I've been thinking a lot lately about the challenges people face controlling their emotions in business. Especially when trying to take themselves out of their comfort zone in order to make a big change in their life.
I work with a lot of people who are new to entrepreneurship through our company VoneCommerce. I love VE because of the massive opportunity it offers pretty much anyone to get into business for themselves (cheap to start, lots of leverage). And I truly believe that getting into business for yourself is the best chance at achieving financial freedom (so long as the vehicle supports the potential of a true residual income - which eCommerce does).
The best thing about working with people who want to move from a fairly predictable future slaving to the 40/40 plan (40 hrs a week for 40 years) to the challenge of the freedom 35 plan is that I get to see people share their hopes and dreams. It is so exciting listening to what people would do if money were not a consideration. John Maxwell once asked me the question 'what would change in your life if you had 200m dollars in the bank?' I was starting to think about other options for myself at the time, so I was open to ideas, and I responded honestly by saying that aside from my wife and kids, everything would change. His response to me really shook me up and forced me to make a decision. He said 'what does that tell you about the road you're on?'
Wow, if that wasn't motivation to go for it. So that's how I started, my wife and I got into the wild and wonderful world of viral marketing (we were broke and in debt, so didn't have a lot of start-up capital), took Robert Kiyosaki's advice in 'Why We Want You to be Rich' and got associated with a entrepreneur development group with a fantastic entrepreneurial training system (WWG, great group of people, integrity central!). What we learned there, and from other entrepreneurship greats like Richard Branson, has helped us build a brand that is now worth millions and still growing like crazy.
So, why doesn't everyone who dares to dream just get something viable rolling and go from there? I think the answer lies in a disconnect between goals and highest value.
One of my clients the the incredible author Dr John Demartini. He is an phenomenal teacher who thinks deeply about human motivation. The thing about John is that he actually offers tangible ways for people to move toward accomplishing their goals. His premise is simple, people will always serve their highest value. And if you want to know what someone's highest value is, plug your ears and look at where they are successful in their lives.
People are often ruled by their emotions which means they will generally always gravitate back to serving something that makes them feel 'good'. That might be a happy wife and kids, perhaps it is watching sports, or maybe even working out. The point is that if it ever comes to choosing between serving this 'highest value' or doing something else, the highest value will win.
Case study: I once worked with a young man who sought me out to help him build an online company. In our initial interview, he told me about the things he wanted to achieve in life. Told me how he would do anything to get there, whatever it takes... Told me about the books he had read and how all he really needed was someone who would give him a chance. So I did. I set him up in a great vehicle, worked with him to get things rolling, went through the nuts and bolts of entrepreneurship, and talked alot about how entrepreneurship is often quite counter intuitive because in the early stage you will work really hard for little reward.
After a month, we had worked hard in his business to build the beginnings of a subscriber base. We were working to fill his opportunity pipeline. He made a whole $36 profit after his first 30 days in business. I remember looking at him and saying 'great start, now we need to work this hard again because only consistency will help him build a successful company and get him to his dreams. Although he said all the right things in that converstion, I noted that over the next few weeks his resolve began to waiver. If he had a choice to make between following up with a lead going out with friends, he would choose to go out with friends. Then I saw it. He was starting to serve his highest value. I knew it was the beginning of the end for his venture. When I first met him, I knew he was a popular guy. Really easy company and always being invited to things. Loads of friends. When he started choosing his old lifestyle over the short term lifestyle he knew would get him to his dreams, I thought about John's teachings. He was doomed to serve his highest value and it was not a highest value that was going to help him build a successful company no matter how much mentoring, support, or investment I put in to him.
So, what do we do about it? How do we get past being a slave to our highest value in order to change our future personal or financial outlook? Well, according to John, we don't, unless we change our highest value/goal association. I presented this previously describes scenario to John on his trip to Calgary last March, and asked his advice. This is what he told me: In order to change your future, you need to either bring your goals into alignment with your highest value, or you need to bring your highest value into alignment with your goals... Okay, easier said than done! But... As with all things, where there is a will there is a way. Here are some steps that can get you started...
1) Identify your highest value: Look at where you are the most successful in your life. Relationships? Making money? Being creative? Great family and marriage? Really think about this one.
2) Come up with a very long list: List 1000 ways your highest value will benefit from you achieving your goal. This is exhausting, but by the time you finish, there will be no question in your mind as to how important achieving your goal will be to your highest value.
Example: Let's say you come to the conclusion that your highest value is your family, but that you would really like to make more money and retire early... Hmmm... Problem is that the latter is going to require a great deal of time away from your family, and what happens the first time your child calls and asks you to come home early to read to her, but you know you also have to get something done for work or your company... I am guessing the story will win every time. So, the obvious start to your list would be 'I will have more time for my kids because I won't have to worry about making money'. Promoting the idea of future benefit to your family will be a key to making the tough choices in the short term.
3) Revisit the list: When you start to fade, look back to your list. If you just aren't getting there, write another 300 connections and see where that takes you.
4) In case of emergency, break glass: Go see a Demartini seminar, that will really square you away.
Go and grow!
Cheers,
P
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