Do you have a big dream? What is it? Exactly. Can you articulate it right now in great detail? How does it make you feel when you see your vision in black and white? Pretty awesome I bet, excited and raring to go.
Now let me ask you how do you feel when you think about all the work it’s going to take to bring your vision to fruition? Do you suddenly feel scared or overwhelmed wondering how the heck you are going to get from where you are now to where you want to be?
The next time someone asks you what you do, say “Whatever it takes.”- Lewis Howes.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret, if you want to achieve anything great, you have to learn to love the pain. Now before you shoot darts at me, let me explain.
Entrepreneurship is a battle zone. There are challenges at every corner AND it is the most exhilarating ride of your life. If you only love the highs, you are going to come down crashing, hard, and more than likely quit before you get to paradise. You have to learn to embrace the lows for what they will DO for you in the long run.
Even though I’m not an athlete or in stellar shape, I’m big into exercising. I go at least 5 times a week to the gym. I’m up every morning at 5:00 am and on the treadmill or at the weights by 5:30 am. Do I love getting up in the middle of January when it’s 10 degrees outside and the sky is black? Well…. actually, I don’t mind it. I know I am going to feel way better about my day if I go. I know in an hour, I’m going to be on a runner’s high or feeling tight and pumped after doing double sets.
But it’s not just the “what I’ll get afterwards” that makes me feel good. It makes me feel good to know I am doing whatever it takes to get what I want. When I am sweating, out of breath and my legs are burning, I know I am doing the work that needs to be done.
If staying in shape were easy, everyone would be thin and fit, but it takes work. And if it were easy to build a successful, profitable, meaningful business, everyone would be doing that too. However, it IS possible. There can be a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow, you just have have to keep at it.
You may be thinking, “I am already doing whatever it takes and I’m still not where I want to be.” Well then, I’m sorry to say, you’re are not doing whatever it takes. I’m not implying you are not working hard, I’m sure you are, but unless you’ve achieved your goal already, what you’re doing either isn’t working or it isn’t working yet. There may be more you have to do.
Before you throw in the towel, here are some tips to keep you on track for success: [Read more…]
Let’s get one thing straight right here, right now. There is almost no way to create a strong, successful brand without getting criticized. As difficult as it is to be at the receiving end of negative feedback, you do yourself and your brand a huge disfavor by going out of your way to avoid it. No one likes getting lambasted for sticking their neck out, however, charting your course by trying not to offend others is a sure-fire way to weaken the impact and power of your brand.