Life Lesson

No doubt, you can certainly grow steadily, slowly, always forward.

An alternative way is a twist on the ol’ saying, “One step forward, two steps back.”

I call it slingshot growth: one step back, two steps forward.

Slingshot growth isn’t for everyone, though.

If you’re a cautious one, if you don’t like to dance with fear, if you’re trying to prevent any amount of scope creep, then slingshot growth isn’t for you.

But for those who are okay saying “this might not work,” and for those who don’t mind the little voice inside your head speaking up telling you you’re making a mistake, who’s not okay with status-quo … this growth strategy is for you.

 

Stay Positive & It’s Okay To Do Things Differently, If They Work For You

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By speaking up, in any way, you have an impact?

Don’t believe me?

Consider this.

Those who don’t speak up, merely don’t care as much as you.

And those who care are the one’s who have an impact.

Right or wrong, they speak up.

Do you care enough to?

 

Stay Positive & We Need More Who Care

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The key to becoming remarkable, sought after and trusted is to … give.

Give more time than others.

Give more of your heart.

Give more of your attention and care.

Give more of your energy than the other guy.

Give more of your all.

It turns out, that to get ahead of others, you have to give ahead of others.

 

Stay Positive & The Best Part Is You Don’t Need Money To Start Giving

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When shit hits the fan, do you know who will have your back?

Do you have an easy process to to make things right?

What if it’s a customer complaint. Do you know how you’ll interact?

Do you take things personally?

You need to have an “oh shit” fund. You need to toss some at the fan before the natural life of running a business serves it up to you. You need to have multiple plans in place. You need to run a situational analysis. You need to be ready.

Why do you need to do all of this?

Because it’s not a matter of if shit will hit the fan; it’s a matter of when and how many times.

 

Stay Positive & Probably In A Single Day

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The quickest way to make a friend is to be one.

The smartest way to sign a new client on is to be there for them before ink touches the paper.

The sincerest way to feel loved is to be the one who loves.

The noblest way to connect guilelessly is do organize an event.

Of course, the option is always available to wait for someone to befriend you, wait for the phone to ring, wait to have someone overcome their fear of asking you out, and wait to be invited.

That’s sure a lot of waiting, though.

 

Stay Positive & Isn’t It?

 

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If you’re itching to cut time, you can cut corners, to cut corners you can cut the story.

You don’t have to listen. You don’t have to ask questions to understand where someone is coming from (the story they are telling themselves while talking with you). You don’t have to be pleasant or sincere or even care.

Chances are that within the last week you’ve interacted with someone who rushed an interaction, tried to cut time, and fell short of expectations.

Chances also are, that it took more time, because despite their attempt to cut corners, you didn’t want to–and pulling anything across a mile of sandpaper is tougher (and more time consuming) than pulling something across a sheet of ice.

Each day we have the choice to shoot the watch or invest all ourself in being part of one’s story.

Turns out that it takes far less time to connect with someone when we care than when we don’t.

 

Stay Positive & So, Maybe, Care More

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Certainly an option to getting your feet wet is to cannonball in and see what happens.

The other (smarter) way is to dip your toes in a part of the pool you have no intention in entering.

Before pitching to an actual client, pitch to three people in the coffee shop.

Before you’re asking an investor for cash, talk to banks that you have no plan in borrowing from.

Before you talk to your department head, talk to someone next to you.

Here’s another analogy: There’s a reason why the boss you fight in any quest is at the end.

You learn new moves along the way, you learn new tactics, you learn how to be better.

Tell me again how the real world is any different?

 

Stay Positive & No More CANNNNONNNNBAALLLLLLLs Please

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