If you’re in too much of a hurry to read all this, here’s the main take out: Slow down. Okay, off you go.
Phew, thank goodness they’ve gone. “They” are the early adopters, the cutting edge, the movers and shakers. They make more money in ten minutes than you or I will make in ten years. Except they don’t, it just feels like that.
Let me introduce you to my ‘5 Rules to enjoy the 2nd half of 2011’. Snappy title, eh?
Rule 1: Be happy letting the fast cars go by. Forget about them. If they succeed you’ll learn from their experiences, but frankly it’s just as likely you’ll see them covered in a wash of blue light just around the corner or worse, wrapped around a tree.
Rule 2: Keep the maps handy. We rarely get lost if we know where we’re going. Nothing beats a good map and there’s a reason there’s no ‘take me anywhere’ option on a GPS.
Rule 3: Take lots of breaks. If you think driver fatigue is dangerous, wait til you’ve met someone wallowing in the business owner equivalent. In words attributed to His Holiness, The Dalai Lama, ‘I’ve so much work to do today, I’ll have to meditate for twice as long’.
It doesn’t matter what a ‘break’ looks like, just that it happens and preferably every single day.
Rule 4: Stay real. Yes, running a business is stressful. Yes, we all need to generate income to live. But alongside family, friendships, health and MasterChef it’s really not worth getting totally freaked out about. I’m sorry, it just isn’t.
Rule 5: Lean on others. If there’s one thing our discussion forums have shown me it’s the astonishing impact that sharing and conversing has on one’s spirit. Talk to others. Share your concerns and joys and just see what happens.
Come on then, give it to me. Tell me you disagree. Share your road rage below.
“ Nothing beats a good map and there’s a reason there’s no ‘take me anywhere’ option on a GPS. ”
Robert Gerrish is one of the Flying Solo crew and supports soloists as a coach and consultant. He presents at conferences and networking events and bangs on to the media or anyone who listens, about all things micro. Along with Sam Leader and Peter Crocker, he's the co-author of Flying Solo – How to go it alone in business.
