Why Being Comfortable Is Risky Business

I absolutely love travelling. And recently I had the great fortune of touring around Thailand's infamous Phuket,where every street is oozing of adventure. One thing that particularly stood out for me is the willingness of the local businesses to speak to you and invite you to buy from them. In fact, 'persistent' and 'determined' are the only words that come to mind because they really put themselves out there - and they do this every day!

Are You Too Comfortable?
Imagine this, what if every single business owner had the same willingness to put themselves out there and the determination to keep going no matter what?... For many, I know that just hearing the words 'no' or 'not interested' can quickly shift a persons state around, and even cause them to throw in the towel. And it's been in my experience that the reason why people repeat the same old patterns of business is because they're too comfortable. Being comfortable is a real business killer because the moment you become complacent in your business, innovation gets put to a screeching stop and doing 'just enough' becomes the new culture. It's very risky.

Should I Be Worried?
The question to consider is, "am I getting too comfortable in my business?" If you have no idea whether this is you, be on the lookout for the simple symptoms that comes with being complacent. If you find yourself merely repeating the same old patterns, shying away from new opportunities or starting to grow at a turtles pace, then it's possible that you've gotten too comfortable in your business. Is this wrong? Absolutely not... Is this good for business? Not if you have intentions of growing your business and living the life of your dreams.

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
I once heard someone say "learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable" is one of the great gifts you could give yourself both personally and in business. And while being uncomfortable may have the appearance of being somewhat "risky", the truth is, its the exact opposite. If man did not take risks, we would not have had the wonderfall advancements in technology such as the internet, mobile phones or even television! Being uncomfortable is the only way to ever discover the true greatness of you and your business.

But how do you start? It's a lot easier than you think. When you feel a funny churn in your stomach, you know that it's only because you're in new territory. And the more times you allow yourself to feel these feelings and take action anyway, the more muscle you build up in this department. It's really not rocket science at all. And the best time to start is now. So look into an area of business that you know you've been a bit slack on and take this opportunity to be different.

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NEW: The Dangers of Shiny New Ideas

Everybody loves new stuff. It feels good. It sounds good. But is it really a good thing in business?

The Hottest Word In Sales
I was recently catching up with my older brother Phil, who is a sales executive for a prestige European car dealership. And it was then that he asked me, "Daniel, what do you think is the hottest word in sales?" To which I replied "hmm, I know many words, but I don't know one word that makes things sell like hot cakes!" Phil chuckles and with a sneaky smirk on his face, he blurts out the words "NEW."

At this point, I'm thinking, "What?… New?… That's it? Not very mind blowing!" But the more I thought about it, the more it began to make sense. People are addicted to grabbing hold of new stuff and forgetting the old. And in business, this can be a very dangerous thing to do, especially in your marketing.

Why 'New' & 'Marketing' Often Clash
When a business owner learns a new strategy, naturally they're super excited and keen to implement it into their business. Now people being people, we're not the most patient of creatures. So anxiously the business owner would twiddle his thumbs and count the days that go by.

Soon enough, two weeks have passed and only one measly phone call comes through. WHAT? Only one? And in one swift moment, the business owner 'cans' the strategy because he hears that there is now a newer and easier way of getting more business. And just like a house dog would chase it's tail aimlessly, the business owner repeats this cycle until the business eventually gives in.

Years go by, and the number of new marketing plans increases from half a dozen to hundreds. But you see, it isn't the number of marketing ideas that you start that determines your business success. Oh no… It's how many marketing ideas you follow through with. And as a business owner, resisting the temptation to jump ships and totally abandoned the old can be the smartest thing you ever do.

Slow & Steady Wins The Race
But what do you do if a new idea looks irresistible? Create what I call a "marketing inspiration" folder, where you slot in all your big marketing ideas. And each time you come across something that is useful to you and your business, just slot it in.

And remember, only focus on one idea at a time and get it right before starting on the next. There is absolutely no point in trying to implement 10 different things at the same time if you're not going to follow it through 100%!

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Are You Focusing On The Things That Really Matter?

Your Focus Equals Your Outcomes

In business, what we focus on is what we tend to get more of. Whether you’re business is at its peak or going through the uphill stretch, its simply because of your focus. Your focus is a like a flash light in that what you choose to shine it on is what you get more of. And just as focusing on the bad creates more of the bad, the same is true for focusing on the good.

Now I want you to imagine for a moment that you’re cruising along in your car when suddenly, the car breaks down on you. It’s a frustrating feeling knowing that a simple check-up of the vehicle would have revealed the problems. And sometimes, the problem could be as small as not having enough fuel in the car! Sure enough, the momentum of your cruise slows down and you find yourself painfully pushing your car along the road to the nearest petrol station.

The situation I’ve just described is how many businesses are experiencing life. Just as the driver steers their vehicle, a business owner steers their business. Often they are so busy focusing on the day to day running’s of their business that they forget to check-up on the vital signs of their business. They get so caught up on the little tasks that never seem to end with no results to show for.

Shift Your Focus, Shift Your Results

I’ve recently had the privilege of meeting a number of successful business people from various trades. What I really took notice of was their ability to consistently create momentum for their business. And they did this through being busy working on their business rather than in their business. Without fail, they’d always allocate time for thinking up and implementing new systems that create momentum for their business.

What I realized was that many business owners are too busy dedicating a majority of their time on the nitty gritties of the business, such as responding to emails, solving complaints and putting deals together. Whilst it’s important to devote time to these tasks, it’s even more crucial to dedicate time to innovating and implementing plans that create true business momentum.

So where to from here?

So ask yourself, when was the last time you sat down and reflected on what your business really needs? Are there things that need innovating that are currently hurting your business’s momentum? Remember that the best time to create momentum for your business was yesterday. The next best time is today! 

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