Don't Close the Door!

The beliefs you and I hold are very powerful. Our beliefs can be tainted by the facts before us! You saw it. It happened. It must be true! Then you tried it again and the results were the same.  It's now confirmed. It's true and you have experienced it.  Been there done that.  You said it yourself.  "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”  No one wants to be insane. So, you give yourself permission to stop.

So, what is my point?  We can come to false conclusions based on factual events when our emotional bank account, or ability to continue, runs out.  And instead of continuing to push forward. We lie to ourselves and say it’s just not possible. Here is an example.

I recently ran into a friend, Tim, (Tim is not his real name, Bill hates when I use his real name) that I have known for about 27 years.  He is a plumber and a darn good one.  On many occasions he would remark that he just can't find any good help.  Occasionally Tim would hire someone and after a few months of frustration let the person go. A year might pass and then repeat the process.  A few months and then boom the new guy didn’t work out for a host of reasons.  His conclusion is based on facts, experiences, and a weak emotional bank account. Your ego eagerly awaits your final stamp of approval. It says, “It’s not you.  You obviously tried. The people of today suck. You just can’t find good help, and therefore it’s impossible to grow this business.”  Case closed and lock the door, but it’s a very quiet close.

Is Tim Right?

Is finding good help easy? Of course not.  If it was easy, everyone would have a thriving business and the whole world would look like Chick-fil-A.  It's not supposed to be easy.  But what are the results of Tim’s conclusions.  As he has gotten older, he has fewer options and his company has no resale value. Perhaps I am wrong, I typically am on these things, but perhaps it is just plan easier for to conclude: "The reason I cannot grow my business is because there just are not any good plumbers.  I tried several times and nothing worked. I don’t have the energy to continue. It's not my fault. If you want something done right you have to do it yourself anyway."  Now many of his doors of opportunity are closed and locked tight. But I bet Tim does not even know it.  He does not realize the consequence of a very subtle but powerful decision. I’m sure if I asked Tim if he wanted to hire a great carpenter he would. Would you like more work? Sure. However, that is not how goals are achieved. And here is a main point. Tim doesn’t know he shut the door, but when there was an opportunity on the other side, he will never see it, hear it or get it.  

Tim no longer needs to focus on growing his business. He has unconsciously let himself off the hook.   His experiences, bankrupt account and his ego have made the perfect deadbolt.

Can I ask you a question?  Do you have any negative experiences that have allowed you to close doors?  Have you procrastinated adding an estimator or handyman because your past experiences have not worked out?

Have you struggled at cold calling and networking and concluded it's not worth your time and effort?

Have you had some bad experiences with handyman and concluded it’s not worth the time to find the right one.

Filling up your bank account is key. How can you fill up your emotional bank account and unlock a door or two?  

How many people do you need working at your company for you to have the income you truly desire?  

What's your plan of action to get there?

Having a plan and sticking to it regardless of how hard things get will place deposits in your emotional bank account and keep doors open.  When you start making excuses why you have not done what you said you would, you will withdraw from your emotional bank account and begin coming up with reasons why your goals and desires won’t work.  Your goals and desires for you and your family will work. They are attainable. Stay away from excuses because they will rob your emotional account. And besides everybody else can see throw your excuses faster than you can finish the sentence.

What positions would you have in your house if everybody adopted Tim’s attitude?  How is that Chick-fil-A can find all the fine young people. Could you imagine the lead time your grandfather would wait if Henry Ford had to make each car by himself?  Thank God for Mr. Ford, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, Andrew Carnegie and tens of thousands of others who had a strong emotional bank account, and the resilience to continue. 

It’s not always easy to find a closed door.  They are not obvious to the person who shut it.  It is camouflaged with our own experiences and ego.