Ok, this a bit of a rant.  But there’s a lesson here too for your home based business.

If you’re like me, you probably remember your parents and teachers saying something like, "you can’t always have your own way."  That comment may have been followed by, "stop being so stubborn."  Or, maybe it was, "why do you always have to be so selfish?"

Let me rant first and get it out.  If you look at our politicians, what you mostly see is exactly the opposite of what we were told as kids.  BOTH parties are playing this game of "It Has to be MY Way."  Instead of compromise and progress, there’s bickering and stalemate.  And the country is suffering.

What does this have to do with your home based business?  Everything!  Even if the only person in your business is you, you can’t always have your own way.  There are other people effected by your decisions.  Your customers, suppliers, and maybe the people you’re sharing the house with.  You have to be willing to negotiate, listen to the other party, give a little.  Maybe even once in a while let the other person have everything they want.

The art of compromise is understanding what is important.  Do you really need everything to be your way or do you care more about the quality of the outcome? 

If you find yourself always insisting on "your way". you may be losing customers and important relationships along the way.  You may be winning the battles, but losing the war.  Is it really worth it?

I was listening to the news today about Ireland being bailed out by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.  It struck me that this event has a lesson for home based businesses.

Ireland has been flying high economically.  It’s land prices were jumping.  It’s banks were lending money wildly.  Companies were building factories and warehouses.  All the economic indicators were headed up.

Everyone was dancing in the streets.  There was no end in sight.

Then came the world wide economic crisis.  Land prices crashed.  Factories closed.  The banks were left with loans that were shaky or even no good.  The bubble had burst.

Suddenly, the government was meeting in emergency session and dark clouds were everywhere.  The result?  Ireland went with hat in hand to the European Union looking for a bailout.  The good times that could never end ……..  had suddenly ended.

I live in Las Vegas.  We saw something similar here.  Massive building everywhere.  Multi-billion dollar hotel/casinos.  Shopping centers and industrial parks.  New houses everywhere.

And then the crash.

Now there are unfinished billion dollar projects.  Vacant shopping centers.  Empty homes.  The idea of "build it and they will come" had crashed in flames.

So how does this relate to your home based business?  There are two ways.

First …..  you can get comfort from knowing a whole lot of very smart people didn’t see the meltdown coming.  And if you didn’t see it either, you can know you weren’t alone.

Second ….  is a reminder that life has cycles.  Nothing lasts forever.  Good times are fun.  It’s wonderful to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of your efforts, but you also need to be prepared for when the winds change.

Remember, Ireland may get bailed out by the EU and the IMF, but you and I have to be prepared to bail ourselves out.  Our home based businesses depend on us.

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.

There are lots of things that impact the success of a home based business.  Many of them are out of our control or can only be slightly influenced by us.  But there’s one that is absolutely under your control.  What I’m referring to is how you come across to people.  Do you sound credible.

Ok, I can hear you say, "what are you talking about?  Of course I’m credible."  How do you know?

What’s your proof?  Just because you think you’re credible, that doesn’t mean that’s how other people hear you.  And no, I’m not suggesting you’re lying.

Studies have shown that when communicating with another person, the words you use only account for about 7% of the effectiveness of what you say.  55% is from body language and the rest (35%) is your delivery.  (Tone, pacing, etc)  So if you are only focused on the words you use, your effectiveness (your credibility) may be far less than you expect.

Even Napoleon Hill, in his powerful book "Think and Grow Rich", says one of the characteristics of successful people is that they speak with an authoritative voice.  They ** sound ** like they know what they’re talking about.  And lets face it, if you don’t sound credible, why would anyone want to do business with you?

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Your home business needs a designate area for your “office” . It does not need to be large or elaborate, but it needs to be YOURS!

I just relocated my office to the living-room of our home and it is perfect. I have lots of light and space, my boys are around me (which I love), and I have things around me that inspire me.

Achieve PT knows how to take care of clients. They are another example of doing it right!

You have a home business to make money … among other things. You MUST know how to meet your customers and give them what they want. Learning sales skills I’d among the best training you can invest in. We are privileged today to be able to attend a half-day seminar by the unquestioned sales expert, Jeffrey Gitomer. Buy his books and learn what he teaches! Your home business will thank you!!

You have a home business to make money … among other things. You MUST know how to meet your customers and give them what they want. Learning sales skills I’d among the best training you can invest in. We are privileged today to be able to attend a half-day seminar by the unquestioned sales expert, Jeffrey Gitomer. Buy his books and learn what he teaches! Your home business will thank you!!