Psychology of Success: What Can Business Owners Learn from Christmas?

As we approach the final week of wrapping up another year we will soon (if not already) assess how well we did in achieving our business goals. If you hit a home run this year in your business, it’s not hard to be joyful in this season of Christmas. However, if these last twelve months reflected nothing more than a disappointing series of strike outs, I know it’s pretty tough to feel joyful even during this holiday season.

If that’s you, here’s where the psychology of success matters now more than ever. In fact, Christmas can teach us a critical lesson on that psychology of success. (more…)

Winning the Battle of the Mind: Your Mission Critical Business Growth Plan

Your Mission Critical Business Growth Plan

There are many roadblocks and obstacles that stand between you and success. Running a business isn’t easy, but one thing that is for certain is that defeating your demons and overcoming those gremlins that stand in your way can be the hardest part of growing a business.

As entrepreneurs we expect to write out our business growth plan to include things like our marketing strategy, our customer service strategy, our cash flow strategy and our organizational development strategy. These are all important pieces to have in our business growth plans. However, in 100% of all the strategic plans I review from small business owners to CEO’s of mid-size companies, there is a chapter missing that in my opinion, is mission critical to have in place. That is — how do you plan on winning the battle of your mind? (more…)

Overnight Success is a Myth

Imagine for a moment the struggle and doubt the Wright brothers faced as they made attempt after attempt to create a “flying machine”.  They financed their scheme with the proceeds from their bicycle shop, they toiled after work hours in oblivion.  Later, when the brothers started to have some success with their flying efforts and gained notice from the press, Europeans accused them of lying.  Others ridiculed them.    It was a harebrained scheme and there were plenty of others with far more resources than they.  What gave them the audacity to think they could out maneuver Dr. Samuel Langley, the Secretary of the Smithsonian who had both wealth  and the NY Times covering his every move? (more…)

Do You Ever Feel Inadequate?

Whether you are a small business owner generating a modest half a million dollars a year or the President of a $50 Million company or the CEO of a $500 Million company you probably at one time or another throughout the year have suffered from feeling inadequate.

No matter what level of success you have already accomplished your eye is always aimed at the next level of success you are striving to conquer. As Marshall Goldsmith’s popular book has so well articulated — What Got Your Here, Won’t Get You There. (more…)

How Do You Make Your Big Ideas Really Happen? 8 Stages of Start Up

Here’s an interesting question I received on Linkedin from Richard Sink who asked:

“What lessons can you share with us about strategies when trying to turn your ideas (be it for social good or professional gain) into a reality?”

Hi Richard,

Great question. I work with start up’s on launching new ideas as well as established companies on re-inventing themselves in the marketplace.

I’d like to offer you a great format I use with my clients through this process. It’s the 8 stages of a start up which should be followed in this order: (more…)