My daughter got a new kitten – Domino – this week. At 7 weeks old, weighing in at 800g, and having been rescued from a dump site, we anticipated that she would find her new home quite overwhelming, and that she would be intimidated by the other two fully grown cats and three large breed dogs who already reside with us.
What we didn’t anticipate was that Domino would strut her stuff and explore every room in the house as if to determine if it was good enough to suit her future needs. The other cats have gone into hiding and watch her from a distance as she tears around the house with boundless energy, and the dogs, including a solid 45kg Boerboel, have been firmly put in their place, despite their drooling jowls that reflect a desire to devour her.
Domino has all the factors for success. She has the right attitude! She doesn’t see herself as a 7 week old, 800g helpless kitten. She punches above her weight category, has no fear, thinks big, and has the confidence of a lion.
What can we learn from Domino?
Understand your environment – if you are going to be successful you need to explore the landscape in which you will operate. Get to know the industry, your competitors and your customers, and understand how your products and services fit into the bigger picture.
Be curious and adventurous – Life happens when you venture out of your comfort zone and explore new territories, new methods, new offerings and new techniques. You can’t keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.
Conquer your fear of failure – all too often we don’t take that first step for fear of the unknown, and fear of failure. We worry about what might happen, what could go wrong and we make mountains out of molehills. Instead of asking “What happens if it doesn’t work out?” ask yourself “What happens if it does!”
Be confident in your ability to succeed – In order to succeed, you need to believe in yourself, be authentic and be consistent. Your success will be influenced by the conversations you have with yourself, about yourself, when you are by yourself. Make sure they are positive and affirming and discard seeds of self-doubt.
Fake it until you make it – if you want your business to be successful, you need to behave like a successful business. Be professional, have a plan, get your systems in place, train your team, understand your numbers and think big!
Have a great weekend!
Kind Regards,
Greg
