Is success evading you or taking longer to arrive despite your best efforts?

Some of the new entrepreneurs cite this as one of their major concerns – How do I hang on to my dream when success is taking longer than anticipated to arrive?

The answer lies in:

  • Evaluation of your goals, your efforts
  • Understanding the present conflicts
  • Preparing conducive strategies
  • Being ready to change or evolve


When you look at the above statement (Can I hang…) you see three issues here – “hanging on” is closer to survival and “success” of course means success in your profession and “taking longer” is more in respect to today’s changing times or we may call it depressing times of economic downturn.
We must discuss these three issues separately to arrive any closer to a solution (which again is difficult to achieve because a “solution” is unique for all different situations, it cannot be generalized).


Persistent Efforts

Evaluate your efforts – how persistent they have been, how focused you have been to achieve success? Nothing can happen if you don’t make continuous, focused efforts to make it happen. What have you done today that gets you closer to your short-term and long-term goals. Don;t fool yourself with half-hearted attempts, the results will not change. Put in more and put in more often.

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with great talent. Genius will not. Un-rewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

~ President Calvin Coolidge

 

Survival of the Fittest

To survive tough times is what many around us are doing and no doubt it is tough for small businesses and start-ups. What would help you hang on and survive this downturn? Take time to write down what you are doing now that is not working and what could be a work around to help you hang on there for one year or more in your business.
You may have great ideas but with no funding and dwindling personal funds, there is no way you can hang on; so financial stability forms the basis of survival at present in addition to several others factors of course. Know what your present conflicts are and how can you focus on resolutions.

And while the law of competition may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race, because it ensures the survival of the fittest in every department.
~ Andrew Carnegie

 

Be Ready to Change

Stop being afraid of changes or to move on – that’s one major deterrent to success. Times change and requirements change be ready to change and learn from your failures or experiences.

For inspiration ponder on these quotes by Dr. Spencer Johnson author of the awesomely inspiring book “Who Moved My Cheese?”

1. Change Happens – They keep moving the Cheese

2. Anticipate Change – Get ready for the Cheese to move

3. Monitor Change – Smell the Cheese often so you know when it is getting old

4. Adapt to Change Quickly – The quicker you let go of Old Cheese, the sooner you can enjoy New Cheese

5. Change – Move with the Cheese

6. Enjoy Change – Savor the adventure and enjoy the taste of New Cheese

7. Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again

 

Success as it means to YOU

What does success mean to you at present? It may be meeting the ends, or achieving a certain percentage of sales or reaching that one million revenue mark you had set for yourself at the onset of your venture. As said before, success is different for all. Take time to revisit your goals and vision of your company or venture, where you are now, how bad or good is it and how worse or better can it get in the coming year. It is time to evaluate, reassess and reorganize keeping in mind that still spending is low and sales are dismal.

Here apart from the statistics you need inspiration and I would recommend that you read Zig Zaglar. One of his books, “Success for Dummies” could be the one you can start with this season, you will be inspired and will be able to define what success means to you (oh yes, the emphasis very confidently is on “will”). Find it out for yourself!

“Success doesn’t come to you…you go to it.”
–Marva Collins


Success takes longer during RECESSION

This statement may or may not be true – again “success” cannot be generalized, there have been many instances in recent one or two years where quite a few small business owners have launched new successful ventures and those who had them for sometime are thriving and earning more than they expected. Do ask me if you want to read such success stories, will be glad to pass on some relevant links on this topic. (here is one such link I want to share with you: Recession Success Stories)
But let’s focus on why it is taking longer for the rest of us.

It is quite obvious by the definition of recession that we are in some troubled economic times for and success is very much tied to the amount to money you make from a business to survive or thrive. These are the times to reinvent and try out different things to see what can be done to make things better not just sit and lament that “recession is here, this is bound to happen”.

Do not generalize an outcome based on circumstances; motivate and inspire yourself to make the best of these times.
To do this please revisit the two questions asked in this post above and see if you see any answers to this particular question for your situation. Else write your comments to this post and let’s see how we all can put our heads together to find out a “near” solution.

But before you do so, here are some good tips from Daniel Kehrer on 7 Makeover Tips for Recession Success, worth a read.

“Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.”
— Orison Swett Marden 


 

Some other Retargets for inspiration:

“Celebrate your success and stand strong when adversity hits, for when the storm clouds come in, the eagles soar while the small birds take cover”

 

Question: What have you done to motivate yourself when you feel that success evades you?