Posts Tagged ‘achieve’

When I was 3 years old, I used to jump in the kitchen trash can and play Oscar the Grouch with my Mom.  I had so much fun crawling in that little green trash can and acting grumpy.  One of the best parts for me was the fact that I was just small enough to fit completely inside, my Mom could close the top, and I could peek my head out just like Oscar does.

Oh, to be young again…

That little green trash can now sits inside my garage next to the back door.  My old play place now serves as the spot to dump junk mail before going in the house (and yes, I know that Lynn Jenkins with Indiana Living Green would kill me for not recycling…).  Oh, and by the way, at this point in my life, that trash is barely tall enough to pass the bottom of my knee!

It’s amazing how our perspective and self image change over time.  At one point I could fit my entire body in a 2 ½ foot tall trash can, and now I can barely stick my foot in it without getting stuck.

The strength of your business is a direct reflection of how you view yourself.  If you see yourself as a micro-business owner who could never afford the staff or the overhead to have a $1 million business, you will never have the staff or overhead that will support a $1 million business.  If you see yourself as an entrepreneur who is always failing, you will always fail.  If you always see yourself as a little boy who can fit neatly into a little green trash can, you will never grow up.

Thank goodness I grew up.

From the mouth of Tony Scelzo, the founder of one of the fastest growing business networking associations in the nation, here is how to change your self-image and perspective for the better:
1.    Read – Start reading books that challenge and inspire you to grow.  Find material that shares the experiences of people who are where you want to be in life.  As a start, check out Tony’s reading list here.
2.    Visualize – After you hit the snooze bar at 6am, instead of letting your brain wander, focus and actively visualize the success that you would like your business to have.
3.    Get a mentor – Talking regularly with someone who is ‘head and shoulders’ more successful than you, will cause your self-image to immediately expand.  They also have the ability to give you wise advice from an outside perspective.
4.    Change your environment –Hang out in the places that force you to grow.  Join the best gym, dine in fancy restaurants, and network with the most powerful people in town at private business clubs.
If you follow the steps above, you can grow from a little boy grumbling about life in a trash can, to an inspiring leader who is taking their business to the next level!

Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice-President of Business Development for Reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business owners and executives.  Email Jamar at jamar@goreachmore.com for the latest on Reachmore’s newest seminar, Launch.