I like a difficult question, and the one the other day regarding how long it took to be, or when I realized, I was successful is one such question. Why does it make me anxious?
I gave one reason, and that is "how do you define success?" I'v3 actually blogged on this point before, with the highlighting the conundrum that the questioner's idea of success and mine would be at odds, so why ask?
Next the premise is there is a formula to follow, and there is not. As I said there are tactics and attitudes that matter, tactics are not negotiable, but attitude gets to the person, so that is negotiable.
But here is the core problem: the question implies one goes into business for oneself. Not quite true. Yes we go into business because it s the only legitimate work for a person given our unique intellect and free will in the animal kingdom, but there is the paradox that we are only "succeed" in the measure we serve others.
"When did I succeed? I don't know, you'll have to ask my customers." We are not self-employed, we are customer-employed. Business is not the core of the life, but just another manifestation of who you are.
In the movie industry they say "You are only as hot as your last film."
So I think the problem with the question is it proceeds from a place whence you simply cannot get to where you want to go. If you ask "how to be successful" then you are oriented in the wrong direction. You simply cannot arrive at happy customers from the question "how long did it take?"
Anonymous wanted to know how long it took for me to "be successful." Martin wants the whole world see his website for getting Chilean beer down appreciative gullets. Nice juxtaposition. Which one will be "successful" first?
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
I gave one reason, and that is "how do you define success?" I'v3 actually blogged on this point before, with the highlighting the conundrum that the questioner's idea of success and mine would be at odds, so why ask?
Next the premise is there is a formula to follow, and there is not. As I said there are tactics and attitudes that matter, tactics are not negotiable, but attitude gets to the person, so that is negotiable.
But here is the core problem: the question implies one goes into business for oneself. Not quite true. Yes we go into business because it s the only legitimate work for a person given our unique intellect and free will in the animal kingdom, but there is the paradox that we are only "succeed" in the measure we serve others.
"When did I succeed? I don't know, you'll have to ask my customers." We are not self-employed, we are customer-employed. Business is not the core of the life, but just another manifestation of who you are.
In the movie industry they say "You are only as hot as your last film."
So I think the problem with the question is it proceeds from a place whence you simply cannot get to where you want to go. If you ask "how to be successful" then you are oriented in the wrong direction. You simply cannot arrive at happy customers from the question "how long did it take?"
Anonymous wanted to know how long it took for me to "be successful." Martin wants the whole world see his website for getting Chilean beer down appreciative gullets. Nice juxtaposition. Which one will be "successful" first?
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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