There is no "Stop"

Business is an ongoing coagulation of success, and struggle. We formulate plans, execute them, record the results, and then base our future decisions on those results. Business is routine. Business is a cycle. It is not for those who give up easily. It is not for those who can't take criticism. It's tough.

But why is that such a discouragement?

Plenty of things in life are difficult. But every day people accomplish tasks, get past obstacles, and find their own path to their unique brand of success or happiness. Maybe happiness is your success. However it is measured, one thing is certain for everyone sooner or later. Anything worth having can only be truly attained and appreciated through hard work. Business is no different, and when things get difficult, people show their true colors in the workplace.

There are people around you that will give up when the going gets tough. They'll throw their hands up and just walk out. They don't care about the task, their responsibilities, or their jobs in general. You'll also get people that will muscle through the hard times, determined to beat the intangible wall that holds them back. And finally, you'll find those who are relentless. Relentless in carrying out their tasks, relentless in their determination. Those are often the people that can stand to be in business for themselves.

The way things are right now weed out anyone who is not willing to survive. Is it right? No. Is it fair? Hell no. But unfortunately, it is the cold and terrible truth. Those who survive in business now are special. They are relentless.

Why do I keep saying relentless? Isn't that a negative adjective? Sure! But just like being cunning, the meaning of the word "relentless" isn't all bad. The tenacity to continue even when nothing matters anymore, when there is nothing to go back to, when all your energy is gone and all you have is time and your own willpower, when all you have. Is something to prove only to yourself. That's what being relentless means in business. Combine this with cunning, and you'll turn yourself into a survivor.

There are times when I want to give up, sure. Work is hard. Especially if you're in business for yourself, so I can understand the need to escape, to just stop caring. Hell, no-one is expecting you to hold out forever. Even when there isn't anyone around to judge you, you are around. When the thought of giving up becomes repulsive, guess what? You've become relentless.

There is no stop in business. Stopping means failure. So if you want to succeed, you must reach within yourself. And I don't mean in a sappy after school special kinda way. No, you must reach inside yourself and bypass your ego, your ideas, you concepts, your notions, and find that one thing that won't let you give up, the irrefutable truth that gives you the power to move past all the negative in your life, driving you towards success. That is what it means to be relentless. When the only thing stopping you from moving forward, is you. When the only person you have to answer to is you. And when you're finally willing not to let yourself down? You're ready to be a business owner.

What are you made of?

Being the Ultimate Critical Thinker in Business

Think outside the box is one of the most overused, and underrated phrases in the English language.

When you really come down to it, how does one suddenly...think differently? That's what "think outside the box" really means. Go against the grain, and find something unique in a totally different train of thought. Huh. Easier said than done, I'm afraid. But I don't think that the "box" is something that is shared between humanity. It's context sensitive, and I fear that's where people lose their way.

In business, being intelligent is no longer enough. Being vigilant, no longer enough. Opportunistic, no. Nowadays, if a business owner isn't cunning his or her establishment is in a world of hurt. Intelligence is easy enough to come by. But it must be combined with guile, resourcefulness, and sheer hunger to make it worth while.

There are whole websites devoted to improving intelligence and problem solving skills. And by all means, most are legitimate and genuinely want to help people all around the world better themselves. But sadly, these principles cannot be applied to problems in business without some tweaking.

One website I found seemed to really help because they kept their advice more as open guidelines, allowing for the reader to extrapolate and think. But there was one element missing here. This website even lists an entire process that can help business owners solve problems, but once again, it was lacking a single element.

Cunning.

Look at the definition. It has negative connotations associated with it, such as "deception." I've also heard treachery associated with the word, but if you click the link above and take a look at the second part of the definition, it says, "Executed with or exhibiting ingenuity." A-ha! That's what I'm talkin' about.

One must be cunning in business. By no means should you deceive or rob your customers or competitors, but you must be able to outwit competition, know how to handle and please each individual customer, and use all your resourcefulness and determination to succeed. Some of you may believe that the only way to succeed in business is to be deceptive, and to be a backstabber. Ruthless. Greedy. No.

That's where being cunning gets its bad rap. Ingenuity is the great equalizer among all creatures. One moment of inspiration can spark years of success- do you have any idea the kind of things you can accomplish if you set a lofty goal, and then use the power of your mind to reach it? And I'm not talking about the stupid "BELIEVE IN YOURSELF" stuff. I'm talking about using your brain to its fullest.

Don't expect a guide from me. Or a bulleted list with tips. This is something you must do on your own. There will be many times in business where all you have is an empty bank account, and your brain. When the chips are down, no website or resource center will have the know-how to pull you outta the sewer. Only you can do that. So if you have to rely on yourself that much, you better make damn sure you're the kinda person you'd trust.

Don't be smart. Be cunning.