You are a reflection of your thinking

The quality of your life is from the quality of your thoughts.

Thoughts turn into behaviors and behaviors into results.

How can you be a better thinker?

You can lead a horse to water…

“If you don’t want to change, there is nothing I (or anybody) can do for you.” – Cy to Troy, from my book The Highest Calling.

Some people would rather die than change.  A person’s ego is the collection of thoughts that combine to fool you that it is you, and it will do anything to stay in charge and defend your choices, thinking, and identity.  It does not want to admit it had been wrong, or accept any new ideas that invalidate the thoughts it has played thousands of times in your head.

If you don’t want to change, there is nothing anyone can do for you.

…and maybe that’s ok for you – that’s for you to decide.

We are all free to think how we wish and construct our own lives – and accept the outcome.

Your business, your values

If your name is on the sign, your values should be embodied in the business.

(This assumes you have good values, and if you didn;t you’d likely not have made it this far.)

I don’t like red tape and bureaucracy.  So I have a business that is light on that.

I don’t like to be mistrusted.  So I trust my team members.

I don’t like boring spaces or being predictable, so I built fun and stimulating spaces to work in.

I don’t like heirarchy any more than there needs to be, so we have open doors and everyone can talk to anyone freely.

I like cleanliness and order.  So we have that.

I don’t like people with hidden agendas or people that are disloyal.  So we weed them out. 

I made a company that I felt was right, and that I’m happy with.

It didn’t happen overnight, but over the years you learn to listen to your intuition when it says something isn’t right, and you fix it.

What values have you built into your business?

In charge, but not in control.

“You don’t want to be in control, just in charge.” – Dan Sullivan

Probably the most common mistake that start-up entrepreneurs and small business owners make is they feel they have to be involved in everything (most things) that go on in the business.  This is true in the beginning because they are the only one on the team.  But most hold onto that idea and act on it far too long.

Being involved in too many things may ensure “things are done right” (not the only way to accomplish that!), but it prevents the business from growing and has the owner working far too many hours.

Instead of making the founder’s/owner’s life better, the business is making it worse.

Most all businesses are about assembling a team of people that work well together to get the desired result.

Outdelegate the Competition

As the leader, don;t think about HOW you are going to get this done, that project completed or that problem solved.  

Think about WHO you can get to do that.

Outdelegate the competition!

Scale with other people

“For entrepreneurs there inevitably comes a time when the mountain of decisions needed to be made exceeds the number of minutes in a day.  At this point, the creative and innovative genius must learn to rely on others to sustain the vision despite the entrepreneur thinking his judgment on all matters is indispensable.”

-General Stanley McCrystal, LEADERS, Myth and Reality

The ONE problem….

“Many people struggle in their business because they haven’t solved one problem.” – Joe Polish

What is ONE PROBLEM that, if solved, would solve 100 other problems?

Marketing?  Sales?  People?  Management?  Innovation?  A key manager?  Turnover?

One decision illuminates the next

You can’t plan the entire journey.  It’s not possible.   There are too many guesses that won’t turn out like you think.

Make a decision, then take action.

THEN make your next decision.

Action illuminates decisions.

What kind of leader are you?

A)  Leader – a person who rules over others.

B)  Leader – a person who inspires others.

The first kind depends on his title and office to stay a leader.

The second kind is freely granted his leadership position by others.

The point of the journey

“The point of the journey, is not to arrive.” – Rush

There is no end to this.

It’s just you getting better and better.

That’s what this is for.  

That’s what this is about.

Be present.