it - 100%. Mr. Hill is right, once you've set something in motion the surest way to fail is to change your mind quickly and often. Without focus, there will be little in the way of results.

I've often remarked that in America there is room for nearly anything that is better, or more useful than the existing offerings available. That if you wanted, and were passionate about it, you could begin to manufacture a whole new brand of toilet paper. If you had a good enough improvement on the existing product and had the passion to deliver that difference to the market place, you could win in the toilet paper market. The most commodititzed areas of business still have room for improvement and make room when things are done better.

There are thousands of examples of this, and they pop up everyday. Look at Jet Blue, who thought there was a need for another airline? Starbucks? You could get coffee at every 7-11 prior to their launch. Whole Foods? There are plenty of supermarkets out there struggling. The list goes on and on. Even in what appears to be a "closed" market, a well-thought, well executed decision can win.

So no matter what path is chosen the surest way to success is with decisiveness and sticking to your beliefs about your idea. That is where the passion comes in. If you aren't passionate about your idea or its success then there will be no reason for you to show the resolve necessary for success to occur. You must so deeply believe in your idea that you have the courage to stick to your guns and to see your vision through. You can only do this by being decisive and then making changes slowly and methodically; and only once you are convinced it is the right decision.

Action

With all of the books that I've been reading lately there is one theme that definitely sticks out: the glory and success goes to those that take action. And not just any action, but a concerted, focused effort towards a well defined goal. It is so simple that its amazing that not everyone has figured it out; and frankly, I can't believe it took me this long, but I can already feel it working on my life.

Just by defining what I want and making a plan to get there, coupled with the desire to finish the task has me moving forward much more quickly than I have in the last few years. It feels like I've been sailing on a calm day and suddenly some wind has picked up at my back, filled the sails and I'm moving forward at a nice clip. I look forward to getting more wind in to those sails, and increasing the pace.

I've noticed that action with out the plan is wasted, scattered action. I need to take the 5 minutes, or 5 hours, and write the plan - personal strategy - and then begin to execute. With no road map any road looks good and I quickly get frustrated. If I simply lay out a path, no matter how rough it seems I have a first step complete and a recognizable milestone up ahead to shoot for. Once you have that you are ready to get moving.

I know that by building rough plans, refining them as I go and working towards completing them with out procrastination that I will achieve far more in 2007 than I have in the last few years combined. I can't wait.

Procrastination and Persistence

Napoleon Hill's 31 Major Causes of Failure, numbers 8 & 9:

8. Procrastination. This is one of the most common causes of failure. "Old Man Procrastination" stands within the shadow of every human being, waiting his opportunity to spoil one's chances of success. Most of us go through life as failures, because we are waiting for the "time to be right" to start doing something worthwhile. Do not wait. The time will never be "just right." Start where you stand and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.

9. Lack of Persistence. Most of us are good "starters" but poor "finishers" of everything we begin. Moreover, people are more prone to give up at the first signs of defeat. There is no substitute for persistence. The person who makes persistence his watch-word, discovers that "Old Man Failure" finally becomes tired, and makes his departure. Failure cannot cope with persistence.

"Start where you stand" and "Failure cannot cope with persistence" are now two of my favorite quotes and concepts. Finishing is what differentiates success from failure; seeing a project through to its end is the hallmark of a successful individual. That brainstorm, that manuscript, that business idea are nothing without your persistence to finish them. The time "will never be 'just right'" to finish or start; use the tools at your disposal and be confident that your path will lead you to better ones.

Know Thy Self!

Can you list your 10 strongest assets? Can you name your 10 biggest weaknesses? How about 5? If you can't identify clearly your assets and liabilities, how can you know what you are worth? How can you move forward in your life? And by forward I refer to progress and growth; improved job, lifestyle, and most important, satisfaction and fulfillment. I don't mean forward by the passing of years in to old age.

Personally I can't identify 10 assets and weaknesses. I can probably do 5 and 5 each, which is a start; but to not know myself completely is a liability in-and-of itself that I would not have listed. Napoleon Hill states "You should know all of your weaknesses in order that you may either bridge them or eliminate them entirely." If I am not intimately familiar with my strengths, abilities, and areas of weaknesses then I can in no way identify a path to improve.

Further, with out knowing I can in no way know what my actual worth is. And without knowing what my true worth is, I cannot fairly and accurately evaluate the opportunities placed in front of me because I will only choose what "sounds good" rather than choose the opportunity that rewards me (monetarily, spiritually, et al) the most for my worth. Hill continues:

"Your financial requirements or wants have nothing to do with your worth. Your value is established entirely by your ability to render useful service or your capacity to induce others to render such service."

In other words, its not what I feel I should "make" rather it's a question of what I provide and the value others place on that service. Instead of saying "I should be making more money" I need to reframe that to "I should be delivering more value." The focus on providing, is empowering because the situation is in my control. The idea of being paid or "making" money is disenfranchising because it is based on someone's opinion of my worth. If I feel I should "make" more I should immediately think "What can I do to deliver more value?" Focus on that will instantly create the "make"; because I will be worth more to others.

Combining the two thoughts: by identifying my strengths and weaknesses I can more effectively move forward and in-turn constantly improve the quality and quantity of the value I am providing; as that delivered-value increases so will my worth to others and the commiserate fees that are associated with that ever-increasing value-creation.

Let's go create some value!!!