Building a successful business takes a lot of effort and it takes persistence. If you want to run a business that you’re passionate about and that generates a profit, you need to be in it for the long haul.
The Challenge:
The challenge is that it’s too easy to give up. Even though you want something, it doesn’t mean you will be able to accomplish it easily. I’m in favor of adopting a positive mindset. At the same time, you need to be realistic.
Jim Collins, in his excellent book, Good to Great, talked about Confronting the Brutal Truths. That means recognizing the problems in your business and doing something about them. You need to make some hard decisions from time to time to keep moving forward.
Failure is part of success. Not everyone succeeds on the first try. The important thing is to stay in the game and keep playing.
Your Opportunity:
If you are willing to persist, you will eventually win. You will experience success along the way. One of the ironic characteristics of success I have noticed is that you can experience success and failure on the same day. You can receive good news and bad news at the same time.
One of my success coaches Andrew Barber-Starkey explained the importance of celebrating your successes. You need to acknowledge and reward yourself for your successes. That will encourage more success in the future. Reward what you want to see more of.
Persistence is one of the keys to success and I encourage you to keep going even if you need to make some adjustments along the way.
Rick Cooper
Online Marketing and Social Media Trainer
1 comment
Excellent blog Rick! So true about not always being successful with a business..this is my 3rd business, Young at Heart Communications. The first one in 1996 was semi-successful. The second in 2010 was not — I fell and broke my shoulder a month after I started it, but that worked out in my favor. That’s another story. Now, I have Young at Heart Communications — a boutique social media marketing and blog writing agency. This one is in its 4th year and is successful. Why? Because I do not look at challenges or when things don’t go my way as failures. I look at them as a need to re-direct myself and go another route. When I fall off that horse, I get up, brush myself off and get right back on again. Yes, persistence is the key! What I now need to work on is celebrating my successes…I seem to have a block about that. Working on it. Thanks again for all your words of encouragement and wisdom. Cheers!