First Shoot – Then Aim

First Shoot – Then Aim

Common sense tells us that before we do something, we should have a plan.  That applies for our careers, for businesses and even for your whole life. A plan structures what we are doing and adds a timeline. So having a plan is helpful.

But what if the goal of the plan is not crystal clear? What happens if the goal of the plan depends on out-of-control factors? What to do if we are not sure if we like the goal of the plan (“Be careful what you wish for”). A lot of times it makes sense to just do something and then see what happens. After that there is still time for reflection.  This also reduces the fear of commitment.

A lot of people think about their home in the same way. For them the home is a piece of art in progress, that continually gets changed and adopted. We are living in times of Bohemian Style where mixing different elements and colors became fun.

When you first decorated a room you probably did not know what it looks like in the end, but you knew exactly how you would use this room and you expected the room to radiate a certain feeling. So you picked everything in this room in a way to achieve the desired look. The layout; the furniture; the lighting;  the accessoirs;  the art;  the colors and the fabrics.

You were probably quiet happy with your design, but soon you found other pieces that you liked to have in this room. Maybe the expectation of how the room should feel changed. Maybe suddenly the purpose  of the room shifted and you had to adapt.

The design of your home is not set in stone. Except for rooms with a public character, you should feel free to try out whatever you feel like in your home. Don’t worry – just do it. If you don’t like it, you can change it again. In doubt you can always consult an interior designer.

The important thing is that your home should provide you and your family with the right kind of energy to make you feel good, successful and HAPPY!

Happiness and Business Style

Everybody wants to be happy. Customers want to be happy. Businesses want happy customers.

There is a lot of advice out there on what to do and not to do, to be happy. Here are some core messages and how businesses can act accordingly.

 

  1. Be Happy to be Happy

One of the most important things for a happy life is a happy attitude. People that live every day as if it were their last, enjoy life and don’t worry much. When people live in the present moment they understand better what’s important and stop chasing the future. Carpe Diem – Seize the moment. Act now and not later! Keep asking yourself what’s really important and will something matter in a year from now.

Businesses who follow that path accept the limitations of planning. Planning is a process based on assumptions with a high chance of mistakes. Because you never know what may happen, plan for several possible futures. A plan should only be a guideline for a business rather than a default.

It is also helpful not be rely on experience. Experience is always related to the past and strongly dependent on specific situations. What worked in the past must not necessarily still work today.

Businesses should also be careful with the trust in “facts” or in “experts”, because every situation is different and general advice often does not help in special scenarios.

 

2. Positive Thinking

Successful businesses have meaningful goals. They appeal to the customer in many ways, not just one. They are filled with inspiration, because common sense is not enough to reach inspiring results. These companies believe in what they are doing and combine bold dreams with realistic expectations.

Successful companies embody a fundamentally positive business attitude. Negative thoughts are ignored, because of the snowball effect and the power of these thoughts. Problems are considered a potential source for learning. The unknown is part of daily business life.

 

  1. Fill Your Life with Love

People are interested in a person who is interested in them. Each person we meet has the potential to teach us something. Instead of putting others in their place we must put ourselves in their place. Before you satisfy the client understand and satisfy the person.

Business is done between people. Selling is based on relationships. Believing in the best in people usually brings out the best in people.

 

People can be the wind beneath our wings or the anchor on our boat”

 John C. Maxwell

 

4. Appreciate Yourself

Successful companies celebrate who they are and what they have. They have trust in their intuition and listen to their feelings.

The first competitor of a business is indifference. Successful companies look for the extraordinary in the ordinary and go where others aren’t. They stand for one distinctive thing that will give them a competitive advantage. This is a promise to the customer.

 

 5. Do it for You

And finally business should follow the Nike Slogan: “Just do it!” Marginal tactics executed passionately almost always outperform brilliant tactics executed marginally. Good should not be ruined by perfect. Failure is part of the process and helps succeeding. Remember that you become what you practice the most.

Source:

  1. The Happiness Equation by Neil Paricha
  2. Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith
  3. Winning with People by John C. Maxwell