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Starting strong.

I can still remember a poster that could be found in our college basketball locker room. It was actually in one of the smaller rooms where we would go to get our ankles or knees taped up for practice and games. This poster was not of a superstar basketball player. It wasn’t even of a sports icon or legend. So, why do I remember this poster out of the many posters that I have seen over the years? Because of what it said in a few simple words beneath a cartoon sketch of a young boy still tying his shoe at the start line of a race after the gun had signaled the start.

Those who start slow, seldom catch up.

We start our fiscal year in April. For us this means that we need to have a strong 1^st quarter (April, May, and June). A strong 1^st quarter will help us secure the rest of the year for us. Here are a few reasons why starting strong is important.

• You expend twice as much energy catching up as you do leading.
• Creates a winning mindset with the team.
• Marketing becomes easier.
• Back office becomes easier.
• Sales become easier.
• In a word… momentum.

That’s what it does, it creates momentum. You can’t buy momentum, but you can give it every chance to be on your side. Set yourself up for momentum. Start strong.

The creation of a dream.

What does it take to create a dream? Here are just a few steps and thoughts.

• Exposure to a need. Get out of your routine.
• Sensitivity to the need. Why is it that two people can experience the same thing, and one walks away with an idea and the other moves on?
• Desire to fill the need.
• Focus time. Get a way and think time over how it could happen.
• A mentor. Someone to listen and guide you.
• Preparation time. Get the resources and people in place.
• Executable timeline with launch dates.
• A time to evaluate. Correct course where needed and support areas.
• Passion to continue.

Start dreaming my friend.

 

Dependency, control, and your future.

When people start to talk about the future, do you feel trapped? Do you think that the future is for others and not yourself? Here are a couple of quick questions for you.

• Do you believe your future is dependent on others?
• Do you blame others for your current position?
• Are you afraid of what might happen if you are in control of your future?

Here are a couple of phrases that may help you identify and answer the questions we just read. This is not a complete list, just a list of things I used to say, have heard others say, or have read. See if you hear yourself in these statements, or if you finish the sentence automatically.

• If only my boss would ____________.
• If only the market was ______________.
• If only I had the ability to _______________.
• If my customers would just __________________.
• If my co-worker would stop ___________________.
• If I was _____________, then I could ____________________.

If you heard yourself in any of these lines, you are blaming others. It’s time to stop making excuses, time to stop waiting on others, and simply start walking down the road to your dream.

See you on the road to success.