I have been working in the consumer finance field since 1984 and was fortunate enough to be an original founder of Shamrock Financial. Today I’m the company’s Chief Executive Officer, which is a nice way of saying “I got here first.” My career is energized by Educating & Motivating my referral partners, staff, family and friends. I love what I do. Move the Scoreboard
August 17, 2010
Most of us can relate to the idea that you learn more from tough times than from good times and that you mature more in painful experiences than pleasurable ones. Anyone looking in the rear view mirror of their life can spot those true moments of growth by recognizing the hardest parts of the drive.
Months and years from now business men and women will look back and stand witness to what they learned or didn’t learn in today’s challenging times. What do you want to see? That you learned and grew or that you crumbled and drifted? That you left the opportunity to develop shipwrecked or that you grew stronger and better?
In today’s economy, with a shrinking demand curve and a flat GDP we can safely say that we’re absolutely in those tough times, those painful experiences. So how do we go about prospering in a poor market? How do you go about getting better when things are so bad?
It’s really just a matter of creative misdirection, a slight of hand; a simple relocation of the scoreboard.
Successful business people take their victories off the court; they take them away from the field. They move the scoreboard away from the stands and put it in the fitness center, the locker room, the track and the breakfast table.
Rather than focusing on the result, it’s time to focus on the effort. So, instead of counting sales, count prospecting dials or appointments. Instead of counting commissions, count investment in education and training, instead of focusing on closings, focus on building referral relationships. Instead of focusing on getting, focus on giving. Purchases or donations? What do you think? It’s easy: build the muscle and the strength will come.
Think of it this way:
If there are fewer sales in today’s market, are your activities better trained on (1) finding magical ways to lift the demand curve (good luck with that!) or (2) improving every relevant skill needed to outperform your competition for those fewer sales? Are you so clever that you can find a way to raise GDP and lift the demand curve? Or are you smart enough to just win your share of the GDP?
Move the scoreboard. Your focus, attitude and production will blow away those still sitting in the stands wondering where it went.
Dean can be reached at dean.harrington@shamrockfinancial.com
Great perspective! It’s sometimes a challenge; but changing habits and stepping out of your comfort zone in order to create new ways to develop business relationships pays dividends!
The first lesson of this recession (which is really for our kids) is that savings in a down economy is exponentially better than in a regular economy. So all of you kids out there… save now and when the next recession hits (and it will in your lifetime) you will remember the sage advice of your parents. The other lesson is that business fortune is ALWAYS based on effort. You can do well with minimal effort in a boom economy, but you will never do well or reach your full potential in a challenging market. Will we learn? History says no!
Great stuff, as always, Dean. I learned a tremendous amount these past few years and I think Brian touched upon it, above. In business, we are always forced to reinvent ourselves and those who have a drive to succeed and the will to survive – will!! You simply cannot remain stagnant.
Great stuff, just as there are many ways to define success, there are many different areas in our lives that we can be successful in. By changing the way we approach one area, it will have an impact on the other areas..either positively or negatively…
Well said Dean. We need to adjust to the market at hand. Most poeple don’t like change, but if you don’t you will fail. A great book about is Who Moved My Cheese.
What is the saying…When the going gets tough the tough get going! Everything you said is so very true and it is definitely the time to push yourself. I think we all forget that once in a while.
Couldn’t agree more!
Great point Dean. A “Result” by definition is something that happens as a consequence; an outcome – from “effort” or the lack thereof. So, like you said, focusing on your effort (daily, hourly) only makes sense. It will help you achieve your deisred results – as opposed to getting results by chance.
in this down economy people don’t plan on failling they just fail to plan
Build the muscle strength will come. Well said
Great post
So true Dean. Without effort, the active use of energy in producing a result, there is no positive result.
Great post.
In the sports world, just as in the business world, it is the little things that you do when no one is watching that separates you from the competition
So true
Well said Dean. It is in difficult times that we need to work on the little things that complete the circle of good business. The little things that we forget about when business is plentiful and there isn’t much to learn but how to collect a check. I enjoy challenging times as it gives me the opportunity to become better than the person next to me…