A Strong Finish is a Good Start

“All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil. The fight to the finish spirit is the one... characteristic we must possess if we are to face the future as finishers.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Are you focused on the finish? Have you looked at your business, your vision, your goals, your plans, and your results close enough to know where this year's finish line really is? Now be honest: Are you making a push or are you making excuses? Does it make a difference? You bet it does.

If we are truly going to, as Thoreau says, "face the future as finishers", there has to be a logical starting point -- and it might as well be now. But, what will it take to obtain the "fight to the finish" spirit? Consider these points:

Face Reality: Do you truly consider yourself to be a finisher? Do you know for certain that your recent history shows that you have consistently laid it all on the line to get the job done -- regardless of the obstacles? Is it possible that you've let yourself off the hook by rationalizing a logical outcome? Perhaps more to the point, have you counted the cost and determined that it just isn't worth your time or best effort? Only you can answer, because only you know the truth. The good news is; it is not too late to change -- to make a fresh start.

Focus: It has often been said that a light bulb can illuminate a room, but a laser can cut through steel. What's the difference? The degree to which the light is focused. Isn't it the same with our effort to not only succeed, but to experience break-through performance? A lack of focus can derail even the best plans. If we make everything a priority, then truthfully, nothing is really a priority at all. This is where a clearly defined goal and plan come into play. We must consistently ask ourselves whether a particular action or effort is getting us closer to our goal. If not, maybe it's time to delay it, delegate it, or in some cases, eliminate it. Stay focused and stay in the moment and you'll be amazed at what you'll accomplish.

Fortitude: The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines fortitude as "strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage." The definition suggests that there will indeed be pain and adversity in every worthwhile pursuit. History shows that the greatest leaders and most accomplished men and women of all time endured such periods of adversity before finally arriving at the pinnacle of their success. Can we really expect to be any different? Developing a strong Adversity Quotient or AQ, is critical to obtaining the finishing spirit. For more information on AQ, check out Adversity Quotient by Paul Stoltz and Resolved: 13 Resolutions for Life by Orrin Woodward.

Failure: Winston Churchill said: "Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Much like fortitude, failure is an absolute necessity if we are ever going to be truly successful. Too often we interpret failure as something to be avoided rather than embraced. Worse yet, we often regard failure as a clear signal that our goals and dreams are faulty and no longer worth pursuing. Nothing could be further from the truth. Failure is a natural part of the learning and growth cycle and we must see it for what it is -- the ability to see what went wrong and more intelligently begin again. Never let a good failure get in the way of a great accomplishment.

There are probably numerous other considerations, but for the sake of time, we'll leave it here. The question is: Do you have what it takes to face the future as a finisher? If not, will you take time to face reality, renew your focus, develop fortitude, and learn from past and future failures? It is not a matter of whether you can, but rather a matter of whether you will.

Start today, and we'll see you at the finish line!

Is Your Business Becoming Blurry?

Have you ever gone to a 3-D movie and taken off the special glasses? Worse yet, have you ever gone to a 3-D movie and not bothered to put the glasses on? The scenery is really not all that attractive and everything appears, well, blurry. Those glasses are intended to help you get the full effect and even make the movie more real and exciting. Wouldn't make sense not to put them on. You need the right lens -- right?

Yet, in a similar fashion we can continually look at our business through a cloudy or distorted lens. Because of our thinking, which usually comes from our attitude, we see things that may not be there. Or more importantly, we miss some things that actually are there. Perhaps the most important thing we miss or fail to see clearly is opportunity. Much like beauty, opportunity is usually in the eye of the beholder.

Perhaps you are familiar with the old story about two shoe salesmen who were sent to Africa. The first one cables back to the company's headquarters: "Situation hopeless: No one wears shoes." The second salesperson, looking at the identical information, says: "Situation ideal: Everyone needs shoes!" Same situation, but two very different conclusions.

The first step in the coaching process is to Face Reality. But what is the true reality? Are we using our own lens or special glasses to see our business the way we choose to see it -- good or bad? Sometimes we need someone to come alongside of us and guide us in seeing the situation more clearly. Bringing in another set of eyes may help us see things a little differently -- or at least give us someone who might be honest enough to tell us that we need to put our glasses on.

Now, doesn't that look better?

Who Are The Men and Women Who Will Rebuild America?

I had the opportunity to view several episodes of The History Channel's The Men Who Built America. I was fascinated by the stories of Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan -- and of course Henry Ford. Although fiercely competitive with each other, these men left an indelible mark on the country -- both then and now. Certainly these men, particularly those who came before Ford, had flaws. But, it is worth noting some of the common characteristics that made them great.

• Vision -- Each had the ability to look at the present and see something new and different. They looked beyond the practices of their present-day and saw opportunity to build something great. Who are the visionaries of today?
• Courage -- Success never gives its best fruit up easily. I was struck by the multiple points in which courage, in the face of both the odds and pure common sense, was required to move forward -- to just lay it all out on the line. Where are the men and women of courage today?
• Purpose -- These men thought and acted as if what they were doing was not only right, but that there was a destiny they were pursuing. Obviously not all of their decisions and motives were right. Greed and a competitive nature show up in fairly large doses. But the relentless pursuit of success is also clearly on display.
• Flexibility -- Although their goals were clear and solidly laid out, these men were not afraid to alter their plans when necessary. While many of today's business leaders have no trouble making plans or putting their plans in motion, very few really have the confidence and insight to check the results and then adjust their strategies accordingly. A fear of failure may also signify a fear of truly winning. Who are the leaders with enough confidence to take a good honest look at themselves and then make the changes that will propel them to the next level?

While there are many other characteristics that we can list, these few can help us understand where we are, who we need to be, and what we may possibly become. In these days of financial and political uncertainty -- Who are the men and women that will rebuild America?