Often, Saturday mornings feel like a much-needed rest stop after driving all day. You know the feeling, right?
You come to a stop and take a deep breath as your arms drop from the steering wheel. It’s then you feel the tenseness in your hands from gripping the wheel tighter than you had realized. A stretch before exiting the car helps the transition from the focus required as you managed your three-thousand-pound vehicle through traffic, turns, sudden stops, other drivers, less than ideal weather conditions, etc.
Upon exiting your vehicle, you stretch once again – this time just a bit longer as you work out the slight pains in your neck or knees. Maybe even a couple of sharp twists of the neck, without even realizing what has really become a habit of sorts – a routine to transition to relaxation and to your next steps, whatever those may be.
Saturdays are key to the transition from the past week. It’s key to the maintaining work-life balance that is essential to your well-being, and to your success. Sometimes, forcing yourself into the right mindset to establish a sense of calm is necessary. Determining ways to do so is essential.
Now you’re ready to move through the day of different activities that will take you further away from the mental weight of the work week. Whether it’s physical work in the yard or a heart-pounding bicycle ride or even a stroll through the mall, you’ll be recharging your batteries while re-energizing your mind.
Have you ever felt your computer was just a bit faster after restarting? And have you ever sensed your car drove just a bit better after washing it? One is actually a real experience while the other is perception, and that’s perfectly okay as both are positive experiences, each in their own way.
I believe Saturdays are “mindset” days. Better still, “mind reset” days!
The song, Saturday in the Park by Chicago seems to pop into my mind quite often and for me, epitomizes that mindset, especially the last lines of the lyrics…
“People reaching, people touching. A real celebration. Waiting for us all. If we want it, really want it. Can you dig it (yes, I can)? And I’ve been waiting such a long time. For the day, yeah, yeah.”
I strongly recommend taking a few minutes to sit back right now and listen to the entire song or better yet, watch this video. I believe you’ll find your feet tapping to the melody as you visualize the experience, and wait for it, you’ll begin to smile. Trust me. It will happen!!
Relaxed. Recharged. Re-energized. I’m now ready for Sunday.
To many, Sunday is considered the end of the weekend. To me, it’s the start of a new week, a new beginning.
I love the quiet and solitude of Sunday mornings as I awake by 4AM. I use the time to think about possibilities as I catch up on reading, reviewing the many publications, newsletters & blogs to which I subscribe. Sunday afternoons are typically reserved for family time.
Preparing for the week ahead is reserved for Sunday evenings and typically takes me well into the night. This ensures a stress-free start to the week ahead and goes a long way toward achieving goals. Doing so actually helps plan for free evenings during the week. This allows me to maintain a work-life balance as family commitments & events are firmly in place on my calendar, not to be interrupted by work.
When asked whether age is a determining factor in achieving success, many will answer with a resounding, yes, especially when the age in question is past 40, and even more if past 50 or 60. The same is true when the question is about starting a business – or anything new, for that matter.
In research conducted by MIT professor Pierre Azoulay the average age of individuals who founded companies between 2007 and 2014 was around 40 years old. His research was based upon analyzing over 2.7 million company founders. That’s a huge number to ensure accuracy in his findings.
Further, Azoulay discovered that a founder at age 50 is approximately twice as likely to experience a “successful exit” compared to a founder at age 30. A successful exit meaning their company gets acquired or goes public.
So despite the success of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and many others who founded companies in their teens and twenties, those are the exceptions, rather than the norm.
Let’s take a look at the opposite end of the spectrum and highlight those that achieved success later on in life:
Vera Wang
Before creating runway clothing and wedding dresses, Vera Wang was a figure skater and a journalist. She did not enter the fashion industry until she was 40 years old. As one of the most famous designers today, it’s hard to imagine Vera Wang doing anything but building her fashion empire. It just goes to show that it’s never too late to change careers, or to chase a passion.
Ray Kroc
After spending his career as a milkshake-device salesman, Ray Kroc, already in his 50’s, founded the McDonald’s System, Inc. in 1955, a predecessor of the McDonald’s Corporation. Six years later, he bought the exclusive rights to the McDonald’s name and operating system. He is credited with turning McDonald’s into the most successful fast food corporation in the world.
Julia Childs
An American cooking teacher, author, and television personality, Julia Childs is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs. After working many years in media and advertising, Childs learned how to cook as a hobby. She publish her first cookbook when she was 50 years old.
Harland Sanders
After holding a number of jobs in his early life, such as steam engine stoker, insurance salesman, and filling station operator, Harland Sanders began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in Kentucky during the Great Depression. Despite closing his business, Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders, franchised Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1952 at the age of 62. He sold the franchise business for $2 million 12 years later.
According to AARP, the three top sectors older entrepreneurs go into are business services, food/restaurant and health/beauty/fitness, followed by general retail and automotive. No matter where they choose to start their businesses, entrepreneurs 50 and older have a lifetime of experience they can leverage to get started.
FranchiseOpportunities.com reports, If you’re retired or will be retiring soon, there are many ways in which you can become a franchisee. You can open a location, you can work part-time, you can invest or start a brand with others, etc. You can be hands-on working full-time, or you can stay in the back and watch your bank account grow. There are many options as to how you can become a franchisee, and that’s half the fun of it. There’s not a one-size-fits-all, but ways in which you can adapt to what meets your preferences and needs.
Whether a franchise or an independent business, whether an acquisition or startup, entrepreneurship is a viable option for many individuals who believe they still have what it takes to succeed. Entrepreneurship is an excellent path to achieving that success. Albeit, success is not guaranteed. So, despite years of wisdom and experience, it’s still important and essential due diligence be performed to the highest level possible.
This morning I sat down at my desk prepared to share an article I had written for today’s newsletter. That is, until I completed my early-morning routine of taking a spin through my personal social media. I do enjoy reading what my friends have posted, seeing whose birthday is today, and reading through a multitude of funny and uplifting memes.
As I was wrapping up and shifting my mindset toward today’s article, I came across a post on Facebook by Greg George, long-time franchise professional, serial entrepreneur and CEO at Peach Cobbler Factory.
After reading through the post multiple times, I just knew I had to share his story here today. It needs to be shared far and wide – not for Greg’s benefit and recognition, although his story is both remarkable and courageous, to say the least – but for the benefit of others.
Greg’s story can provide hope for anyone facing the despair and helplessness of addiction. I truly believe that to be true. In today’s world, there are so many that need help. There are so many that are going through a very dark life, in many cases unknown to others. As such, Greg’s story must be shared.
Greg’s Story
I want to share a story about two miracles. My story is about a father and son. The father was a drug addict and drunk for over 45 years. The son was a drug addict for over 8 years. Both were on a path of self destruction because of addiction.
The story all began when the father picked up his first drink at ten years old and the son took his first pills in high school after a football injury. Both father and son loved the feeling they got by drinking and or drugging as it killed the pain that was either mental or physical.
So all the father knew as a boy was his daddy drank to much and all the son knew was his daddy drank to much. Both father and son only knew what they had learned from their fathers.
So after years and years of killing their individual pain there were two distinct miracles that occurred. As the father just kept on his routine of drinking alcohol and smoking weed what he didn’t know was the son was spiraling out of control. By the Grace of God both men hit tough times.
The father was relieved but at the same time was scared that his son would never recover and end up like so many that had lost hope. So the miracle happened when the son hit his bottom and the father was able to get the son into a faith based rehab center. So, while the son was away at treatment the father who had smoked chronic weed like a wild man and drank like a fish for over 45 years almost daily hatched a plan for bringing home his first born son once he completed 3 months of treatment. Being fearful of losing his son the father came up with an elaborate plan where he would remove the alcohol and drugs from his home as not to tempt his son and he would simply go out with friends to drink and use hoping to pull one over on his first born son. So, after the son was in treatment for 3 months it was time for the father to pick up his son. The night before the big day the father got drunk and stoned like never before.
The next morning the father woke up and looked in the mirror and something came over him like never before as he knew his run was over. He drove to the rehabilitation center still half drunk and on his way inside he noticed from far away there was a stranger standing at the door. When the father started to open the door to go in and get his son he looked over at the stranger and he saw the person whom he barely recognized. The stranger was unrecognizable to the father but was his actually his son who was not the same person the father had dropped off three months earlier. So the father in shock went into the treatment center and ask for the Director and ask to gather all the men at the center into the kitchen.
The father stood in front of all the men at the treatment center and looked each of them in the eye. The father admitted 45 years of drug and alchohol abuse. The father admitted he did not recognize his son standing beside him and was ashamed of himself. The father told the group he was a broken man in more ways than one. The father then told all the men in the room and his son that the night before was his last drink and or drug as long as he was ALIVE! The father admitted he was a drug addict and an alcoholic for the first time ever and the father and son walked out of the rehab center two scared but changed men. Both were more scared of living life clean and sober than they were of dying prior to this day when their miracles occurred.
So the two whom acted alike, looked alike and thought alike committed to living their lives drug and alcohol free. They teamed up to gain sobriety. They went to 90 Narcotics Anonymous meetings in 90 days. The pair that once relied on pills and booze to manage their lives started changing. Their brains started working. Things changed…life became much different for them both. They renewed their broken relationship, were baptized together and decided there was a better way.
The two miracles that happened were that those two human beings are alive today. Many people can’t and don’t overcome addiction. Drugs and booze are tearing at society, breaking up families, killing many before their time.
The reason I can tell this story of the father and son is because I am the father and he is my son. My son is almost (5) years clean and sober and I am not far behind. Sharing our miracle is very painful and embarrassing but it also is very important that others know that addiction can be overcome. God has bigger plans for us both and I tell our story so those that have lost hope in themselves or their loved ones understand there is hope and they to can recover.
To all, please share Greg’s story with someone today. I’m confident it will make a difference in someone’s life… and in many lives. Thank you, Greg for your courage and willingness to help others. It speaks volumes of the person you are!
In light of the high number of comments I’ve received over the past two days about the two articles about dreams and goals that I’ve posted this week, today I’m sharing an article about goals from a few months ago. I believe it’s a good way to wrap up the conversation about both goals AND dreams as I’m of the belief that dreams are essentially nothing more than long-term goals.
Just in case you may have missed the two articles I’ve referenced above, here are the links – if you’re interested in catching up:
Note: The following article was originally posted on Acceler8Success Cafe on June 29, 2022. It’s shared again today with slight edits for relevance to the current time of year.
Treating Goals Like Utility Bills
Time appears to be flying by as it’s hard to believe we’re already two plus years removed from the first lockdown and didn’t we just celebrate our third holiday season since then? Now, with the end of the year less than three months away, it feels like time is flying by at break-neck speed. Do you realize we’re 22 years removed from Y2K and get this, we’re closer to the year 2050 than we are to the year 1990? Let THAT sink in!
I bring up the notion of time flying by because time doesn’t change. It’s one of the only constants we have in life with the same number of seconds in a minute, minutes in an hour, hours in day, days in a week, etc. What does change is how we make use of our time.
I believe time appears to fly by when goals are met. Achieving goals is like maneuvering from rock to rock to get across a stream with each rock getting us closer to the other side, albeit several or more feet at a time. Sometimes, it means assessing the situation and may mean changing course. The quote, “Change the plan, but not the goal” comes to mind.
With each step, stride and leap, we’re closer to the goal. As that occurs, the pace may quicken. The sense of achievement motivates us more and more. The rocks become easier to navigate. As the goal is reached, the excitement inspires us to do more, to establish another goal or set of goals, and so on.
But what happens when we miss achieving our goals? Well, time flies by even faster as time appears to be wasted. We become frustrated by the loss of time, spinning our wheels and getting nowhere. Procrastination becomes the order of the day. Denial soon sets in. Progress, or any semblance of progress is non-existent.
Before we know it, six, twelve, eighteen, twenty-four days, weeks or months fly by like a blur. If you don’t agree, think about what had been described as the “new normal” since the lockdown two-plus years ago. Many implemented a plan but have never monitored or even evaluated it. Yet, the plan remains, half-assed as it may be.
Stuck in the new normal, it’s easy to become complacent. “We’re giving it more time,” is what I’ve heard from many business owners of late. “We believe it’s working” is the follow-up statement. Based upon what? And how long is more time? Is giving it more time and belief that it’s working anything more than procrastination and/or denial? Is it anything more than just not wanting to make necessary adjustments, revisions or change? It’s no wonder time flies by.
It’d be interesting if we were to receive a monthly bill for time and goals. Think about it. Receiving a bill each month for an allocated amount of time toward the plan developed to achieve our goals would be motivating. The bill would include a payment date (achievement or progress deadline), late-fees (urgent action items) and a termination date (personal accountability, change or stop). Need an extension? Sure, with a definitive payment date and only two times within a year.
As we start to prepare for both year’s end AND the year ahead, I suggest reviewing all goals. We must be honest in our evaluation. This should include estimating what has been done to-date as a percentage and then, what must still be done as the remaining percentage. We must determine the remaining time to achieve each goal and establish firm payment or installment dates. Terminate what should be considered a closed or inactive account.
The rocks in the stream mentioned above have a similar approach as bills for goals. Each rock is in and of itself a bill. The difference is that the rocks are tangible. They’re right in front of us. We know if we don’t reach the next rock, the goal is terminated. Now, let’s apply the same theory to our future goals and to the remaining goals for 2022. After all, due dates are just ahead, and the clock is ticking!
I hope you enjoyed some rest and relaxation over a very welcomed three day weekend – at least for many. Hopefully, the extra day helped settle minds some, considering all the negative news seemingly in our faces non-stop on TV, across social media, posted on billboards, etc.
It’s essential to our mental health to take a break here and there, and especially in light of economic uncertainty and challenges being caused by the same in our work lives. We must be able to work at our most effective level possible in order to navigate our businesses through these challenging times. Yesterday was a good reminder as it was World Mental Health Day.
As I was writing yesterday’s article, Dreams Are Always Worth Pursuing, and knowing it was World Mental Health Day, I started thinking about the effect dreams and goals may have on our mental health. Interestingly, I found quite a few articles about the topic.
One article addresses it as, Setting goals is an effective way to increase motivation and to help you to create the changes you want. It can be used to improve health and relationships, or improve productivity at work. Setting goals can also be an important step in the recovery from mental illness.
Dreams, which are often longer-term goals, would apply, as well. Of course, I’m not referring to dreams that occur during sleep. Instead, I’m referring to dreams of achievement, accomplishment, a positive outcome.
The study, which was recently published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, surveyed more than 3,000 people in the United States over a period of 18 years, looking at their tendency of persisting for their goals, having a positive attitude when facing challenges, and self-mastery, that is, believing in one’s ability to fulfill their goals.
The study found that those individuals who indicated greater goal persistence and optimism at the beginning of the study had lower incidences of anxiety, depressive, and panic disorders throughout the study.
Working on persevering for their life-long goals and keeping a positive outlook can be two important tools in helping individuals build resiliency, gain success in their personal and professional lives, and ultimately improve their sense of well-being and fulfillment.
Reading through a number of articles with similar information stimulated some thoughts of my own on how dreams and goals could help entrepreneurs and business owners deal with mental health issues – of which we know both groups are highly susceptible.
It brought to mind an article I had written some time ago about dreams and goals. It was originally published in January 2010 but the similarities between the economic challenges faced in 2010 and today make the article, albeit with minor edits, very relevant today!
What Happened to Our Dreams and Goals?
I recently came across an interesting discussion in one of the LinkedIn groups that I found quite intriguing, and downright enjoyable to read. It wasn’t about franchising. Nothing about social media. There was no mention of business or entrepreneurship. Money or finances weren’t a major part of the equation. And, surprisingly, just a few mentions about current economic challenges. The discussion was actually about the concept of dreams and goals.
It was enlightening that there were well over one hundred responses in a relatively short period of time. Definitely a considerable amount when compared to other discussions within the same group. Often, the responses were being posted one right after the other. It seemed like people wanted to talk about their dreams and goals, almost as if they had been prohibited from doing so of late.
In light of the economic uncertainty surrounding us today, it seems the subject of dreams and goals has hibernated like a bear for winter. During good times, dreams and goals are out in the open, shared by many. Actually, bragged about by some, and the end results, often materialistic, flaunted by others.
It’s ironic that we’re taught that in order to achieve a goal, a key element in doing so is to enlist the assistance of people that can help us achieve the goal. Yet, in the current economic climate, discussions about dreams and goals have subsided, and have almost disappeared. It’s almost like we feel guilty to have such discussions at this time. Or, that we should just be thankful for what we have and dismiss our dreams and goals as frivolous.
What about the dreams and goals that are not financially driven or rewarding? Why have they been put on the back burner? Well, to all of this, I say “enough is enough.” Yes, enough of the poor me attitudes. Enough of the pity parties. And, enough of the social “rubbernecking.” (Social rubbernecking is when people excitedly talk about other people’s miseries – i.e., neighbor lost his job, their house was foreclosed on, he was having an affair – it’s just like slowing down to look at the horrific car wreck!)
NOW is definitely the time to put all the negatives aside and re-ignite the passion behind our dreams. It’s the perfect time to pull out those lists of goals and remember why we wrote them down in the first place. Why they’re important. How they’re important to people close to us. And how our lives would be positively affected upon achieving our goals and making our dreams come true.
Certainly, it’s time to face the realization that it’s up to us to make our dreams and goals a reality. They’re ours. We own them. No one can take them from us. To paraphrase a quote that I’ve seen many times (in many different forms) in discussions about success, “There are people that make things happen, some that watch things happen, and others that wonder what the hell happened?” Could you tell which group of people are most successful at achieving their goals and making their dreams come true?
And I’ll leave you with my favorite quote to ponder:
The best way to predict your future is to create it.
As today is Columbus Day, I woke up this morning recalling a particular Columbus Day when a good friend of mine and I decided to pursue a dream. I say, “pursue” with a chuckle in my mind as our dream was really just a wish that had no formidable plan behind it. Honestly, it was not even realistic or practical. Yet, we were committed to making our dream come true.
The days before the holiday when we would have the day off from school, we talked about what we were going to do that day… almost incessantly. Mind you, we were each 13 years old and freshman in high school. The year was 1971. Definitely simpler and more innocent times. Safer, as well.
Our goal was to meet girls from a European country at the United Nations! We would get up early and trek into Manhattan from Staten Island and visit the United Nations. Keep in mind, the U.N. was open to the public. I recall being able to sit in on meetings and listen in on the discussions as they were translated in real time. We did visit often.
Anyway, on this particular day our commitment to our dream was steadfast. As the activity at the U.N. would be extra busy due to it being a holiday weekend, we truly felt our dream would come true. Would it be girls from Hungary? Germany? Spain? Italian would be nice as we were both from Italian families.
On the Staten Island ferry, we talked about our “ dream” girls. We knew they’d most likely have dark hair. Of course, they would be pretty — correction, gorgeous. Exotic, too. At least in the minds of 13 year-olds, right? They’d be our age so we assumed they’d be dressed much like the girls we knew.
We even thought about their names. Olga, Heidi and Isabel are ones that I remember the most. If the girls were Italian, we just assumed their names would be similar to the girls in our families. Oh to have such naivety and innocence again!
Our dream was real. Yet, I don’t believe either one of us believed, truly believed our common dream would come true. I say that now as we really never discussed the what ifs or even the obstacles that now seemed so evident.
How would we talk with them with only elementary Spanish as our only foreign language skillset? As the girls would most likely be with their families, how would we even be able to approach them? What would be the likelihood of two girls together with both being our age? And if we did get past these hurdles, where would we take the girls? Especially, since neither of us had more than five dollars in our pockets!
The dream was just the possibility, as remote as it might be of actually meeting these girls and truth be told, even just an exchange of smiles would have been considered a success.
We spent the day at the U.N. We sat in on various meetings. We saw who we knew to be foreign dignitaries and ambassadors by their clothes, some traditional to their country, and their name badges, many with names we couldn’t even begin to pronounce. We marveled at the formality of it all. And the flags both inside and outside the building!
Our dream may not have come true that day, but I will never forget that splendid day, a dream in and of itself. I’m thankful that we pursued our dream as how many other dreams are remembered and still bring a smile to our faces after fifty years?
Have a great day. Make it happen. Make it count! And may all your dreams come true!
As I had previously mentioned, Sundays at Acceler8Success Cafe are now focused on providing motivation and inspiration for the week ahead. My goal is to provide a positive foundation for the week that will complement the weekday activities at Acceler8Success Cafe. My intent is to do so as an extension of my commitment to helping current and aspiring entrepreneurs achieve and accelerate their success.
It’s important not to start the week with thoughts about anything negative that may have occurred last week or even last month. Those doors are closed. It’s important to focus on the here and now, lest we run the risk of missing possibilities – ones that may actually turn out to be opportunities.
Plus, if we focus on positive things, we’ll be surprised by how many additional positive things will start appearing in our life. We must be prepared to act accordingly in order to capitalize on the positives that may appear, and as they often seem to appear… when we least expect it.
After all, as NCAA Coaching Great, John Wooden said, “Confidence comes from being prepared.” And, Seneca, a major philosophical figure of the Roman Imperial Period once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” I’m sure most will agree, these quotes do make sense. Do you agree? Do you feel lucky?
One more thought for the week ahead, and this is a message for YOU!
Be proactive. Do not sit back and just wait for that next opportunity. Look for it. Explore possibilities with an open mind. Create your own luck by being prepared. Attend a few meetings in your area and network, network, network – every single day this week!
Have a great week ahead. Make it happen. Make it count!
Back in 2009 while in the midst of an uncertain economy, and a few times thereafter, I have shared this article and inspirational video. Almost every time I’ve done so I’ve heard from individuals thanking me and letting me know that it had helped them cope with difficult times.
Recently, I heard from someone who reminded me of the original post and how much it meant to him back then and how he often refers to it when facing a current challenge. It made me think about how it might help others today as we’re once again experiencing economic uncertainty. Here’s hoping that sharing it once again may help a few more that may need some inspiration and hope that tomorrow will be better than yesterday.
Life is Like a Cup of Coffee
As one might imagine, I spend a great deal of time seeking out articles and information that may be of interest to the franchise industry, and readers of this site. Most of the time I’m looking for things relevant to franchising, entrepreneurship and small business.
Recently, I came across an inspirational video, “Life is Like a Cup of Coffee.” I watched the video several times, as I’m sure most of the people that have already seen this video have done. The message conveyed by the video made me think long and hard about the current economy and how it might be affecting people within the franchise community.
I thought about the franchise executives, who may be wondering when and where they’ll work next. Or the entrepreneurs who invested large amounts of money developing new franchise systems, only to find themselves anxiously waiting for credit markets to ease up just a bit. And I could not help thinking about the many franchisees, with life savings invested, watching their personal lifestyles drastically change, as they try to squeeze dollars out of cents.
This video provides a simple, yet profound look at life that may shed light on how challenges being faced today need to be addressed, and hopefully, resolved. Maybe, just maybe, it can be looked at as the simple approach to tackle complex problems. And I’ve asked myself if it could really be instrumental in making people look at things differently and provide hope, where hope was not even considered before.
I know that hope is not a sound business strategy, but neither is waiting. At least with hope, it may provide inspiration to do things that may help in turning things around.
Anyway, take a look at the video and give this some thought. Then, please share it with your family and friends and request they share it with people they know. If we can ultimately help just one person, or just one family, we will have made progress. Progress that’s necessary to survive this rough economic storm.
When Life Knocks You Down
A conversation the other day had me thinking long and hard about this quote. Sometimes it’s easier said than done, but it’s always possible to get back up. Honestly, I should practice what I preach. Well, not so much to get back up, but to do so quickly and without leaning on excuses. Even if there are justifiable reasons, they’re still excuses. I should know better. I do know better. So, from me to you, here are my thoughts on getting back up after being knocked down by life.
When life knocks you down, you MUST get back up. Always!
Often, it’s quick to jump right up on your feet. Other times it takes getting up on one knee and pulling yourself up, sometimes holding onto something, but all the while progressing to an upright position. And yes, there are times you’ll actually stumble and fall back down, but you must push again to get back up.
An unforeseen weight causes you to fall down and is making it difficult to get back up? Find a way to push it aside. Dig deep inside for extra strength, for the will to get out from under it, crawling out if you must.
When all is said and done, you must get back up. You can do it. You must do it.
Now, I’m thinking about what I believe is one of the greatest motivational and inspirational speeches in movie history. The speech I’m referring to is by Rocky Balboa to his son… I believe that anyone that has seen the movie, Rocky Balboa will remember the speech but whether you do or not, take a minute or two to read through the words below:
“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that! I’m always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You’re my son and you’re my blood. You’re the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself, ya ain’t gonna have a life.”
In order to understand the grey area between success and failure, let’s take a look at the definition of both words as defined by Merriam-Webster:
Success: degree or measure of succeeding; favorable or desired outcome; the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence.
Oddly enough, failure is defined in more ways than success!
Failure: omission of occurrence or performance; a state of inability to perform a normal function; an abrupt cessation of normal functioning; a fracturing or giving way under stress; lack of success; a falling short; one that has failed.
Entrepreneurial Success & Failure
IGI Global, publisher of Timely Knowledge lists entrepreneurial success as the individual entrepreneur’s distinct understanding and appraisal of the accomplishment of standards that are personally crucial to him/her.
Again, there is much more information about failure than success. In addition, the information about entrepreneurial failure is also more complex than anything I have found about entrepreneurial success.
For example: Entrepreneurial Failure: A Synthesis and Conceptual Framework of its Effectsis an article I found at Wiley Online Library. This information shared in this article was far more complex than anything I’ve research on entrepreneurs and success. Why is that? Why is failure looked at more as a science and theory than success?
As noted above, the definition of entrepreneurial success is quite simple – one sentence touching on several key points. Is success that simple? Of course not. Yet, that’s how entrepreneurial success is typically defined. If more information is desired, it’s typically shared through a very small number of entrepreneurs by way of a book – biography or autobiography.
The abstract of the article referenced above is as follows:
Failure is not the outcome which entrepreneurs strive for when they start their businesses. However, thousands of entrepreneurs fail each year, experiencing painful and damaging consequences in their professional and private lives. Current knowledge on entrepreneurial failure is quite fragmentary. Our study aims at integrating knowledge on the effects of entrepreneurial failure. Departing from a systematic literature review, we develop a multilevel framework of entrepreneurial failure effects which categories: (1) their manifestations over time; (2) the directness of the link to the failure event; (3) the degree of impact on the failed entrepreneur; and (4) the level of long-term outcomes generated. Our findings reveal a broad scope of multilevel impacts of entrepreneurial failure.
The article goes on to discuss entrepreneurial failure as, a phenomenon, and part of the entrepreneurship process which is an individual undertaking . It defines entrepreneurial failure as ‘a psycho-economic phenomenon characterized by the entry of an organization into a spiral of underperformance (e.g., insolvency) and thus the entrepreneur’s entry into a psychological state of disappointment’ caused by ‘not achieving entrepreneur’s expectations (e.g., insufficient current return, no growth expectation, poor efficiency, innovation that is too slow, etc.) in contrast to personal reasons’. Furthermore, entrepreneurial failure is considered as a process covering three main phases: causes, event, and effects.
My mind was spinning as I read article after article explaining, not defining the many, many reasons behind entrepreneurial failure. It had me questioning, why would anyone want to be an entrepreneur?
It’s 4:30 AM and the internal alarm clock triggers the entrepreneur’s eyes to pop wide open as if an explosion had been heard close by. Without nary a thought of needing another hour or two of sleep, or even a thought about what day it is, the day begins for the entrepreneur.
You see, an entrepreneur’s mind immediately kicks into ‘business mode’ with a flurry of thoughts and questions firing away like short, rapid bursts, one right after the other without pause. This continues through whatever is a typical morning routine. It is a productive time as many ideas find their way through right up until the mental fog dissipates.
Seemingly, as the second or third cup of coffee is finished, self-motivation kicks in with a reveille-type ‘let’s do this’ announcement. Albeit it’s one that no one else hears. Often, this charge ahead moment feels like leading the charge into battle, only to sprint a few yards onto the battlefield when the reality of the moment kicks in – there’s no one else around, there’s no one but the entrepreneur on the battlefield, despite the sound of guns and cannons close by. It’s a frightening moment. It’s a lonely moment. And it’s a frustrating moment.
What’s frustrating is despite unparalleled commitment and extreme effort, challenges remain. Correction – the SAME challenges remain. The same ones that are addressed day after day, without change. The same ones that are written weekly at the top of the priority list as if a motivation point, yet often viewed as to-do items that never seems to get done.
Ironic is the fact that these challenges are preventing success. Other things are addressed during the day, week, and month. After all, there are deliverables to produce. There are calls scheduled. There are meetings. Conferences. There are so many things to do!!! It’s exhausting. A question comes to mind. The same question asked repeatedly over the past year, but more often of late as frustration seems to be mounting. Why go on?
I’ve asked that question of myself so many times that it clearly is a broken record. Yet, one that continues to play. I know all too well that a successful entrepreneur is one who knows that ideas are not enough. It takes action to make the ideas work. To make them a reality. And especially when failure is not an option.
Sure, I could easily go down the path here of spewing out quote after quote – persist until you succeed, winners never quit, etc. But the real motivation is thinking about one’s own WHY. Yes, that’s motivation but it’s not the answer. It brings to mind that being busy is not necessarily being productive. Being productive means achieving results and in order to do so, definitive action must be taken.
Of course, I know all too well that there are the orders of the day – deliverables, meetings, calls, etc. but what I’ve done of late, is to shift from 80% focusing on order of the day to 80% focusing on the top priorities. In order to do so, it also meant prioritizing the priority items!
My tipping point was when I realized that my ‘priorities’ had turned into a long laundry list. Many were not even priorities, just items that required attention. I’ve found myself making lists for the sake of making lists. It made me feel I was being productive and getting things done. Yes, I was sorely mistaken. I thought about the infamous quote, “Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again – but Expecting Different Results.”
Believing that I’m not insane, I knew I had to shift gears and refocus my efforts, my attention to the things I know will make a difference. Funny thing… They are the ones I’m most passionate about, the ones that will generate significant revenue, and ones that will make a significant difference in the lives of others – all the stakeholders in my life including my family, my partner, his family, our clients, their families, and even people we’ve yet to meet.
So, why go on? Well, that’s easy to answer. It’s because an entrepreneur cannot stop being an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur does not go off into the sunset. An entrepreneur does not quit.
An entrepreneur doesn’t decide to take the easy path. But still, an entrepreneur MUST realize, understand, and focus on true priorities – the ones that will make a difference, and especially to those that depend upon us!
I’ve realized, entrepreneurship is a balancing act between success and failure with failure being an integral component of entrepreneurial success. To me, that’s the best way to define entrepreneurial success AND entrepreneurial failure. After all, it is a process that builds upon both success, and yes, failure.
Quite often, and again yesterday I’ve been asked about the Acceler8Success mantra – Act swiftly. Act decisively. Make it happen. Make it count! Apparently, there’s some confusion as to what it actually means and how it has anything to do with succeeding.
Always excited to talk about our process, I explain that acting swiftly and decisively does not mean to throw caution to the wind or to make a rash or abrupt decision. Being prepared is essential when working toward a goal. So is due diligence, understanding the lay of the land, realizing potential consequences of actions to be taken, and thinking through the what ifs.
Think about the big cats. Whether it be a tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah or cougar, their instincts, combined with skills enable them to succeed. Instinct is something that all are born with, while skills are developed over time. The two together make for a lethal force practiced again and again. Essentially, it’s the big cats’ education, the preparation for survival.
From a human perspective, we all have instincts – some more acute than others. Over time, those instincts are honed by developing skills to complement and enhance instincts. Entrepreneurs are cases in point.
Actually, most anyone considering entrepreneurship have some semblance to others with an entrepreneurial mindset. Of course, all have a unique mix of instinct and skill – some better than others. Thus, some succeed at a higher rate despite starting out with similar traits and abilities.
Just as big cats are educated by its parents, they’re also self-educated by practicing their skills over and over again. Their instincts minimize their failure rates, but still the process is mostly trial and error. However, their motivation remains in tact – they must succeed in order to survive. I’m sure all will agree, survival is a very strong motivation.
And, just like the big cat, in order to survive, entrepreneurs must rely on eating what they kill. In fact, in entrepreneurial circles from Silicon Valley to Wall Street, the phrase “Eat what you kill” has taken on a metaphorical meaning: Don’t rely on an hourly wage for protection. Instead, survive on your business successes alone.
With instincts fine-tuned and skills having been developed, the big cat goes on the prowl for their next meal, and as such, their next set of challenges. This is when the big cat does its form of due diligence.
It scopes out its prey. Once a potential goal is in sight, it evaluates the lay of the land – What’s between the big cat and its prey? Where can the prey run? Where should the big cat direct the prey toward to make the capture easier?
Consequences are also evaluated. Are there other predators insight? Are they part of a larger group? If the prey is caught, how will other predators be prevented from taking it?
The big cat is ready. Let the stalking begin…
Is it any different for an entrepreneur as he/she explores possibilities and flushes out opportunities, all for the sake of achieving one’s goals and objectives? The entrepreneur’s due diligence is essential to his/her success. There can never be too much due diligence provided perfection over progression doesn’t set in. Worse still is procrastination.
So, here’s where the Acceler8Success mantra kicks in. With preparation and due diligence in place, it’s time to act. And just as the big cat is ready to attack in a split-second, with full confidence it will achieve its goal, the entrepreneur must act swiftly and decisively, and without hesitation or trepidation. He/she must make it happen, AND make it count!
Are you an entrepreneur looking to take things to the next level, or an aspiring entrepreneur considering [finally] taking action to move you toward your goals. If either is the case, I’ll leave you with the following:
Do you have the self confidence to succeed? Do you believe in yourself enough to ignore those who do not have your best interests at heart? Do you have commitment in your decisions that you don’t need approval or praise from others?
The quote above may have more relevance today than ever before. Yet, there’s more trepidation than ever before to leave what’s presumed to be a safe, secure space.
Whether deciding to start or buy a business, to expand a business, or even to change jobs and/or move to another city, fear of the unknown is an extremely heavy obstacle to move. Combined with procrastination in researching and educating one’s self of possibilities and opportunities, the obstacle appears to get heavier by the minute.
Only with full commitment to achieving a goal can the obstacle be challenged, navigated or moved. It’s not as impossible as it seems, provided commitments extends to preparation and due diligence, and to developing and honing the skills necessary to succeed. Once all are in place, key to success is to act swiftly and decisively, and to making it happen, and making it count.
Making it count is the ultimate achievement as it addresses the Why that drives the entrepreneur’s mindset just the same as the big cat’s Why of survival for another day.
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