Posts Tagged ‘curiosity’

How Do You Know When You’re Ready?

Friday, May 6th, 2011

This week I led a teleseminar about my 3-month elite mentoring program and I received the following question from a very eager but hesitant new business owner:

“I’m not sure if I’m ready. I just don’t know if I’m far enough along in my business to be mentored by you. I guess I’m a little scared.”

I understand how she feels. I explained to her that, to me, those in the top 5% are NOT necessarily those who are making the most money or who have the most experience, rather they are the people who are the most curious, ambitious and creative — no matter how far into their journey as business owners.

Too many talented, potentially big thinking entrepreneurs paralyze their dreams with fear and a disease called, ”I’m not quite ready.”

Tinkering can take a lifetime. There is no better time to share your gifts and change lives than right now.

Pick up your dreams and run full speed ahead.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Personal Development Advice | 10 Comments »

Moving On From Ideas That Aren’t Working (AKA: Innovation)

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

Yesterday I wrote about being intimidated by your own ides. It sparked such an intense and meaningful conversation about innovation and change that I thought I’d continue the discussion today.

So, what is innovation? Innovation is a simple act. All it entails is producing something new that others can ask for. Becoming innovative requires a commitment to mastery.

As a student of business and, of course, life, I’ve found only a few things that are more important than the pursuit of mastery. Innovation is sure to energize you.

But having the willingness to try new things is not enough. You must also be willing to let go of an idea that isn’t working. That’s the flip side of curiosity. It includes curiosity in our own ideas. Will they work? Are they viable? If not, what’s your next idea?

I’m not saying you should give up on ideas. I’m saying you should move on from ideas that aren’t working. It’s not the same thing at all. Moving on is its own form of curiosity. When we are most creative, we are coming up with tons of new ideas at a time. They can’t all be good. We will never know what’s good and what’s not if we don’t test them out.

Curiosity is the willingness to test our ideas, discard the weakest, and build on the strongest. That’s how you will maintain your creative energy. That’s how you innovate.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Personal Development Advice, Small Business Leadership Advice, Small Business Project Advice | 11 Comments »

Shared Ambition (Do You Have It?)

Friday, April 15th, 2011

To succeed, you need to be ambitious, to cultivate ongoing ambition.

To succeed, you also need people around you who support your ambition, who nurture your inner strength, and who cultivate and maintain curiosity as well.

Staff, partners, family, friends, and others need to share in some sense your attitude and ambition. After all, that’s the foundation of what it is to be supportive as a friend, family member, or coworker, isn’t it?

I’m going to offer this suggestion: don’t use the Golden Rule (that we should treat others the way we want to be treated) when you are asking others to share your attitude and ambition. I’m going to suggest using what author Dr. Tony Alessandra has coined as the Platinum Rule: “Treat others the way they want to be treated.”

Quite a concept, yes? Reflect on it.

Your success requires that people around you feel similarly disposed toward the future. This is not to say that they must want the exact same thing you do. Rather it means that they, too, have ambitions of their own, which coincide with or complement your own.

Furthermore, they must be able to maintain their disposition toward the future. If you want to build a bigger, better business, your team must also want the opportunity to be part of a growing enterprise, to pursue their ambitions within your organization.

You’ve heard JFK suggest that, “A rising tide raises all boats.” True story. You want to be surrounded by people who are in the same boat with you and want to head in the same direction.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Personal Development Advice, Small Business Leadership Advice | 13 Comments »