Are you struggling with profit, satisfaction, or both?
Some business owners are doing what they love, but not making money. Others are making money, but get no satisfaction. Many make no money and get no satisfaction. But they sure do put in many hours!
Then there are the few, the artists, the Alchemist Entrepreneurs™, who both make money and feel immensely satisfied. They approach their business as a work of art.
In the best works of art, every element fits. Think of your favorite song. Every note fits. Every instrument adds something and together it’s magical. When you hear it, it lifts you up.
Your business can and should give you, your employees and customers the same feeling. Think of Warren Buffett who likes to say that he and his partner Charlie Munger enjoy what they do so much that they “tap dance to work each morning.” And look at what they’ve built.
Let me tell you why most business owners never achieve the rank of artist…
The answer is simple: They’re in a rush.
You can always justify your rush. One day it’s the competition and you need to keep pace and stand out. Another day it’s a demanding but important customer. Still another day, it’s your cash flow.
But whatever the explanation, this frantic rushing rarely gives you the profit and satisfaction you really want.
To build a business work of art, you DO need a sense of urgency. Things are constantly changing and if you’re not moving, you’re falling behind. Move fast and you learn, adapt and turn ho-hum systems into systems that hum.
So what’s the distinction between rushing, which stifles and traps you and a sense of urgency which is a basic ingredient?
Rushing: When you try to make things move faster than they’re meant to move. For example, trying to make a sale before you really understand your prospect. Or throwing someone on a job without proper training because you “don’t have a choice.”
A sense of urgency: When you’re committed to not let things take any longer than they absolutely need to. All this while acknowledging and respecting the reality that some things do need to evolve, mature and ripen.
To the point: If you want more profit and satisfaction from your business, don’t rush. But do act with a sense of urgency. That’s the way of Alchemist Entrepreneur™.
Has this clarified something for you? I’d love to get your reactions in the comments section below.
