Have you noticed how our society has moved from a discipline-based society, with morals built on the Word of God (The Bible) to a self-centered society based upon an individual’s feelings? As a business coach example, I read a story the other day about how parents are raising their kids as “gender-neutral” so that the child can decide as they grow, what gender they want to be. When you look at science, a human is either a male or a female, however, there is an intense movement in our culture to allow people to elevate feelings even above facts. The notion that a seven-year-old girl can “decide” to become a boy, and our society will acknowledge this as “truth” is preposterous. A seven-year-old is in the process of developing identity and needs to have a foundation built that will allow them to become a person who can make good decisions, regardless of their feelings. This is the opposite of what is happening. Another article I read was celebrating a five-year-old child’s decision to ”come out” as gay. I have raised multiple 5-year-old children, and I can tell you that a five-year-old is not thinking about “sexual orientation”. This information is being fed to them and creating massive identity confusion. One of the results of a society that endorses this kind of decision making where decisions can be made based on what we feel and not on facts is leading to generations who do not have the ability to make the necessary hard choices to become successful because they just don’t “feel” like doing the things necessary to become successful.
The difference between an entrepreneur who is successful and one who is not, is simply execution.
As a business coach and a business owner, I can say first hand that the difference between an entrepreneur who is successful and one who is not, is simply execution. In order to build a successful business, an owner must do what is necessary, and take the right actions, regardless about how he or she (or it, they, them…) feel. When feelings control the actions of a business owner, then their business looks a lot like the ocean. Their trajectory changes as quickly as a wave, and it dies out just as fast. There is nothing solid to stand on. Clay recently had a coaching spot become available and he took on a client who is widely considered to be one of the best surfers in the world. This client has surfed 70 ft waves and bigger. He is like the “Steve Jobs” or “Elon Musk” of surfing. If you take the average person and try to put them on the water and have them attempt to surf a 70 ft wave, you are in for disaster. There is a high likelihood that the person will die or at least get injured. Business is very similar. If the average person sets out to build a business and makes decisions based on feelings, then they and their business are most likely going to drown in this process. However, there is hope. If a person sets out to start a business and discovers the simple path created by Clay Clark & his business partner, Jonathan Kelly, and they simply execute the action items that Clay and Jon tell them to do, then they will be successful…. Every time!
There is a reason Clay has never gone bankrupt. It is not because he has never risked, he takes risks all of the time. It is not because his life is always perfect and he never faces anything hard, he has faced and overcome many challenges (dyslexia, abuse, poverty, lawsuits, etc.) The reason that Clay has never gone bankrupt is that he executes the necessary action items every day that owners must take in order to start and grow a successful business. How he feels is irrelevant. He gets up at 3 am every day and does the necessary actions to move the businesses in the right direction. When a “great idea” or a “new fad” comes along, he does not get distracted by it. He gets back up again and continues to be disciplined enough to do the hard things necessary to be successful. To find out exactly what he does, I recommend downloading his book Start Here. I was in a business coach client meeting the other day and the owner I was coaching had the action he needed to take, but he just would not execute that action. It was in that moment that I was inspired to offer him words of wisdom that could change his life forever (sarcasm.) It is this quote that I will leave you with today.
“The only difference between people who DO what is necessary to be successful and people who DON’T, is the people who DO IT.”
– Luke Erickson.
Obviously, this is a silly quote, but when you take the time to actually think about the implications, it is quite profound. Go do the necessary action items to be successful today!
