Category Archives: Getting Help

Pay Now or Pay Later

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I had some questions about a post where I talked about information overload and trying to get answers for yourself. (Reminder: I am a big proponent of self-learning. I do it all the time. That’s why I can speak with such authority about the drawbacks that come along with it.)

I had to point out that if you are trying to learn it all yourself (usually done in an attempt to save money), you are actually going the expensive (and often painful) route.

It is expensive because in order to learn what you need for right now (when self-taught), you also have to learn what you need next month, next year, and five years down the road. You have to do that.

Why? Because, if you don’t learn the whole thing (before you really start), you won’t know what really comes first, what should happen second, then next, and next and….

While a few people can do that, you know what happens with most of us? We learn the first couple of things, and then we give up. The way most of us are wired, we need to start putting what we have learned to some kind of use. If we don’t, a couple of things happen:

1. We lose our motivation… and thus, our attention.
2. We forget what we have “learned”, already. (Learned is in quotes because we didn’t really learn it… we accessed the information, but because we didn’t have the opportunity to put it into action, it was quickly overwritten with new information.)

So, the way to really “get” it, is to learn the first step and then use it. Put it into action. Implement. Then, learn the next step. Do it. Then the next.

Each piece that you implement gives you feedback and you can make course corrections as you learn the next step.

Back when I was programming (and later when I was managing programmers), I quickly learned that the best way to teach myself a new programming language (or a new way to apply one I already knew) was to have a project to use it on. Trying to proactively learn it just never got anywhere. But, learning it to apply to an at-hand project made it real. It gave me feedback as to what I needed to learn. And to what was correct and what was ineffective (if not downright disastrous.)

If you have taken a course where you really learned something, you probably went through the same experience. You were given the information (from an instructor, a book, a video, etc.), then given an exercise (or two) that required you to use what you had just been told. After you had done the exercise, you had a much better understanding of the information and how to use it. Then, you moved to the next lesson which built on the knowledge you gained from the previous lesson. And the pattern repeated.

(I realize that you may have had classes in school where it was just information followed by information followed by more information. How much of that do you actually have, now? You see what I mean?)

So, back to your business.

If you don’t know what you need to know… and what order to learn it in… how can you learn what you need so you can make your business successful on your own?

And that is why I said that your fastest way to success in your business is to get a guide… a mentor… someone who has been down that trail and can tell you what you need… and when.

Yep. You will likely have to pay someone for it. You are NOT paying for their time. You are paying for their hard-won knowledge, their experience, and their mistakes. The faster you want to go, the more you are likely to pay… because the guidance needs to be customized for your business, for your personality, and for your goals.

But here’s the thing to remember… you are going to be paying a lot more if you do it yourself. (The payments may be spread out longer, but loss of money (and time) while you are learning is something that can’t be regained.)

If you aren’t in too much of a hurry, you can go to seminars and training that will lay out what most people need to do… and the order they should do it in. It’s not as good as a personal guide or mentor, but it is better than trying to learn it all on your own.

One of the things you need to do is to decide how quickly you want/need to be a success. The answer to that determines how much you should invest in a guide to help you get there.

Looking for a guide to help you? I may or may not be the right one to help you, but we’ll never know if we don’t talk. Go ahead and contact me. If we aren’t the right match, I’ll do my best to point you to someone who would be.

What experiences have you had (good and bad) in trying to learn things on your own? Share with us in the comments and let us all benefit from your experience.

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The “Gotcha” of Easy Information

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There is a hidden drawback to the proliferation of information and its easy accessibility.

If you want to find out what to do for your business and how to do it, you can find it. It might be free or it might cost a small sum, but it is easy to find out.

But that’s good, right? What’s not to like?

It’s good… and it’s bad. Yes, you will find information. It is likely that you will find TONS of information. In fact, if it’s a common problem or not too specific, you will find pages and pages of information… maybe even hundreds of pages of information.

So what is the drawback to that? The proliferation of information means that you find things that pertain to your situation and things that won’t. However, it will all appear to apply. Then you will run across some that appears to apply but clearly conflicts with other information you found that also appears to apply.

So which do you believe and how can you possibly implement conflicting information?

That is exactly why trying to find all the information you need on your own is actually counter-productive. It is also why we end up hiring people who have the knowledge we need and allow them to use their knowledge and experience on our behalf.

There is a move afoot in the online world to create what are called “curated” sites. These are sites that have one or more curators (yep, just like a museum) who weed through the contributions and the information; throw out the bad stuff; and help make sense of things. ASK.com is an example of such a site that has been doing that long before it became popular.

In other words, it is acknowledged experts helping make sense of the information that is pouring in, so we can sort fact from fiction, useful from useless (or even harmful.)

I admit to being a knowledge junkie. Part of my personality and my strengths is to keep learning stuff. It is fun for me… and useful, as well. I use that wide range of knowledge and information on behalf of my clients and create meaningful results from it.

Even so, I recognize that I can’t learn enough about all things I need to know to do it all on my own. And neither can my clients.

If fact, that is one reason my clients hire me — it is cheaper for them to “buy” the analyzed, digested knowledge from me than for them to spend the time searching for it all, sifting through it to find the really useful stuff that works, and then figure out how to implement it in their situation.

In essence, they are buying more time for their business. The trade of a few dollars for more hours in order to move the business forward is one that smart business owners will take every time. (That’s because it’s the only way to buy more hours… and more hours means more business in the door.)

If you’ve been around me very much, you will hear me say how I provide “just in time” learning for business owners. They learn what they need to know for their business right now (and the near future) so that they can implement it right away. The things they can’t implement for two years can wait a little while.

In a sense, you could say that I am providing curated knowledge to my clients so they can build their business faster and get to higher profits more quickly. And isn’t that what all of us are trying to do?

What about you? Are you still trying to learn it all by yourself? Is it time for you to accelerate your learning (and your profitability)? If you’re ready to get on the fast track, contact me and let’s talk about where you are and where you need to go. There’s no cost to talk and no obligation. You might be surprised at what you learn.

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Which is Harder – Learning or Doing?

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I recently read an article by Pamela Bruner (of MakeYourSuccessEasy.com) where she pointed out that information used to be hard to come by and was treated as a precious commodity. However, now, in the information age, getting the information is the easy part.

The hard part is implementing what you learn.

It’s so easy to think that once you have learned something (as in read the information), you have the results (whether the results you are looking for are tangible or intangible.)

Many times when I teach (either in a class or one-to-one) I will make a point and hear “Yeah, yeah, I know that already.” Upon investigation, what I often discover is that they have heard it before… and because they have heard it before, they think they know it. But it isn’t operational in their lives!

If it isn’t operating in your life, then you have acquired information, but you haven’t learned it, yet.

Most of us have two problems:

1. Not knowing what to do (to move our business forward)
And
2. Not doing what we know.

Most business coaches will tell what you need to do in your business. You need a business plan — here is what one looks like… now do it. You need to network — go to this group and do it. You need… now do it. And then, once you know what you should do, they expect you to do it. If you can’t, well… get over it.

However, for most of us, that is not enough. And that is one of the ways I am different. It is one of the reasons I am a mentor rather than just a coach. Yes, I do coaching, but more than just coaching. I will tell you what you need for your current phase of business, but then I help you take the steps to actually do it.

Additionally, there are things you already know you need to do. You may even know how to do them (or at least the steps you should take.) However, you have roadblocks that keep you from the actual doing. Together, we demolish the roadblocks so that you can effectively implement what you know you need to implement.

And that’s why I say that I transform accidental business owners into successful entrepreneurs. A transformation happens… and you become capable of doing what you know.

Please understand that it is important to acquire the information. You have to know what to do before you can do it. But once you understand the what (and even the how), you have to actually do it for it to count. And that is where so many small business owners (along with the rest of humanity) fall short.

But remember, it doesn’t have to be that way. Help is available, if you are willing to reach out for it.

Are you the one that is right for me to help? You’ll never know if we don’t talk about it. Take a look at an Interview with John to learn more. Then contact me if it looks like a good fit. After all, we’re talking about the success of your business… and your life (they are interconnected, you know.)


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Addicted to Work – Part 2

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In a previous post I wrote about overwhelmed, addicted-to-work business owners. (No, I didn’t use the “workaholic” label, but if it fits you….) Apparently, it hit home because I had several people ask if I was talking about THEM. No, they weren’t the ones in my mind when I was writing, but, as I said last week, I run across this all the time.

This week I want to share some additional things you can do to turn this around if you have a problem in this area.

You may recall I briefly addressed some of the common objections by business owners as to why they are working so much and taking off too little. For many business owners, the obstacles are internal, not external.

Think back and answer this: why did you go into business for yourself? Was it to work long hours, for a substandard rate, and piss off everyone who has to be around you?

Probably not.

Most business owners cite the flexibility of scheduling and freedom that comes with being your own boss. In a few cases, it was to make barrels of money. And, yet, few of them actually experience any of those.

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

Why do you think larger businesses insist on their employees taking time off? (Hint: It’s NOT because employers like giving paid vacations. And it’s also NOT because they are being forced to.)

If you guessed it’s because it PAYS for the company to do it, you are correct! Gold Star for you. Study after study has shown that employees are more productive if they take time off. Personal experience has shown that, too. The business owner is not exempt from the psycho-biological laws (as much as we might want to be.)

So what can you do?

First of all, treat yourself as you would an employee or a customer/client. You need to value yourself as much as you do your most important customer/client or most valued employee. Because, in reality, if you aren’t at your best, the rest of the business isn’t either. What good does it do to have a smooth, efficient business if you make bad decisions because you are overworked? (And, frankly, if you are overworked, I can guarantee that you don’t have a smooth, efficient business.)

Primary rule: You are much more productive if you are rested. (And you make better decisions, too.)

That means — take mini-vacations, long weekends, or at least a full day off once a week. I can’t tell you how many clients and employees have seen their productivity soar once I was able to get through to them on this. It really ISN’T a waste of time. Over and over again they tell me “I wish I had listened to you sooner. I can’t believe how much time, energy, and health I wasted because I was overdoing it.”

Because we are in charge of our own schedule, we allow work to encroach on time that should be set aside for family, self-care, and personal pursuits. When we allow this, we are being bad managers to our most valuable employee (ourselves.)

If it’s so important to take time off, why do some people have such a difficult time doing it?

There are two reasons. One is ignorance. They just don’t know any better. (But that excuse ends with last week’s article and this one.) <wink> The other is because they have become addicted. (Yep, I said it.)

Here’s the deal: the brain rewards itself with endorphins — the chemicals released in the brain when it is rewarding itself for something (sex, hunger satisfaction, overcoming a challenge, etc.) — and some people have created a way for endorphins to be generated from things that would not otherwise do that (things like overwork.) They have rewired their brains. It is fixable, but usually not overnight.

(Note: this is distinct from people who are spending enormous efforts doing what they REALLY ENJOY doing. THEY are playing, not working.) Naturally, the ideal is to be rewarded mentally, emotionally, and financially from your playing. And it is possible to approach that ideal.

I would facilitate a recovery group for Workaholics, but they’re all too busy to come.

Are these tips the only things you can do to reduce or remove the overwhelm and the “sorry, I have to work even though it’s 3am” mindset? Not by a long shot, but between the tips I shared last week and these, you should be able to make good inroads on it. And if that doesn’t work, maybe you should consider a therapist.


What if you are making inroads, but it’s not going fast enough? That’s where a mentor can help. If you are thinking that some extra support, guidance, and wisdom is what you are needing now, be sure and contact me. After all, that’s what I’m here for.


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Lessons from a Hawk

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You may know that I have been visited by a hawk, recently. (Or maybe this is the first you have heard of it.) I didn’t do anything different, but one has shown up in my backyard for a couple of weeks (but it seems much longer.)

We live in a semi-rural part of town, so it is not unusual for us to see wildlife about, on occasion. We periodically see a coyote or a fox ghosting across the fields at dawn or dusk. We see the turkey buzzards wheeling about on the air currents looking for road kill. We will sometimes see a hawk sitting on a telephone pole or flying about, searching for prey. We have a roadrunner that comes through the backyard on it’s travels. Raccoons, armadillos, opossums, and skunks inhabit the area, too. We have resident squirrels, snakes, various kinds of birds, and — probably — a bobcat in the area.

However, on July 5th, I looked out the back door to find a hawk sitting at the edge of my swimming pool, looking for a way to get a drink from it without falling in. (Not possible.) I had watched a pair of pigeons try the same thing a couple of weeks earlier. They actually got wet a time or two. The hawk was smarter than that.

After taking some pictures through the door, I walked out to suggest he find somewhere else to hang around. (Not because I have anything against hawks… I actually like many aspects of them… but, rather, because I don’t want my cats (or our chickens) to be part of a nutritious breakfast (or lunch or dinner) for the hawk.) I was within 20 feet of him when I waved my arms and he flew… to the branch of a tree overlooking the pool.

Later, he flew away… and returned… twice. The second and third time he was hanging around the chicken pen. (They are in a predator-proof pen we built after losing almost half the flock to a bobcat over the course of a week.)

Since that day, he has returned several times… just about every other day. He hangs around for a while, gets a drink from the bird bath, calls a bit, and then heads off. (The mockingbirds have even learned the hawk’s call and imitate it… much to the apparent irritation of the hawk.)

Why has the hawk “adopted” our yard? One answer could be that the drought our area is experiencing has removed his other water sources and he has found ours (birdbath, dog water trough, etc.) That is certainly a likelihood. However, it has been suggested that whatever the mechanistic causes (drought, hunger, etc.), that there is a metaphysical side to this and that I should explore that.

Native Americans consider the hawk to be a messenger from the Great Spirit sent to alert the recipient to pay attention and look for the message.

I don’t have any profound revelations or insights on such a message to me, so far. However, there are some lessons that we business owners can learn from the hawk. I’ll share one of them, today.

The hawk has what might be called “dual vision” (along with eagles and similar birds.)

The hawk is able to soar high in the air, getting the big picture, looking over great areas of land. When it is flying, it can see great distances, both ahead and behind. In a sense, it sees the future and the past (where it is going and where it has been) easily.

At the same time, it can use the other part of it’s vision to magnify the view and see very minute details on the ground. You might say that it can (and does) drill down to the details when it sees something promising or of interest.

This dual vision is a quality that we business owners need to have. When we were just employees, we really didn’t need to have both. In fact, in many jobs, having both gets you in trouble. Seeing the big picture when the manager/owner/boss wants you to just see and handle the details is a “career-limiting” ability. Conversely, getting caught up in the details if you were a manager, planner, strategic staff member, or executive would get you in trouble. Big business doesn’t have many places where it needs (or wants) someone with dual vision.

However, as a small business owner, it is imperative that you have dual vision. You have to understand the big picture of your business, your marketing, your customers, your profit strategy, and the business climate/economy. You also have to understand the details of the different aspects of your business so that you can manage it.

(Please note that I am not saying that you need to DO all the detailed work in your business. You have employees, contractors, or other outsourcing to handle many of the details so that you don’t get swamped in them. But you still need to be aware of them and able to shift your view to them when necessary.)

If you are like most “accidental business owners”, you are really good at either the big picture or at the details… but not both. In that case, what do you do?

You get help. You can learn to see the big picture. You can learn to see the details. Even if it is not your strong suit, you can partner with someone who has the complementary skill and let them point out the things you aren’t seeing.

A good mentor can help you develop that way of seeing. As you work with a mentor, you will start to hear his voice asking, “Have you thought of this? Have you looked at the big picture? What are the important details?” Even if it never becomes your strong suit, it will be enough to help your run your business and keep it profitable and self-sustaining.

There are other lessons we can learn from the hawk, but for today, let’s just soar with this.

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Trying to think of someone who would be a good mentor for you? Hmmm. Maybe “Communes-with-hawks Simmons” would be a good choice. Contact me and let’s see if it’s right for you.
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