My friend John had started his enterprise and was making admirable progress. He had asked to be mentored and had been given strategic guidance and financial support to develop his franchise concept. But soon, he found himself giving a lot of time and energy to another one of his brilliant ideas; a business venture that offered great promise, the potential to improve the quality of life of its clients and the path to generate sizable increases in income and wealth for its entrepreneurial participants. John was so excited, he was carving several hours out of every week to strategize about the development of this second concept.
Image: Podobne Obrazy
It was at this point that one of his mentors said to him, “John, you’ve got to get focused. It’s because of your passion for this franchise idea that we’ve committed to work with you. You’ve got to decide what you really want. Get focused. If you really want to build this venture to its fullest potential, don’t think about the other opportunities now; they show up every day. You’ll have lots of chances to capture and develop business ideas.”
Focus requires saying "No."
We typically have much of our energy focused on the things that we want to do and we want to achieve, but we seldom talk about the things that we are just not going to do. You may not realize how important it is to say no to opportunities that may come your way but that simply will not serve you or the organization and clients that are relying on you to remain focused.
Saying “no” to attractive ventures is one of the most difficult things to do psychologically. That's because it causes you to feel as if you may be passing up on the opportunity of a lifetime. Yes, there’s no assurance that a particular engagement or project might not be transformational, but one thing is certain, if it doesn’t align with your overall purpose and goals it will take you off track. They generally become distractions that cost valuable time, energy and money and only serve to fuel your frustration.
In pursuit of your goals and dreams, be sure to identify what you’re not going to do. How? Well, if it doesn’t align with your values, interests, mission and goals, then it probably isn’t something worth your investing in. Don’t worry about offending someone or feeling as if you're letting others down. People eventually respect others who are clear about their commitments. Instead, get comfortable with graciously declining opportunities that won’t serve you and enthusiastically accepting those that will.
John followed that advice. He divested himself from his interest in the second venture and concentrated his focus and energies on the first. Within five years of that decision, he had attracted over two hundred franchisees, expanded the footprint of his franchise organization nationally, and had become a preferred service provider for national and international clients. And because he heeded sound advice from his mentors and said "no" to an opportunity that competed for his limited resources, he was able to concentrate his focus and grow his primary undertaking into a successful multimillion dollar business.
That’s the power of saying “no.”
I am dedicated to helping you find your focus, and become increasingly irresistible and financially invincible. Together, through intentional and achievable steps, we can make your future brighter than your today, build your wealth and give you the freedom you deserve, in your business and personal life. Today is your day to begin the journey.. Let’s get started. Contact me here.