Are You Working on You?

Most people think it is hard to succeed online. Did you know “off line businesses” are way harder. Did you know that 20% fail almost right away and another 65% fail after 5 to 10 years. That is 85%. Why do most people fail at business? 

It is not the business. Same business, one entrepreneur fails and another succeeds. It is the character and the habits of the business person, not the type of business. 

At which job do you work harder? Finding the successful business or becoming that successful business person? Do you work harder on your job, or harder on yourself? Success is in you, not the business.

What are some of those Character Traits and Habits that make a person successful? Well here is one.

1. Live within your Means. Some people love to ask me for money in order to launch their SFI business. In other words they want me to launch it. 

If I launch it shouldn’t it be mine? 

Once there was a training conference and Rob C, said he really wanted to go, but could not afford it. It was $17, would I help him? I said sure. I paid his registration and was excited he wanted to learn and grow. 

The night before the conference I needed to give him information. I called him on his cell, and passed on the info. It was noisy in the background so just out of curiosity I asked, “Where are you?” He said he was at the movies and just coming out from the theater. 

At that time movies were $12.00. And I thought, it is not that Rob cannot afford the conference, it is that he wants to go to the movies more. He wants enough money in his pocket to go to the movies and use my money to go to the conference. 

It was not that he could not afford it, it was that he chose to place his business growth behind going to the movies. Today he still struggles financially. 

Are you putting your money where it will help your business, your skills, your knowledge and your experience grow? Or are you going to the movies? 

There is a fun proverb at one of the local Buddhist temples here in Chiang Mai. I love it, “Not yet rich, Live like you are rich, never be Rich. Not yet poor, live like you are poor, never be poor.“

Invest in yourself.