Success strategies … from 7-year-olds …
Fellow Business Builder,
Tips from the road …
million dollar ideas from the twins
My daughters are turning eight in a few months and starting grade 3 right around the same time … YIKES!
Time flies.
You may have seen some of the articles I wrote about the girls (Katrina and Hailey).
They are identical twins – born almost eight years ago at a whopping three pounds each! We are blessed, and they are perfectly healthy little fireballs … always ready to get into some trouble whenever they can find it.
Anyhow, I learn a ton about life and business just by watching the two of them play.
I have written articles about my "learnings," and those articles have been published in a few different languages now.
Even a book was spawned out of my stories about them!
Some recent time off got me thinking about how much I miss writing about them, so here you go:
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10 MORE Small Business Success Tips from the Twins
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(1) Wrapping paper madness! Ready, fire, aim
Patience is over-rated.
When you are ready to get rolling with something, go with it. Grown-ups over-think things and forget that the only way to get ANYTHING done is to take action.
You can worry about the consequences after you do it, but if you sit around thinking about it forever and never do it, you failed the test.
Way too many people I have spoken with are afraid of taking action. They would rather sit back and talk about the billion dollar ideas they have and how great they will be … if only they could actually DO SOMETHING, they might actually succeed.
Kids don’t care if they flail about madly while opening presents or even just playing … why do YOU care so much?
(2) Cheesy Toys ROCK!
McDonalds gets this. Most businesses don’t.
Much of McDonalds’ success comes from imbedding their ‘golden arches’ into kids’ minds from a very young age. And their toys are the icing on the cake. Kids LOVE those cheesy toys more than anything.
How can you use ideas like this?
What would your "adult" buyers like as a bonus with your product or service? Remember, http://www.orientaltrading.com is a goldmine of ideas. And NO, they are NOT too mature for something like this!
(3) Rest before the big day
If you don’t rest up and prepare yourself for those big days, you are going to burn out rapidly. For example – if you have a big event coming up – a big promotion or sale – a big mailing – whatever it is … don’t wait until the last minute and wear yourself down.
My kids were sooooo wound up the day before holidays that they got no sleep and ended up sick the day we left – not exactly what they had planned!
[Besides – when you are rested – you come out of the starting gates with a BANG and no one will even know what hit them!]
(4) Sharing can feel daring
But it can also be more fun and rewarding than anything you’ve ever done before. Share your wisdom, knowledge and stories with those who need a "picker-upper." Inspire others – teach others – give them something to admire about you. It feels awesome, and it will forever make an impression in their minds.
SIDE BENEFIT: When you share information with others via teaching, you actually learn more as well. When you have to clarify in your mind how to say and do it – you’ll find it permanently "wires" it deeper into your own mind.
Help others and help yourself.
(5) Run with reckless abandon
Take no fear for what may happen when you are running at full tilt.
Why do most of us ‘adults’ lose our reckless abandon? I guess some people still have it – much of it in negative forms. But so few people are willing to give it their all without fear of repercussions.
It is the reason so many people dream of running their own business … but never do.
It is the reason so many people go about life bumbling along in jobs they hate, while meanwhile down the road is the perfect opportunity for them … if only they looked for it.
It is the reason our society is drowning themselves in depression pills.
Here’s the cure for it all: run, be free, give it your all, do what scares you, run naked every once in a while. When you let loose a little, you may just find the big breakthrough you’ve been looking for.
(6) Find your best toy
and stretch every ounce of fun and enjoyment out of it
In business, we are all marketers. And one of our "toys" should be our advertisements and sales materials. We play with them – strive to find the best ad that keeps us entertained (and in the money) for as long as possible.
So don’t get bored of your toys! If they are still working and are entertaining you in the right way – keep playing!
People change their working-perfectly ads for no reason.
Why?
Just because you are bored of it doesn’t mean it won’t make you money. The next shiny object may look cool, but chances are good it won’t be nearly as durable or as much fun as your previous "toy."
(7) Go camping every once in a while
Back to basics. No phones, no cells, no Blackberrys or e-mail … now THAT sounds like a great way to spend some time.
We stayed at my sister’s land in Montana and slept in a tent for a few nights (her cabin is being built but was not ready yet).
It was very refreshing (and tiring in many ways) to go back to the real basics.
In business, we tend to overcomplicate things … and by going back to the basics you can have some incredible insights!
Go lock yourself away from your computer and phone for a weekend – and write (by hand), plan, and think about your business and where you want it to go.
Don’t take any reading material or ways to access e-mail.
Trust me, this is TOUGH to do – but well worth it in the end.
I DARE YA!
(8) Eat your fish – catch what you eat
– and don’t expect everything to be handed to you
Katrina and Hailey went fishing for their first time while on vacation! They LOVED it. Caught three – and watched as they were cleaned, prepared and cooked. Then gobbled up their catch.
It was quite amazing to them to see where fish come from!
They love to eat fish … but this was a first to see where it originally came from.
Now they know how to do it again – and again – and again.
And the key in your business is to learn how things are done, right down to the core basics.
You don’t have to do everything yourself – I recommend you don’t try. But you should learn what makes it work and work well.
For example, I encourage my copywriting clients to learn what direct response marketing is – and how sales copy is written. That way, they know what work goes into it – and what to look for in a well-written campaign.
They will never invest the 3,000 hours I have in writing copy – but they will always know what makes for good copy … just like good fish. You don’t have to catch it to enjoy it!
(9) Stretch your comfort zone … far
The girls are princesses … they like dressing like princesses, playing with princesses, and having tea parties with the princesses. So for me to get them out of their comfort zone has been a challenge.
But I DID IT!
I just enrolled them in Tae Kwon Do (with me alongside them). I am determined to motivate them to stick with it … my hidden agenda is to get them to be black belts before they are 12 – so I will have much less to worry about with any "boy trouble" – they’ll be able to look after themselves – heey ya!
They won’t be comfortable doing it for the first while, mainly because it isn’t ballet! But once they get used to it and start getting good – they are going to love it!
Find the things that you need to "expand on" in your life – then just do it. Suffer through the uncomfortable parts and it WILL feel better in no time.
(10) R & R is a necessity – make it a daily practice
– no matter how much you want to play
Kids can play full out – but eventually they tire out … and get grumpy and whiny. They can stop for even just two minutes and take a quick break … then they are raring to go again.
In our fast paced, rush-rush society, we need to heed this lesson more than ever.
If you don’t take some down-time during the day, you will burn out and it will hurt your business.
Whether it is meditation, reading, talking a long walk, exercising, getting a massage … whatever your choice is … make it a daily practice.
Your business and income depends on it!
To your success,
Troy White
Editor, Small Business Mastery
Supplement to THE TOTAL PACKAGE™
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A Final Note:
If you have specific subjects you would like addressed, or have any comments on what you have seen here, please submit a comment below and I will see how I can help.
"Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.”
–Napoleon Hill
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Comment by Angela — May 13, 2008 @ 11:34 am
I always enjoy Troy’s articles but this one about his delightful twins was a joy. It says a lot about Troy that he is able to see the wisdom that can be gained from observing children at "play" - life! Thank you again.
All good wishes,
Angela
Comment by Wesley — May 13, 2008 @ 7:44 pm
Hey Troy,
I think I will try your suggestion about the martial arts training for the girls. I have 2 girls also, not twins, but still. I think that is a great idea. I will let you know at the wild west summit in June.
Cio`
Comment by Ken Varga — May 16, 2008 @ 9:27 am
Troy, Kids are the best source for down to earth, unadulterated honesty. As my children were growing up, I asked them also for suggestions, and they came up with quite a few. Now I do it with my grandchildren and WOW, what ideas they come up with.
Great article.
Ken
http://www.kenvarga.com