No Retreat, No Surrender, No Bad Views!

“We are not retreating.We are advancing in another direction. 

Who said that? You might guess President Bush or a General attempting to explain Iraq. But it wasActually General Douglas MacArthur. The challenges and perils of war have not changed much. Nor, really, have the perils of getting anywhere, accomplishing anything of any real significance, in any business or even in life – it just isnt a ‘straight-line-from-A-to-B thing. The economy that we operate in today is EASY compared to what is coming down the pipeline¦(and it is closer than you realize.) Yet too many people are lulled to sleep basking in their complaints about the miniscule and the trivial until a real change comes and they get whacked between the eyes with a 2X4. 

Quick question: Why Do We Nourish The Cause and Complain About The Effects? 

Heres the truth. Most people havent gone down a ‘blind alley and had their nose bloodied by the brick wall at its end while being kicked in the ‘keester repeatedly from behind. Most people are afraid to adventure off the ‘yellow brick road because they really believe there is a Wizard of Oz waiting to grant their wishes. But if by some chance you have stubbed a toe lately, you ought to rejoice in it. Because Nobody stubs toes sitting still. 

Im all for arranging your life to avoid challenges and experimentation, IF youre already where you want to be financially (NOT dependent on one revenue stream) and other accomplishment terms. And Im not a champion of doing things the hard way when there are easier effective options available. However, you cant go through life mad, frustrated, and disappointed when things arent going exactly your way. (I have to continually remind myself of that last statement, because my nature is when I get hit, I want to hit back…even harder!)

Being an entrepreneur  = solving problems.

Even if you are a Psuedo-entreprenuer (which means you ‘think you own a business because you do everything else Real entrepreneurs do, BUT you never get any Equity for your years of laboriously, sacrificially, building the business¦sound familiar?) you are paid to solve problems. Pick your way around the potholes. Dealing with the malcontents, the mildly content, and the morons.

Thats one of the reasons the pay is better-NOT due to our exceptional genius, but due to our exceptionally high tolerance for pain. Our willingness to “advance in another direction when most other people just stop, squat, and give up altogether. No Retreat, No Surrender, No Bad Views….But I did not say…No Bad News. 

When you try things and push new initiatives, you sometimes wind up covered in bat guano looking stupid and smelling. (McDonalds: sit down table service. FedEx: ZapMail. Martha Stewart: The Apprentice) But you still ought to, no-HAVE to budget some time and money to try new, different, radical, odd ideas¦its called R&D. It’s called going into the ‘no zone’…the place so few dare to go because safety lies in confining oneself within the compound or better yet, the prison of the status quo. But if ‘status quo truly stayed ‘status quo then we would all still be lighting our houses with candles.

Sniff, Sniff…What’s That Smell? 

Be a lead dog, because if youre not the lead dog, the view never changes and theres a real reason that life STINKS! <CONTINUED TOMORROW>  

“Think Big¦Dream Bigger!

©TMG 2007