REMEMBER THE GOOD OLD DAYS?

Remember when you used to sit down and play Monopoly with your brothers and sisters? (or Whoever). Do you remember what the point of the game was? Was it simply to get around the board as many times as possible? Build houses and hotels? Collect rent? Have Fun?

What did you pick for your game piece? The dog? The Iron? The Car? Did it really matter? Maybe it didn't. Or maybe it did. Did you ever ask yourself why you picked the piece that you did? Was it carefree nature of the dog? The sensibility of the Iron? Or perhaps, the visions of speed conjured by the image of the car. One thing is certain. You didn't pick your piece by accident. You chose to pick the piece you did, maybe subconsciously, because there was something about you, that was represented in that piece. Freedom, Steadiness, Speed. Something you were, or wished to become. The question is, which is it--a reflection of yourself, or your dreams?

Ok, so you're asking, "That's it". Monopoly. How will that transform my business and my life? TRUTHFULLY? Neither. What will grow your business is understanding the piece you picked and why you did it. The reason is, in that choice, is the underlying factor of how you make your decisions, and how you see the world.

Truth be told there are really only a couple reasons people go into business,

and do you want to know a SECRET? It's usually not for the money. Yep, that's right. It's not for the money folks. Most people go into business to express their freedom of choice. As the great Frank Sinatra said, "I did it my way!" And there is nothing wrong with going into business to show the world your individuality, your creativity, and your wherewithal. NOTHING AT ALL. The problem is, most people are under the assumption that they went into business for, 'the money'.

Why is this important to know?

Not everyone wants to be Donald Trump, Bill Gates, or Warren Buffett.

Most people just want to be 'Me'. Or, I mean, themselves. For many people there is something demoralizing about the 9 to 5 grind. Eventually, it chips away at their soul, until they are a shadow of what they once were. The real question is, Why did you go into business, or for those not yet in business, Why do you want to?

THE LITTLE ANSWER TO THE BIG QUESTION

The secret to success is as simple as this:
"Do what you love because you love it, and you know it is the right thing to do".

SIMPLE. There is no reason to make it more complex than that. If you love fashion, open a clothing store that markets to people who love fashion. If you love car parts, open a junkyard that caters to people who love junk cars. If you love ice cream, open an ice cream store that caters to people who love ice cream. The truth is...you need to follow your passion. When we do something that does not excite us, soon we lose interest, and it becomes secondary.

I'm reminded of the years when I worked for Franklin Covey , you know the people that made those little binders that people that we all documented our life with, back in the nineties. They were in their boom cycle then. But more importantly we talked Franklin Covey taught me an important lesson. A while after I began to work there, a strange object started to enter the catalogs. It was called the Palm Pilot. Nobody really knew what it was. Something about keeping your note and calendars digitally. Seemed cool, but not really relevant, and why would people want to do that when they could just write it on pretty paper that cost them $50.00 a year to refill. Who would spend three hundred and fifty bucks on a gadget that tracks your notes, calendar, and even some music? Well it turns out a lot of people would, anyone heard of the iPhone or the Blackberry? However, Franklin Covey, barely a blip on the radar these days, knew and loved paper based scheduling. They never really got the whole electronic idea. Their passion was paper. Sure, they tried to enter the electronic marketplace and failed miserably. It just wasn't their thing.

Now the funny thing to me is, that in our electronic age, there is such a demand for paper products. Not just run of the mill products, but fancy nice products. They are viewed as a luxury. Ask yourself how excited you get to receive an email. Probably not too excited. But have you ever received a hand written note? I have, and it makes an impact every time. I still keep a handwritten note in my drawer from a client thanking me for our service.

I've had that little note for ten years now. EVERY time I read it... I feel good.

Perhaps Franklin Covey could have learned this lesson also. Follow your passion. Why? Because, if you follow someone else's passion, you generally won't be able to generate enough energy to propel your business to the next level. Your work will become drudgery, instead of fun. And I don't know about you, but I prefer to have fun. Simply stated, business needs to be fun. If your business isn't fun, it's time to change. If your business isn't exciting, make it exciting. Master this one lesson, and you will have set the cornerstone for a lifetime of success.

To your success!
Bryan

Bryan Coester is a business expert who has worked with fortune 500 companies, and worked with the largest companies in the world to achieve success. He focuses on the factors in each business that will create the greatest return to the owners and shareholders. Long term success is his goal.

Delivering value first is a mantra that guides all his actions. He has worked with Industrial, High Tech, Pharmaceutical, Mining, Medical Manufacturing, Healthcare, and many other industries.