Posted by Sam Polimeni
One of the most dangerous types of small business owner is the one that’s afraid to look in the mirror and tell his or herself the truth. They often think that if they just keep their head down and grind it out, they’ll make it to the other side rich and successful. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The cold reality is that if you don’t learn to deal with the facts, then these ‘tough times’ you’re dealing with now might not ever end. In my experience, I have found that there are three common lies a business owner will tell themselves. As you read them, ask yourself, am I guilty of this? If so, it might be time to take a closer look at how you run your business.
1. Each year of business equals 1 year of experience
Many small business owners think that just because they’ve been in business for 5 -10 years, they have 5-10 years of experience, but let me ask you something – if you’re fighting the same battles, day in and day out, how can you call that experience?
True experience comes, not in facing problems, but in overcoming them. Unless you’re challenging yourself more and more every day, and succeeding, then it’s possible that your 10 years of experience might be nothing more than 1 year of experience repeated 10 times.
2. Being busy is equal to being productive
I have friends that spend their entire day running around being busy but never getting anything done. How does that happen? Let’s take a look.
We often get too busy doing the little things, such as taking out the trash, doing the books, or wiping down the counters. We do that because it’s easy to do, and because it makes us feel accomplished. But that’s not the real work that needs doing. The real work is done in the trenches, generating and implementing strategies to develop leads and convert them into customers. There are a whole litany of activities associated with this type of effort, but a simple way to tell you’re off track is this…if you find yourself too busy to work on your business, because your spending most of your time working in it, then you’re losing valuable time.
3. Hard work leads to success
You probably hear this at every business seminar and read it in every business book you own. While it is true that hard work can increase your chances of being confronted with success, it’s smart work that really makes the difference. If you aren’t spending each and every day learning something new to improve your business, then you are wasting each and every one of them. Instead of waiting for hard work to pay off, continually ask yourself – “Did I learn something new for my business today?”
If the answer is “no” too many days in a row, then take a step back, and re-evaluate your efforts. Work smarter, not harder.
In conclusion, the lesson to learn is this: find the balance between learning and doing and realise that as a small business owner your education is never complete. If you found yourself guilty of any of these three lies, then maybe it’s time to talk to a professional. Let us help you right the ship, and get you back on the path to success.
