For those of us who own a business, work for a business, plan to start a business or are looking for work, some truths are self-evident and others, well, not so much!
In business, some of the self-evident truths include the fact that we need to work hard, have a strategic plan, understand our marketplace including both our customer base and our competitors, comply with regulations, pay our taxes and be good corporate and community citizens.
Other ‘truths’ that some in business cling to, however, may be less about the ‘truth’ and be more about pointing at or looking for people and circumstances to blame as the reason behind our lack of success.
Business is and always will be a challenging work in progress that we need to devote all of the right energies to in order to survive and thrive.
Wasting energy on negatives or situations that may be beyond our control is an extremely poor use of time and effort.
The following story, courtesy of Seth’s Blog, gives a great explanation of the art of understanding what you can control, what you cannot control, and then moving forward.
And for anyone who does not get the daily email from Seth’s Blog, I would recommend it highly!
Just leave me to do my work!
I need a sales rep (or ten) to do the selling so I can do my work.
And investors to put up the money so I can do my work.
And an accounting staff so I won’t have to think about inflows and outflows so I can do my work.
And an admin to process and answer all my email and my paperwork…
And employees who already know what to do so they won’t ask me…
And an organization that not only doesn’t make me go to meetings, but also instantly understands and adopts my best ideas…
And a coffee boy to bring me an espresso, a police escort so I don’t get stuck in traffic and a publicist so every media outlet in the world communicates what I’m working on.
By now, you’ve probably realized:
This isn’t going to happen. Not as completely or as flawlessly as we’d like to hope. We need the leverage that comes from working with other people, but that leverage also means that we’re responsible. People who do great work also embrace the fact that this is their work too. It’s not merely an interruption or a distraction, it’s part of what they do. There are no monasteries reserved for productive, successful artists who regularly ship inspiring work. Our culture responds to instigators and impresarios who figure out how to make a ruckus in a complicated world.
Years ago, you had to work with a quill or a manual typewriter. You needed to wait for the post office and you had no free and highly-leveraged outlet for your work to be seen by others. You had no access to a huge, instant and free library of the work that has come before… and yet, despite all of those missing elements, great work was created.
My guess is that the few people who find themselves isolated with nothing to do but what they believe is their work find a way to distract themselves with something anyway. And people who have too many distractions to actually do any real work are in that bind because they haven’t invested enough time, effort or risk in their organization and their process. Yes, there’s a sweet spot. As you obtain leverage, that leverage becomes part of what your work becomes.
We are leaving you to do your work. Go!
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Written by Michael Haltman, President of Hallmark Abstract Service, New York.
HAS is a provider of title insurance in New York State for residential and commercial real estate transactions specializing in the areas of New York City, Long Island and Westchester.
Remember that you have the right to choose your own title company (click here to learn more)!
If you have any questions you can reach Michael by email at mhaltman@hallmarkabstractllc.com.
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