Do you look for excuses to work less? Do you ever
complain about how much money you’re making?
Joe is a small business owner. He complains that
he has to make more because his checks are not large enough to
pay his bills. Yet whenever the mood strikes, he leaves work and
goes off to do something unrelated. He escapes because he’s
unhappy, frustrated or stressed. His work ethic is undeveloped.
He has a hard time realizing that the amount of his take-home
is directly related to the quality of his work.
Joe creates the need to have big checks but fails
to comprehend that, if his checks were smaller in the beginning,
his business would do better. If he sacrificed in the beginning,
his business would be in a much better position to provide a prosperity
that would surpass his current needs.
Joe is unfocused. He has not clearly defined
his vision for the company he created. He does not take the time
that’s necessary to examine the details of his operation.
He fails to recognize habits that hold him back and never develops
the ones that would take him forward. He doesn’t read a
lot, seldom asks anyone else’s advice and wonders why his
sales are not supporting him. He’s a poor manager and a
lousy leader. He keeps substandard employees and keeps them in
positions for which they’re not suited. He can no more afford
to hire the help he needs than he can to pay himself the amount
he thinks he needs to take home.
Joe is a typical business entrepreneur in the
start-up stages. He hasn’t figured out yet that even moderate
success takes not only sacrifice but also a critical self-analysis.
Will Joe ever get far enough in business to decide that he wants
significant success?
Maybe, but it is not likely. But he has some
miles to go as far as we’re concerned. Before Joe can ever
hope for the kind of return he thought he’d make when he
went into business, he’s going to have to reorganize and
recreate himself. We’ll return and watch Joe in the next
issue, so stay tuned.