Pain Is Temporary Quitting Lasts Forever

This year marks a milestone in my life. I'm 50+, developing a speaking career, working with some great business owners, who push me to be better every week and now I'm doing more writing and mentoring than ever before. Add to this mix, I've decided that those 40 extra ugly pounds of me have got to go.

Now I've been a long-distance runner for many years going back to my early 20's. I've run on almost every major continent, in all kinds of weather. The thrill of getting out there in the elements always makes me feel alive.

This year, things have been a bit different. I'm not the spring chicken that I was once, so now hitting that "wall" comes on a weekly basis rather than on a yearly basis. What do I mean by the wall? That's runner-speak for the limits of what you thought you were able to do. We've all experienced it before but this year has been different. In the past after a long lay-off from running, I would be able to get back in the swing of things fairly quickly. This time the breaking back in period has taken literally months. In order to get to the next level of competition, achievement or distance I have to begin to push myself, especially when I am approaching that "wall".

In our own personal lives we will hit the "wall" in many areas, whether it is financially, personally or in our employment, we will all hit the "wall". So what do we do when this occurs? Here are some keys to help you to become successful when hitting the wall.

1. Know that you aren't alone. Everyone hits the wall it is a natural thing we all go through.
2. Understand that it is rarely a physical pain we are experiencing. The "Wall" is mostly mental. Physically our bodies can adapt to the rigors of whatever we call upon it to perform.
3. People will try and help you quit. Our friends generally don't understand what must occur, so they will try and get you to stop, so you won't experience the pain.
4. Pain is weakness leaving your body. Pain, whether physical or mental is just the manifestation of weakness leaving your body. Let it hurt, hurt is good.
5. Know that once you've accomplished beating the "wall"you can do it again. Confidence is gained when each hurdle is passed. Push past this hurdle and you gain confidence to attempt the next.
6. Be reminded that Pain is only temporary, quitting last forever. You will quickly forget the pain of the run, the phone call, the reject, etc.. but you will long remember the fact that you quit attempting whatever was put before you to achieve. Don't ever quit, the scare that is left will last a lifetime.

Taking Tips from Every Situation

Recently, I was interviewing at a start-up here in Las Vegas. I haven't worked for someone else in nearly 3 years so I wasn't really keen on the idea of putting myself in that position but you have to do what you have to do. So could I turn this into a learning moment or just hold my nose and trudge my way through the whole experience?
A learning experience it is.
I'm always fascinated on how other entrepreneurs approach business. In this case it was an outsourcing company that contracted with one of the larger utilities. Here's how they put their business model together.

1. Find a product to sell
2. Contact the manufacturer and work out a reseller contract with the manufacturer
3. Find an office to work out of
4. Put out an ad to hire salespeople
5. Train the new staff in how to sell the product
6. Raise up managers from within the new sales staff to oversee the crew
7. Repeat

Wow!!! Sounds like business all over the world. Every business on the planet runs on this concept or business model. If this is such a simple model to analyze then why aren't more people doing it? FEAR.

Well, I'm tired of working for someone else. (It hasn't even been a day yet) but that doesn't matter. This simple business model is the backbone of business from time immemorial. All we have to do is get over the initial fear and the rest as they say, is a piece of cake.

Sherman Ray is a speaker, author and Leadership Coach. He is also founder and President of the Diversity Networking Group. For more information on corporate speaking events, tapes or webinars go to www.redlettermedia.net or email him at LeadershipInActionOnlne@gmail.com

What Business (Nation) Needs

What Business Needs

What business really needs is a shot in the arm, a shot of adrenalin, a purpose other than money. I call it jealousy.  

Back in the 1960’s JFK, then the President of the United States of America, gave our country a bold challenge, “To put a man on the moon in this decade”. I can almost still hear those words in my ears. It was such an innovative and far out their statement, that it sparked the interest of a collective nation. So what did we do? We began to build.

America needs a rallying cry once again. We need to have a focus that drives us to once again become the powerhouse that we once were. You see, a nation that has a focus, has the ability to solve any problem, achieve any goal and climb any mountain that is in front of it. We are that nation. We are those people.

As our country sees before it looming debt, failing schools, a weak economic climate and a fragile relationship with the rest of the world, it is time that we rise up and say, “Enough is enough.” Can you imagine right now a leader stepping forward and saying, “Let’s go to Mars in this decade”? The whole of society and I mean globally would take notice. You see once you have something, everybody wants what you have. They do whatever it takes to get it and as a result a collateral effect happens, invention and innovation start to happen.

Many of the inventions and innovations that we currently have came as a result of need and necessity but a huge number of these products came as a result of plain old fashion “Keeping up with the Joneses”. Spaceflight, Velcro, computers, missiles, guidance systems, Tang, Big Screen TV’s, etc… All of these inventions came as a result of man’s vanity. “I won’t be outdone by my competitor. So let’s give everyone something to shoot for.

Here are some things that you can do to spark innovation and invention. In your own neighborhood, locality or community, start a movement to become better. Get up earlier and start running, see if you don’t soon see others doing it too. Start an organization of like-minded-types. Meet at a local coffee shop and see if others don’t follow suit. There are tons of opportunities that are out there for you and me to get people jealous, jealous enough to start a wave of innovation and invention because business needs us.

Sherman Ray is an author, speaker and leadership development coach. He is also the Founder and President of the Diversity Networking Group and the Founder of Leadership In Action Online For more information about audio tapes, webinars or speaking opportunities go to www.redlettermedia.net.or www.shermanray.com. You can email to LeadershipInActionOnline@gmail.com