“Following a proven plan with consistency, persistency, and determination will always produce the best results.”
– Chad E. Cooper
Life is certainly unexpected, isn’t it? Five days ago I had surgery on my Achilles tendon after completely tearing it being Legendary with my fifteen-year-old son. I used to be a competitive iron-man triathlete, I still go to the gym nearly every day, and I am in great shape. Yet in the blink of an eye I was literally knocked down, in pain, wondering what it was going to take to come back from this. As a fellow business owner, can you relate? Things are going along great, you’re living your dream and have caught your stride, and then BAM — life knocks you off your feet and you wonder how you’re going to turn things around. Yet even in times of hardship, America depends on small business owners to thrive, not just survive. It’s crucial we learn how to stay present, focused, dedicated, and on course even when we’re hit with life’s curveballs. Being a business owner and working with many other business owners, from small business owners to midsize organizations to large corporations, I have found two key factors in determining long-term success, especially when things get uncomfortable. These two factors are persistency and consistency.
Former president Calvin Coolidge said it best, though I will add one element to his famous quote — “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistency [and consistency]. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistency, consistency, and determination are omnipotent.” I add consistency here because in a world full of people jumping from one thing to the next, consistently choosing to show up and stay your course day after day is a huge indicator of future success. You cannot successfully build something if you continually jump to creating something new whenever you hit a roadblock. Intelligence alone won’t get you the sales you need. Knowledge alone won’t help you market the products you have. Talent alone isn’t enough. Persistency and consistency will be the determining factors of your success.
Living in today’s world, there are countless resources at our fingertips. Hundreds of books to read, audio books to listen to, conferences to attend, speakers to follow — all outlining how to build something successful. So many seem to offer great solutions or advice, it can be overwhelming to know who to follow, what to listen to, and what to implement to successfully reach your goals. One of the greatest pitfalls I see, especially with small business owners, is jumping from opportunity to opportunity thinking that this next thing will be the “secret sauce” to take their business to the next level. I call this “dabbling,” and I see it often. It’s as though you are a hamster running on a wheel without any forward momentum. You have been busy working and reading and studying and implementing… but before you know it another year has gone by and you haven’t actually made any progress towards reaching your goals. Rarely do we have the awareness or wherewithal to choose a course and relentlessly stick with it until we experience success.
If I wanted to improve my fitness and physique and decided to go to the gym for six hours one day per month, and then not go again for another thirty days, would I see any results? We all know the answer is no. I wouldn’t see any progress, I would be in a lot of pain, and I would feel defeated thinking going to the gym doesn’t work. Yet we know in order to see the best results from going to the gym, what needs to happen? I must have a plan and be persistent and consistent in executing that plan every day. In this way, little by little, I will chip away at reaching my goals. Even when I don’t see immediate progress, over time I will achieve my desired outcome. Following a proven plan with consistency, persistency, and determination will always produce the best results.
Where are you dabbling when it comes to your business? Do you have a game plan for your success? Are you following this game plan with persistent and consistent determination? Or do you find yourself jumping from system to system, still looking for that “secret sauce” that will finally bring you success?
What struggles and victories you are currently experiencing? Stay tuned for more strategies and insights for Small Business Week, and if you need a game plan to success, myself and team are here to help you build success in all areas of your life. Check it out at http://bit.ly/2HcbKNj– I look forward to hearing from you and continuing the conversation.