Bill Walsh was a long time National Football League coach.  His philosophy for his offense has an important lesson for your home based business.

Have you seen the movie Blindside?  I haven’t yet, but I’m reading the book.  I’m at the part that talks about Bill Walsh’s game plan for his passing offensive.  Most teams like to go for the long pass.  It creates excitement and gains yardage quickly.  The short pass is used to set up the long pass or to save the quarterback from getting tackled.

Walsh took a different approach.  Long passes may be exciting, but they’re harder to complete than a short pass.  There’s also more chance for an interception, and while the quarterback is waiting for his player to get down field, he’s more likely to get tackled and possibly hurt. Walsh preferred going for lots of short passes and once in a while going for the long bomb.

And the result? …..  Many more completed passes.  Long steady marches down the field.  Many winning seasons.  He was willing to trade the flash for the win.

How does this apply to your home based business? 

Too often there’s a desire to go for the big success.  The big win.  Maybe that means getting a HUGE sale.  Or it could be a one time splash in your local newspaper.  It feels really good.  But when you sit back and reflect, how much further has it gotten you to your vision?  And how many things didn’t work out?

What would happen if you had lots of smaller successes?  Each one would move you closer and closer to your dream.  Slow and steady instead of flash and crash.  Yeah, I know.  This sounds like the story of the Tortoise and the Hare.  The message was true in the fable and it was true for Bill Walsh.  It’s also true for your home based business.

Take baby steps with lots of success and you’re get where you want to go.  Or you can focus on "the big play" and find yourself with an incomplete pass.  It’s your choice.  Flash or success.

 

Written by Philip Cohen