WHY 7?
Could be a longer list…..and surely people will debate it ……BUT….. my experience has taught me if we fire pre-emptive strikes at these 7 mistakes…..all the other stuff people say is important ‘to do’ or ‘to avoid’ never comes into play.
Here they are ……and how to avoid them.
1. TIME MANAGEMENT
People spend money and time on time management. And, that is what it cost them – money and time.
Time management is a huge mistake and since no one gets more time in a day no matter what they do, I have this as the number 1 mistake.
Why?
You cannot manage time.
Huh?
Yup. Think about it. No matter what you do to a day, hour or minute…….will it behave any differently?
Nope.
Instead of managing time, which we cannot do…..we need to learn to manage ourselves.
Spend 80% or more of your time at the ‘traction’ point…that is the point that is goal advancing and/or income producing and something stunning occurs…..time management becomes to you what it becomes to all successful people…..a waste of time…..something people discuss and whine about so they can avoid what needs to be done.
What needs to be done is contacting prospects…..and managing ourselves with honesty around that dissolves this insane and epidemic compulsion to control what we cannot…..time.
AVIODING MISTAKE 1: Manage ourselves, not time.
2. INFORMATION ADDICTION
It’s great if you love your plan, product, company and/or ‘revolutionary concept’ you are working.
More information and bigger lists will not sell it…….so…..we add more information and move it around ….add graphics…..video…..more, more, more.
They say no-n0-no faster and faster…..
Why?
Information is not what makes people decide to buy…..sorry….but that is the way that it is.
They make a decision to look and look with an open mind in less than 12 seconds.
Invest in communication, not adding information.
It is a skill. Learn how to communicate without jargon and pay plans and ingredients and then results will soar.
AVIODING MISTAKE 2: Place communication skills first.
3. LONG HOURS
Most people start home-based businesses part-time and are quickly putting in so many hours that their life is out of balance……and challenges in the home, at work, with the kids …..everything…..occur and get worse.
At this point we all make Mistake 1…..try to manage our time instead of ourselves….
Long hours do not work……if your business is not a good deal tomorrow, it is not a good deal today and while the sense of urgency is great…..keep balance in your life.
Long hours never make anyone successful in the things that really matter……and being successful in the things that really matter is why people join.
AVOIDING MISTAKE 3: Set store hours and stick to it.
4. PUTTING YOUR AGENDA FIRST
Sometimes our excitement traps us…..meaning…..we believe what we have is for everybody.
Without realizing it we enter every conversation with our agenda as the only thing that is really going on in our minds……making us poor listeners and trapping us into spending too much time with the wrong people and turning us into hard core ‘pitch-men’ without realizing it…..the more we press…..the worse we do.
Real success is a by-product of authentic service…..and …..sorry to tell you this…..but your program is just not right or perfect for every single person on the planet…..and them saying no does not mean ‘they are not the right people’…..that type of thinking blocks us from improving.
Some people may need the money but their personality is such that they are simply not going to call people…..and if your business requires that to succeed…..tell ’em the truth instead of thinking you’ll get them to make calls.
AVOIDING MISTAKE 4: Put prospect’s agenda & personality first.
5. Poor Sleep & Nutrition
For years I had “Think and Grow Rich” as my core approach and I had some successes…..only to see them unravel.
Why?
Poor nutrition and lack of sleep…..the last chapter in those classic works by Hill and Stone stressed proper nutrition, rest and a full 8 hours of sleep. I avoided them like many other people, that is avoided this sound advice and lost my edge. Like many others I have met over the years they also lost their edge and became “edgy”.
Whatever your business is, if it’s going to last, it’s a marathon not a sprint.
Hundreds of conversations with people working at home let’s me know they go 2 or 3 days without taking the time to keep their body and mind well tuned.
AVOIDING MISTAKE 5: Get some exercise everyday, eat right, bath and get a minimum of 8 hours of shuteye.
6. Goal Orientated
Goals WON’T build your business. They are the reason to do your business but the won’t BUILD your business.
Go show 10 people your goals and ask them, “Will you join my business?” 🙂
Helping other people get what they want is important but you have to know how to help them.
Once people know you care about others they are more likely to take your coaching than they are if you’re talking about what’s in it for you.
AVOIDING MISTAKE 6: Dedicate yourself to the goals of others.
7. KNOW IT ALL
It’s what we learn after we know it all that makes the difference according to Coach Wooden…… and certainly you already know this is true.
How many times have you asked people you’re working with for constructive feedback?
While the internet offers a gazillion gurus none of them can come close to the feedback your teammates can give you if you have an open mind and truly want to improve.
Wooden also taught the best way to improve the team is to improve oneself.
AVOIDING MISTAKE 7: Ask for constructive feedback weekly, thank them and take action instantly on their suggestions.
I love lists and certainly one could debate the order of this one….. but….. there’s always a but when someone like me wants to justify his list. 🙂
….. but my 20 years of successes and failures has shown me that an aligning oneself with these 7 little things tends to eliminate the 7 most common mistakes people tend to make.
So try it out for 1 week and let me know how it goes – just type in the Comment Box….. I believe you’ll find it’s a lot more fun when you have eliminated mistakes before they happen rather than dealing with them after.
believe
Mark Januszewski
Well, Mark —
There you go again! When I read your post this morning, it brought to mind a verse that has been ringing true to me for a few years now (Eccl. 1:9). For sometime now, I have been searching for the magic formula that would position me to be the high-achieving “big-hitter” that we all read about from time to time. The search for the latest “secret” to networking success, whether it be technological in nature or attraction-based, became a sort of Holy Grail for me. Then….you came along and RUINED it all. Now, I find out that there is truly nothing new under the sun…that if I will just follow some common sense principles, acquire and master a few simple skills and quit looking for the “Answer”, in time I will realize a measure of success that has heretofore eluded me.
To you I have only this to say:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Please keep it coming!
thanks for stopping by bruce……
edison said ‘most people miss opportunity because is shows up in overalls and looks like work’
from time to time I have been as guilty as everyone else, looking for ‘ways’ to make it happen instead of just ‘making it happen’
believe
mark j
Instead of managing time, which we cannot do…..we need to learn to manage ourselves
It’s so weird that when it comes to helping others I can find 25 hours in a day and no mountain seems to high and no weight to heavy. BUT, when it comes to my habits I’ve found that years of bad habits seem to stand in the way. Am learning that it feels much better at the end of the day when I stay true to my word that I will put me as a priority. Baby Steps,,,,,, and keeping focused on the BFO consistently helps to build good habits.
mahalo my friend.