Perseverance. Tenacity. Stick-to-it-iveness. Patience.
All these words are driving at the same thing: DO NOT GIVE UP.
Now I do not particularly like negative statements, so let me
reword this. Keep on keeping on. Hang in there. Keep on
truckin '. There, that's better, because you see, I want to
be your favorite cheerleader.
I want to point out to you what you're doing right so that
you can keep on doing more of it. I want to show you that
you already have the qualities you need to make it (and make
it big!) in a successful home business.
That's right! You already possess the "tools" that you need.
If you did not, you would not be reading this article! You
already have desire, vision and initiative. You want more
out of life, you see the possibilities for yourself, and you
are taking action.
I applaud you!
Now, my job as your self-appointed personal cheerleader is
to encourage you to keep on picking up those tools. I want
to entice you to fan the flames of your desire, sharpen your
vision and to keep taking regular action. I wish to show
you what to expect so that you do not go running away before
your dreams reach you.
How many of you out there have ever joined a gym or started
an exercise program? Well, starting a profitable home
business is a bit like starting an exercise program.
When you first start out, your enthusiasm is jumping,
expectations are high, visions of a beautiful body and
ripply muscles are dancing in your head, so it's off to the
gym you go. Desire, vision, action.
Now it's time to get down to business.
The muscles are out of shape, so you have to work up
gradually as your body learns to handle the extra usage.
There's a period of adaptation when the muscles seem to be
crying out, "Bad idea, Man!"
You're sore all over. You're feeling more tired than usual
because you're body is burning more energy than before, but
you're not getting any extra sleep to make up for it. And
what's worse, you're not seeing any results. In fact, you
look even flabbier than before!
What's wrong with this picture?
There is nothing wrong with this picture. It is part of the
PROCESS!
Body fat becomes flabbier before it is actually burned off
and converted to muscle. As you keep on working out, the
soreness soon goes away. Your stamina steadily improves.
Your body gets sleepy early because you're burning more
energy, so you get a little more sleep than usual. And you
keep on working out. Then comes that glorious day when you
start to see your results.
Ahhh, such a satisfying feeling.
See, you did it! Now, even if you did not stick with it for very
long, you witnessed the process. You are, in fact, capable of
producing the desired results. If you do not want to go the
distance, well, you will not get to where you want to go. It's as
simple as that. But do not tell yourself you do not have what it
takes. This is simply not true.
This gives you an idea of what to expect when you start your
own business.
Just as your body fat becomes flabbier before it is actually
burned off and converted to muscle, your mind may need to
grapple with old negative, "flabby" thinking patterns while
it teaches how to convert those thoughts to a new, more
positive framework.
Mental work is very taxing, even more so than physical work.
Your brain might feel a little "sore" from the extra work-out,
and you might find yourself needing a little more sleep than
usual, at least for a while. Most people do not get enough
sleep as it is, so a little indulgence while you temporarily
"catch a few more zzzz" is probably a good idea.
Let's try another analogy. How many of you have ever had to
pump water from a well?
Starting a profitable home business is like priming a pump.
You feel thirsty and want something to drink, so you picture
a big jug of nice, cool water, and you head for the well.
Desire, vision, action.
When you first start to pump for water, you pump and you
pump, but nothing comes out. There is nothing wrong with
the pump. This, too, is part of the process. Knowing this,
you keep on pumping and pumping.
Finally, the water reaches the top of the well and it starts
to trickle out. Pretty soon, all you have to do is keep
applying slow, steady pressure, and the water just comes
gushing out!
It's like that with building a business, too.
Remember that we are ENTREPRENEURS, my friend. Pioneers,
if you will. We are not the 9 to 5 employees who do a straight,
mediocre exchange of time for money. In this business, 95%
of what we do will SEEM like wasted energy. This is an
illusion !!
ALL of our activity is part of the process, and it will pay off
handsomely if we just do not give up.
I know I've not provided you with any new earth-shattering
information. What I HAVE done is to remind you of things
that you already know but may have temporarily forgotten.
Also, I hope that I've given you an analogy that might just
be the one that "catches," the one that resonates with you,
the one that you can read call to mind in a moment of
need, and most especially, the one that will cause you to
keep putting one foot in front of the other and to keep on
keepin 'on! This is my fervent desire.
And the crowd roars,
"Prime that pump, Baby! Rah, rah, rah !!
Prime that pump, Baby! Sis, Boom, Bah !!! "
(Stay tuned for Part 2.)