Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising each time we fall.’ Confucious Hurdles in life are inevitable. If we didn’t have them, we wouldn’t appreciate our accomplishments nearly as much. It’s sort of like my experience of the weather now that I live in Britain… With the frequent rain, I appreciate, (and actually cherish!), sunshine so much more than I ever did when I lived in South Africa.
‘ I’d be lying if I said that having this insight made it easier to bear the hurdles, (or indeed at times the incessant grey skies and rain), but if there’s one thing that I stand by, it’s that we cannot let those hurdles keep us down.
I’ve worked so hard in the past, and been knocked down or tripped up so many times! At times this was through making poor, misinformed or uninformed decisions. What caused more upset than those poor and misinformed decisions, was when my falls were due to being ripped off by people that I trusted and depended on. In business, as is the case with life generally, there will always be people that we have to trust and depend on… and unfortunately, in the case of business, having that trust broken can cost financially, as it did with me. This does not mean that we stop trusting, it just means that we make more informed decisions… because I can tell you that nothing caused me more torturous moments, than knowing that I had fallen because I had made uninformed decisions. These errors in my judgement that cost me quite heavily, are the ghosts that haunt me, but what they remind me of, is that I need to continually learn… I need to learn from my mistakes, and from those in the know, and I need to persist with acquiring knowledge through fantastic mentors and business partners. More than anything, the ghosts remind me of a place that I never want to return to, and for this reason they spur me on.
Giving up, has never been an option, and because I’ve persevered, learned from my mistakes, made more well-informed decisions, networked with good people and applied what I’ve learned from some of the best in the world, it’s confirmed to me that dedication, working smart and consistent action pays. I’m on my way to where I want to be, and I sincerely hope that you’re on that same journey too. This is a path I haven’t walked alone… and for all the obstacles that have come my way, I’ve had twice the number of wonderful, supportive people in my life. So this post is also a dedication to them, (and I encourage you to think about those special people in your life too), a huge ‘THANK YOU!’ to all the wonderful, genuine people who walk alongside me. Your support and encouragement means more than I could ever express, and my success will always be shared.
Aiming for Work-Life Synergy
‘Men for the sake of getting a living, forget to live.’ Margaret Fuller In all likelihood you’ve been there… and you may have seen generations of your family and friends go through the same! You’re working endlessly, but find that you have so little to show for it!
Being Your Own Boss & Low-Cost Business Start-Up Ideas
So, you’ve thought about making a change and being your own boss… and you’ve probably second guessed yourself and been frightened off by the lack of ‘security’ and ‘guaranteed income’ that a JOB brings … Well, I’m here to tell you that the security of fixed employment in a large company or well-known institution is a myth. I used to believe the myth for quite a while, even when moving from project to project, but thankfully my entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and I saw the light! (and the freedom!)
Give More, Get More!
So, you decided on what your business offer was, you had your website designed and developed and you’ve been in business for a while. It can be easy at times like these to only consider marketing strategies as a means to improve business, but really, what I’d urge you to consider is the benefit of adding value to what exists, and expanding on your profit centres…. For many existing businesses, this tends to often be one of the most overlooked and under-rated strategies for increasing your revenue. Don’t be one of these!
