The law of sowing and reaping is old, really old, and it won’t go away. The biblical metaphor of the farmer who persistently and patiently keeps sowing good seeds always reaps rewards, eventually, no matter what. The late Jim Rohn made a fortune telling this story many times as his own way of sowing, and his business grew internationally making him among the most respected (and richest) business motivators of the last century.

There are beaten paths, rocky roads, choking weeds and all manner of hazards, some of of our making, that interfere with the growth of the crop (business) we’re trying to plant and raise. It’s easy to plant the seeds of business development and then quit after the first few plantings fail to yield. We can easily be convinced the seeds are just no good or we’re not cut out for the business we happen to be in. Giving up too early is tragic when all that is needed for success is a patch of fertile soil, and the world is filled with such patches even if they’re temporarily hidden.

There is a lesson in persistence here but there is so much more to the parable – story – metaphor. There are many different kinds of thieves – some internal, some external – that rob us of faith and steal our motivation to press on. These thieves are cunning and baffling.

So often have I been experiencing direct success from a sales or marketing activity when at the same time someone is telling me they tried it and it doesn’t work. They signed up and made the team but quit when they missed their first shot on goal. It’s easy to be convinced it won’t work if it doesn’t succeed after one or two tries. Don’t fall for the lies of self deception and beware of the other naysayers out there!

The first quarter of 2014 is gone forever!

Now is the time! Spring is the season of rebirth and renewal, bla bla bla… See, there goes my little demon telling me that positive messages like this are trite; that I need toget my head out of the clouds and look more at scientific metrics. But you know what? I’m going to keep on keeping on: sowing seeds in the form of publishing newsletters, attending business events, public relations, sponsorships, social media networking, online marketing and, yes, even good old sales calls!

We have good seeds to sow and as we keep sowing, some is bound to land on fertile ground. If you know where that ground is, great! Stay there an nurture it. No matter what, keep sowing wherever you’re going. If you happen to find the seed of a good idea in any of our newsletter/blog content, would you please plant it in the mind of another?

The post The wealthy sower – so old he’s new! appeared first on Chuck Sink Link.

Former Superstar

I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that bad things are never really as bad as you first think they are. The bad news is they are never as good as you first think either.

It’s amazing how something that causes elation one day generates a mere shrug the next. Conversely, there are silver linings in every cloud. Following a tragic event, the best in people is called out and the healing often restores us to better than we were before.

In business, a few days can make all the difference in the forecast, whether we see storm clouds or bright skies on the horizon. Dynamic forces never cease to affect the marketplace so we must constantly keep moving with those forces. If you ever perceive that your company has reached the pinnacle or that you’re riding a never ending success wave, beware! That’s probably the time to redouble your efforts at business development and marketing because all booms have a lifespan. Fortunately so do all busts.

Keep reading. This gets really good!

Business volume tends to come in waves and waves eventually recede. While you’re at the top of the wave, it often seems like business will keep pouring in. It feels like everything is humming and will just stay that way. You may consider investing and expanding the business when you’re in a growth spurt. You might even start looking at boats and vacation homes. Again, be extremely cautious in your forecasting.

Look at long term trends and study the valleys along with the peaks. You need to be realistic in your future expectations. Optimism? Sure, go for it, but be a real optimist. Pie in the sky is not the kind you can eat!

Are you really successful right now? Don’t even pretend to be cocky about it. The

Rising Star (for now)

slightest scent of hubris will corrode and weaken the foundations of your success. Hubris is the false pride that comes from a lack of gratitude. It is loud and ugly in the ears and eyes of others.

The experienced business person understands the inevitability of change; that to continue being successful, you must constantly push forward and work hard. And guess what? There will be times when you fall in spite of your best effort. You’ll be defeated by stronger competitors or won’t have seen something coming that knocks you out of the business. The good news here is that defeat is temporary, just as is being king of the mountain.

Stay vigilant on the battlefield of the marketplace. Work hard and keep new business development a high priority – at all times!

To tie this article up in a nice pithy bow, I’ll leave you with some gems from the late great Jim Rohn. He calls these quotes “Vitamins for the Mind.”

• You must learn to translate wisdom and strong feelings into labor.
• The miracle of the seed and the soil is not available by affirmation; it is only available by labor.
• Make rest a necessity, not an objective. Only rest long enough to gather strength.
• Without constant activity, the threats of life will soon overwhelm the values.
• The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.
• For every promise, there is a price to pay.

Thanks Jim!

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There’s a topic one of my business consulting clients brings up in his talks. He does so tactfully and with quiet conviction. It’s a soft topic, ignored with hard consequences.

For me and I suspect most people, there are certain individuals we look up to and genuinely admire. Sometimes I marvel at the discipline and focus some high achievers have. In the past I was envious of their apparent ease at setting goals and accomplishing them. Now as I witness their achievements I feel good for them, happy that I know them and am able to learn from them. Those amazing people can teach us average people (speaking only for myself) a lot.  There is so much I need to learn. And you know what? Those same high achievers may someday be in dire need of my help or your help. Great leaders possess enough humility to know this. Perhaps they already hit that dire situation, found the help they needed, accepted it, recovered and grew to where they are today.

There are times when all of us; I don’t care who you think you are or what of life’s challenges you think you’ve mastered, we all crash or get badly hurt at some point in our journey. We can work for and achieve mastery over bad habits. We can reach and surpass every life and business goal we set for ourselves. And then one day a pointed rebuke or sharp disapproval from a cherished person reveals a truth; a higher ideal that can seem to render our lives as having failed. Nothing affects a human being’s countenance more than the quality of his or her relationships. No amount of wealth or power is worth more than the approval and love of others. A wise leader will use this fact to lead his team more effectively.

Intellectual and physical prowess are worthless without love genuinely practiced. The unaided will of a strong person can run a business or family like a juggernaut, rolling roughshod or even very lightly over the feelings of others.  This can go on for years without obvious consequences. Eventually, valuable employees or partners look for an out. They take their talents elsewhere because they are receiving no social and emotional compensation for their hard work, loyalty and love.

Love exists wherever people congregate, whether it’s a family, church, fellowship, community organization or business.  A well educated leader knows this in his mind. The truly fortuitous leader feels this in his heart. He doesn’t really manage people, but manages well his relationships with people. As such, the great leader is one for whom people want to give their bests efforts. They do so because they are recognized, praised and genuinely appreciated. They feel like family. They know they are loved.

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By Chuck Sink

To view problems as outside forces working against you is foolish. It hinders your creativity and drive in problem solving. Let’s look at problems, obstacles and even calamity through a cleaner lens.

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