I received an email this week from one of my subscribers who, in response to a recent question I asked him about what he’s doing to stay motivated and grow, said “reading books and information that gives me the opportunity to develop my skills as a business “. Leader. Is this enough? And if not, what are his suggestions?
In my reply, I indicated that this was a good start, but in itself it was not enough: you need to put more effort into its development to reap the benefits of your initial reading. It takes a real investment in yourself, a smart investment, for you to really grow.
So what do I mean by a smart investment? I mean investing in more than just accumulating information, investing in changing your paradigms (the way you think and see the world) and developing your skills.
Like I said, the information is a good starting point, but it needs to be applied so that you get the best performance possible. That’s why in my success articles and programs, in addition to providing information, I also encourage you to develop action plans and take action.
However, what I notice with most entrepreneurs and business leaders is that they see these products only in terms of information, as if that is all that matters. They browse for little gems or pearls of wisdom, and if they don’t find them, they move on to the next program, book, or source of information.
However, if you spend a little more time and effort doing the exercises, answering the questions, and taking action, that’s when you’ll get breakthroughs and “ah-ha” moments.
If you think about the amount of information you’ve already collected on business success, entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal development. The books and articles you have read; the number of times you surf the Internet for information on topics related to business, success or leadership; the trainings, seminars or talks you have attended; the audio products you have listened to. Which of those do you remember? Which one do you feel you have really learned from?
I bet it’s the ones where you’ve actually applied the information, where you’ve tried something different, implemented one of your suggestions. When those actions are taken consistently and persistently, and lead to tangible results, it’s a smart investment!
So why don’t we all do it? Because although the concepts and actions are usually simple, they are not easy to implement. If they were, we would all be reaching our potential and moving towards success easily!
So what can you do to help yourself be a smart investor?
- Start with the basics – Don’t try to run before you can walk. The basics form the foundation on which everything else is built.
- Be willing and open to try something new or different.. He doesn’t let his skepticism or fear keep him from trying.
- be persistent – don’t give up before you’ve really given something new a chance to work.
- Be consistent. Always send the same messages to prospects, customers and staff; this allows them to begin to trust that you mean what you say. And remember, actions speak louder than words, so always do what you say!
- be tough. You might get lucky and find that some things work almost immediately, but more likely they won’t; and some things you try may not work at all. Be the kind of person who can bounce back from these blows, learn from them, and try again.
Stephen Covey in his ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ calls this being proactive and it is no coincidence that this is the first of his 7 habits.
Be a smart investor, pick 1 or 2 things you already know and want to implement, and take action. Put in the effort and do it on a regular basis and these small investments will start to give you the returns you want.