Inspired by thoughts of my personal goals for the July 2012 Philadelphia Mud Run…
The parallels between successful athletes and successful business people are many: drive, determination, goal-focused, willing to take risks, stamina…and the list continues.
Launching and operating a business requires conditioning. And, just like preparing for any type of athletic endeavor, you need to establish a foundation of fitness and build upon it to improve yourself and your business. As in athletic training, your odds of succeeding are better if you focus on developing the skills that you already possess rather than dwelling on what you lack. Think about it…how many Olympic speed skaters do you see trying to perfect their pirouettes on the parallel bars?
If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend StrengthFinders 2.0. It’s all about putting emphasis on your natural strengths instead of your shortcomings. Rather than constantly trying to “fit a square peg in a round hole” by trying to fix what’s broken, it advocates nurturing your innate potential.
It’s that potential that you need to work out and condition to get really, really good at what you’re offering to your clients. The other stuff can be outsourced, but your core value proposition is all you.
It takes discipline. It takes practice. There will be training cycles of long hours that bring exhaustion and pain, but dedication to the conditioning of your solopreneurial skills is the most important component of a business that has the endurance to last for the long haul.
How do you keep yourself professionally fit and up to the challenge of managing your business?
I view my role as more than an independent contractor for hire — I become a part of your team. You’ll find that I dig into the details to understand what’s important to you — and your customers. I embrace collaboration, communicate openly, and craft content to help you achieve your marketing and business goals. Read More...
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