Internet Marketing Success Is Simply Taking Action
I was reflecting on a few different discussions that I have had recently about business both offline and online and it occurred to me that most of us spend a lot more time talking about stuff than we actually spend DOING stuff.
I was talking to my eldest daughter a couple of days ago about her frustration with something going on in a group project at school and the same issue seemed to be challenging her as well. She said, “daddy I find myself doing EVERYTHING on my projects because no one else will help unless someone yells at them”.
My business partner called me yesterday and before discussing our weekly agenda he asked me if he could tell me a story about someone at work that ruined his day with a few words. This guy promised him something at a specific time on a specific day, and my buddy then promised his client that they would, in turn, have that deliverable shortly thereafter.
Now when the deliverable is not ready for the second time after it was promised, my partner calls this guy up and politely says, “I don’t want to be a pest, but…” and the guy says “well, you are being a pest…”
This set’s my pal off but he holds it together and eventually gets what he needs but it sucks the wind out of his sails and takes him off his game for a little bit, which none of us have time for these days.
So there are a few main points here that are so simple and so obvious that it amazes me that we miss them, forget them and don’t practice them more consistently.
- First, you can either take action or spend time thinking about why “it’s not fair”, “that’s not my job”, “that’s too hard”, “I’m too busy” or a gazillion other stupid reasons that nobody cares about anyway.
- Second, when you tell someone that you are going to do something…DO IT. Yeah sometimes things change…priorities, demands on your time, schedules, etc. Things beyond your control can enter in and change time lines or content, but that doesn’t change the fact that you took ownership and you are responsible for delivery. If things change, then reset expectations. Call people and explain things and see if they can modify their expectations. If they can, great. If they can’t, DEAL WITH IT and rearrange something else so you can get it done.
- Third. No one cares about your excuses and, in fact, making excuses just makes you look like an idiot. If you want credibility, you can’t make excuses. If you need to whine at someone, pick one friend or one family member and buy them a few drinks so you can pay them back for having to listen to your bullshit.
My partner and I agreed long ago that we could exchange the occasional sob story when necessary and my daughter has poetic license to cry on my shoulder when she needs a sounding board. That’s not what I’m talking about.
Think of the last time someone promised you something and didn’t deliver. The last time someone complained in your face about someone else’s inadequacy. Did you welcome and embrace these people with understanding and compassion? I didn’t think so…It probably pissed you off and made you feel grateful that at least you don’t do that…Or, do you?
We all do it sometimes. We’re human…it happens. The key is to take responsibility for it, recognize it as soon as possible and STOP IT.
I guarantee that if you do these simple things, your life will improve immediately and your business will as well.
So the take aways here could be many.
Go produce an information product based on something you know very well, create some blog posts on the same topic, set up a series of of auto responder e-mails and tie them back in to your blog, create a Facebook fan page, find a graphic artist or a programmer to outsource that technical stuff you have been trying to figure out and get out of your own way…!
You want more ideas….I got a million of them! You probably do too.
Stop thinking about stuff, stop creating ways to delay taking some action, stop trying to find someone else to blame and start doing something…ANYTHING.
Please let me know if this post helped and also PLEASE ask questions. If I can help I would love to. Enter your comments below.
GOOD LUCK doing something today.
Mark
It has been the habit for many of us to waste out time and energy over things that have already came to pass. I have been in this trap once but I have learned that I can do much if I’m able to channel my thought energies to things that will bring me benefit.