GET FOCUSED. GET CONTROL. GET GROWING.
	Monthly Business e-Tips	Vol 4 Issue 3

"The Secret" to a Successful Business

"Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious."

Bill Meyer

There has been a lot of buzz and controversy around the book and DVD entitled The Secret. In oversimplified terms, it is about positive thinking and being intentional about what you want and attracting it to you. The premise is that we attract what we are thinking and feeling. If we change our thoughts and feelings to reflect what we want rather than what we lack, it will come to us.

One of the criticisms surrounding this book is that it minimizes complicated concepts. Other complaints are focused on its materialistic orientation. Still others have objected to the example used of a woman who visualized and laughed away the cancer in her body without medical intervention. Makes it sound hokey doesn’t it?

Like every new "get rich" or "quick fix" trend, this book is creating a cult-like following of believers. With any new-fangled concept or theory I learn about, I evaluate its usefulness to me and my clients and extract the parts that make sense. There are rarely easy solutions to complex issues. However, I have seen remarkable change and improvement in people, their finances and in businesses of those who apply the principles of The Secret. Yes, I admit I bought the DVD and am successfully integrating its principals into my life and work.

I always encourage clients to consider doing things differently to effect positive change. Repeating the same steps the same way, is not going to make a business grow. Change is necessary to create a better outcome. Well, The Secret calls for a change of attitude and letting go of limiting beliefs. Can that help your business?

Here are some beliefs you can change that could support you to move your business forward.

• Competitors are causing my business to fall short. Differentiating your company and thinking of how you can provide a better product or service will take you a long way. Focus on how to make your business better rather giving your competitors the power to hold you back. One of my clients considered a business, which offered a less quality product at a low-cost, a challenging competitor. We looked carefully at its target customer and saw it was a totally different market from my client’s. The business’s message now addresses the different needs of its patrons.
• I cannot charge more money for my services. This is probably the most limiting belief there is for financial success. Many clients I work with have a business model or pricing structure that does not serve them well and I am working with them to change it. I encourage them to think about the benefits of what they offer and charge for its worth rather than for the time it takes them to do the work.
• I am spending too much time working in my business. Change your thinking and start to work smarter and with less effort. If you have systems and processes that address your ongoing challenges, you and your employees will become more productive. The time you spend at work won’t be too much. I have seen amazing results by shifting attitude and focus.
• My employees are not very effective. Time and again I observe business owners who enable poor performance. Negative thinking about employees becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and breeds further negativism. I advise them to believe their employees will perform if they provide clear expectations, reward good performance and address problems right away. Instead of being negative about your staff, provide them with the direction and tools necessary to do their jobs. You will notice improvement in their attitude and ability to function at a higher level. Of course, some employees need to be let go and no amount of positive thinking will get them on track.

Getting back to The Secret, you can see from these examples how you think about your business can be a starting point for increasing its success. Thinking alone will not produce the results you want, you must also plan and take action around your new thoughts. Change your thinking and focus your intentions on key areas that will bring success to you. Read the book or view the DVD and center on the ideas that you can apply to your business and your life. Be sure to notice what is working. Then you will know you have learned "the secret".