Before setting out, we did some research, some of which was conducted a month ago. We knew where we wanted to begin our trip and where we wanted to stop. Then we scouted that stretch of river from the highway thinking we could get an idea of what we were about to get ourselves into. The important components were aligned perfectly yesterday: the weather, the river level and flow, and the amount of time we had available, so the decision was made to go ahead. If only one of those important components weren't favorable, our trip would have to have been postponed.
How similar is that to being successful in business? Market research must be done ahead of time to be sure your message is on target. In business, as on the river, it could be an un-enjoyable ride at best, and disastrous at worst if you don't perform your "due diligence".
Once the decision was made to go for it, we began to prepare. While we know we can't plan for every eventuality, we are familiar enough with the experience to know the bare minimum that will be needed for success.
While I do like spontaneity in my personal life, I'm more comfortable with planning and preparation in my business. Again, not all things can be anticipated, but if you've prepared for the things you can prepare for, you'll be in a much better position for addressing the unexpected when it crops up-and it will crop up, you can plan on that!
Once we were in the water, it was a matter of making quick decisions with the information we had at the moment. We could usually see a good stretch of water ahead of us, but we never knew exactly what was coming after that. We had to stay flexible and ready to change direction at a moment's notice as the next stretch of river came into view. Did we always make the right choice? No, but we made adjustments as we went along and that's what got us downriver in one piece. A few minor mistakes in judgment didn't ruin the whole trip, and actually added to the excitement. We quickly learned from those errors and made better decisions down the river because of our experience.
In business, and especially in the ever-changing waters of Internet business and marketing, we must remain flexible and make constant adjustments to our plans to stay afloat. We'll surely find failure if we think we can mold the market to our personal preferences of what will work. We must always be ready to adjust and change with the market flow and the obstacles in our way.
There were many, many obstacles in the river to pick our way around and through. Fortunately, my husband and I travel well together, whether by land, air or water. We're pretty good at spotting obstacles, deciding quickly how to handle them, following through on those decisions and making adjustments to the rest of trip based on the outcome.
Don't successful businesses do the same? Find good partners to trust, recognizing something that could impede our progress or achievement for what it is, drawing conclusions based on past experience and present information, following through on our course of choice and adjusting accordingly.
We made one choice yesterday that put us very close to going for an unexpected swim, dumping the kayak and possibly losing everything in it, but we righted ourselves and went on our way. No time to pull over and calm our quaking nerves, or conduct a lengthy analysis of whose fault it was. We just continued to "go with the flow" and didn't make the same mistake again.
All told, our trip was thrilling, relaxing and just a lot of fun! It took us out of who we are in our daily lives and we accomplished something we can be proud to have done.
This morning I have a refreshed version of my business philosophy - there are obstacles around every bend that challenge us to overcome and learn from - and there are some smooth stretches allowing us to relax, look around and take pleasure in where we are and how we got there.
If you own a family business, as I do, you go through the days overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the number of goals and tasks you're trying to get done in your business in one day. I could easily let fear and frustration take over, because I may be missing something that could make or break my ability to live in the style to which I've become accustomed.
I've discovered there's a secret to overcoming this paralyzing fear. There's a way to get back to the basics of enjoying your life, your business, and achieving your goals. That secret is to give up the notion that everything on your to do list for today has to be done. I can hear you now saying, "if I don't do it, who will?!" Here's something for you to consider.
How many times have you gotten to the end of a day and finally given up getting through your goals and your to do list, because there is just no way everything can get done to your satisfaction? How many times have you looked back later and realized that is was good some of those things didn't get done, since circumstances and events changed that made it unnecessary for you to do them in the first place? This has happened to me more times than I can count. So, I came to this conclusion, some things on your list aren't meant to be done when you think they should be.
I believe there is a right time for everything to occur - a time when synchronistic events line-up to make the completion of goals and tasks easy and effortless. When you find yourself stressing and straining, that is a sign it's not the right time for that particular task to be completed. That's when it is time to step back, leave it mentally and physically for a while, and see how life's events unfold naturally; and they will if you learn to trust in the natural order.
Here is an example. My husband and I have been legal "tax evaders" for several years. We have moved every two years to take advantage of the real estate law, which says you can sell your primary residence tax free every two years, and realize a gain of up to $500,000 per couple. We have built new homes and sold our primary residence several times. This is always a nerve racking process, as we're trying to coordinate the home selling and buying process to avoid making two house payments.
A few years ago, we were in the middle of this process once again, building a new home, with our then current home on the market. I knew the ideal buyer for us would be one who did not want to move in right away, but still wanted to buy the house and close quickly. As time went on, I kept this ideal scenario in the back of my mind, while other less than ideal potential buyers looked at our house.
After several weeks of progressing on our new house and waiting for ours to sell, the absolute perfect buyer finally came along that not only paid us a fair price, but because of their tax situation wanted us to rent our house back for however long we needed to finish our new home. This scenario was orchestrated so perfectly I could not help but believe it was one of those amazing synchronistic events that show how circumstances can unfold if you get out of the way and quit pushing against life, trying to make things happen in your timing instead of the "right timing".
While the world may tell you that you need to set goals and stay focused on the steps to achieve them, I have found you can also use another system to get from Point A to Point B. This is the Intention System, which has the following five steps.
1. Know what you want.
2. Stay focused on what you want.
3. Take the steps you are intuitively led to take.
4. Let circumstances and events unfold in their right timing.
5. Do what you need to do to be happy while you're waiting for this natural unfolding to take place.
How would your life be if you could give up the stress, strain, and overwhelm of thinking only you know what is best and how to get there? This Intention System will give you more freedom, less judgment, and a happier more relaxed way of living. Why not give it a try?
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Both Cindy Dykstra & Sandy Reed are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Cindy Dykstra has sinced written about articles on various topics from Internet Marketing, Business Loans and Gardening. Cindy Dykstra writes for and edits a quality online article directory. with many and. Cindy Dykstra's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.
Sandy Reed has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement Contractor, Health and Finances. Sandy Reed is the President and Founder of the International Association of Women in Family Enterprises (IAWIFE). She is a professional business coach, writer, and co-owns her own successful family business. If you're ready to learn business building stra. Sandy Reed's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.