Seeds of Opportunity (or doubt).
The New Year is a great time for new beginnings, a fabulous period for casting aside the old to make room for the new; the air is high with the excitement and expectation; a multitude of fresh ideas and business ventures flourish with the new calendar. But be careful who you talk to as you plant those seedlings because inspiration can quickly turn to desperation if you choose the wrong confident. It could all end (in tears) before it has even begun.
Liam was very excited about the prospect of starting the New Year on a positive note. His resolution was to work for himself and give up the nine-to-five torture that had become his prison. He wanted my opinion; did I think he could do it?
By the time we had finished talking - I was with him for an hour and three coffees - the energy was hot; he was going to change the world with his innovative ideas and concepts. He couldn't wait to get started. I was excited for him. He was/is a hugely charismatic man who had already achieved some impressed personal goals in his life. Starting a business in a field where he excelled seemed the natural way forward. After all self-employment was only goal (thus far) that had eluded him, he dreamed of being his own boss. When I left Liam, still high on the conversational plans, he was all set to change his world. It was obvious to me (and everyone that knew Liam) that this man could move mountains if he set his mind to it, so you can imagine my surprise when, one week later, he rang me with the news that he had kicked his plans into touch. His week old enthusiasm had disappeared only to be replaced by a cynicism that stole the energy right out of the air. He started the telephone conversation by telling me that he'd had second thoughts about his business venture and concluded by insisting that 'no business is worth sacrificing the youth of your children and the love of your wife for.'
Excuse me? Did I miss something here?
I was talking to a complete stranger. The infant entrepreneur had vanished down my phone line. And he was angry too. At me! I'd encouraged his ideas and by inference suggested (his business) was more important than his family. I had a fair idea what had happened.
'Who've you been talking to Liam?' I asked after suffering minutes of defensive procrastination (his not mine). 'Well,' he said, sheepishly, 'I talked to a couple of guys at the gym and they told me the crack!'
'The crack?' I enquired.
'The crack! About working for your self? When they were in business they were doing eighty hours a week and never got to see their kids and one of them ended up in the divorce courts and…'
I think you get the picture.
What was a great idea, a revolutionary concept, a world changing inspiration had suddenly, over the space of seven days and a couple of negative conversations, become the worst idea since the Incontinence Thong. His positive thoughts had been swamped by the negative words of others. Their thoughts had become his.
Now don't get me wrong here, I'm not suggesting for even a second that Liam shouldn't do a little market research; in fact I would insist that he did. Neither am I saying that the pros and cons of self-employment (or any new venture) should not be fully explored, I would expect no less. But if you want to go into business in a successful way don't just talk to people with an MA in Business Failure because all you're going to get is a thesis of woe and doom.
Neither is it wise to seek advice from the uninitiated or from those invested in seeing you fail (there are a few about I have to tell you). If you want to be a champion swimmer better to speak to the ripply-thing doing fast lengths in the deep end than the chap stood in the three foot six with a (skin-coloured) rubber ring and a float. The latter can teach you a lot about how to sink - and there can be lessons in that - but hang around for too long and you might end up on the bottom of the pool your self.
Take advice, it's important, take constructive criticism, it'll help you to grow, but remember this; the moment a new idea or concept is formed in your mind is pivotal. When the lobster sheds his shell to grow he is free to grow but at the same time he is also vulnerable to prey because he is without protection. It is often at this point that negatives tend to fly in, if you are not careful you might find yourself, like Liam, aborting the flight before your wheels have even left the runway.
Your ideas, your aspirations are important and should not be shared with doubting Thomases (even if they are family members). By injecting doubt in your mind - even inadvertently - when your ideas are first taking seed they can cause distress and an abortion of even the best-laid plans.
A great idea laced with fear and doubt is a three-legged donkey in a world of thoroughbreds so please, take my advice, If you want to be a millionaire (as they say) hang around millionaires.
|
