Success: Are You Keeping it Real?

"The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration." -- Thomas Edison

If the dozens and dozens of inspiring memes, quotes, tweets, and posts that pass before our eyes on a daily basis are to be believed, success is just outside our grasp. We simply have to picture it, chant it, claim it, or in some similar fashion take hold of it. Question: How's that working out for you?

While we know that the attainment of lasting success is not nearly this easy, our thoughts, plans, and actions -- or the absence of such -- can give passive support to such notions. Don't get me wrong, there is a time and a place for inspiration, but it better be backed up with a whole lot of perspiration and a healthy dose of persistence. The temporary glow we get from the meme of the day cannot long light our path. We like it, we share it and then we move on. What are we moving on to? Chances are we go right back to the place we were before. True?

As leaders, business owners, and business professionals, we must become what Growth Coach founder Dan Murphy calls the "keepers of reality and seers of truth".* The reality is, success is hard and it doesn't give up its best fruits easily. We must move from soundbites to sound principles and see our business and ourselves not as we wish it to be, but in the bright light of reality.

In the quote above, Edison mentions some important benchmarks that can help us to not only see our current reality, but to use as tools in crafting a new and more preferable one. We all have blinders or blind spots that keep us from seeing the most accurate picture, or at the very least from seeing the situation objectively. Using the checklist of forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, we can begin to get a true assessment of the habits we employ in the operation of our business and the likelihood of its success.

A careful and complete SWOT Analysis can then reveal our Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats -- and give us opportunity to act in the manner Edison prescribes. Seeing the real picture is a critical step in creating a better one -- for ourselves, our customers, our employees, and our stakeholders.

When we have an honest purpose, backed up by careful forethought, an effective system, deliberate planning, and accumulated intelligence and knowledge, we are moving from the simple soundbites of success to the sound and strategic principles that when combined with consistent and persistent action help ensure it. Which would you rather like and share?

Let us truly be the Keepers of Reality and the Seers of Truth -- as it pertains to our own business, and in consistent and unwavering support of others.

*Download a free copy of Dan Murphy's book, "Becoming a Strategic Business Owner".

About the Author: Terry Crouson is the Owner and Head Coach at Silver Coach Solutions, LLC and is currently doing business as The Growth Coach of West Metro Detroit. He is dedicated to helping business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and self-employed professionals find their way by finding their why. He is a highly respected business coach, speaker, facilitator, and community builder. Terry is certified in the Strategic Mindset Process, and is also a DISC Certified Behavioral Consultant.

Intentional Conversation: Do We Care Enough to Have One?

"It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much." -- Yogi Berra

During a recent networking group meeting we did something a little bit different. So different in fact that it caused a bit of noticeable, albeit temporary discomfort in the room. The facilitator opened the meeting by asking us to talk to each other. Interestingly enough, most of the attendees had been there for several minutes prior to the start and there was a buzz in the room from the many "conversations" already going on. It was normal. It was typical. It felt right. That is until the facilitator asked us to turn to the person next to us and find out "what is your favorite food?"

The question was simple enough and the answer was probably equally as simple, yet there was something just a bit uncomfortable about the request. Although the discomfort level subsided quickly, the whole situation caught my attention. What happened here? I believe it was the request or the expectation to have an intentional conversation that threw things off a bit.

It got me thinking: Has meaningful and intentional conversation become a bit of a lost art? Do we really take the time and effort to really engage with others in a deeper and caring fashion? Here are a few questions we can ask ourselves to check up on the quality of our conversations and our intent for having them.

What do we really know about the people around us? Everybody has a story formed by their background, their family, their hometown, their education, their experiences, their interests, and their outlook. How much time do we spend trying to get that story?

What are their dreams? Is there anyone, anywhere who doesn't have a dream, however faint and deeply buried it may be? Sometimes just the mere suggestion that someone is remotely interested can bring a spark to the eyes and a slight smile to the face. Use yourself as an example. Wouldn't you love the opportunity to share your dreams and desires with someone who cares enough to know what they are?

What are they passionate about? I believe there is a fire that burns within each of us. It may be for a cause, for an idea, for a person, for a place, or even a thing. Much like the faintness of the dream, the embers of that passion may be low or even close to going out, but with the right spark, the flame can come roaring back. Could it be that it just takes a caring and interested person to fan that flame?

What makes their heart sing and their soul cry out? There is a song within each one of us that is waiting to be sung. There's a rhythm. There's a melody. There's a drumbeat. Although it may not be heard by another living soul, the song is there and it is uniquely ours. It makes us who we are and blends our story, our dreams, and our passions into a one-of-a-kind composition that has never previously existed. The song is at the heart of who we are, and although we may have forgotten some of the lyrics or muffled the intensity of its notes, we can be sure it is there. Wouldn't you like to hear it and to share it? Do you think others do, as well?

I truly believe every person longs for a life of meaning and someone to tell about it. What would happen if we became more intentional and more interested in our conversations? What could we learn if we just stopped to listen and engage? Whose life could we touch? Do we care enough to find out?

About the Author: Terry Crouson is the Owner and Head Coach at Silver Coach Solutions, LLC and is currently doing business as The Growth Coach of West Metro Detroit. He is dedicated to helping business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and self-employed professionals find their way by finding their why. He is a highly respected business coach, speaker, facilitator, and community builder. Terry is certified in the Strategic Mindset Process, and is also a DISC Certified Behavioral Consultant.

A Question of Influence?

What are your influences? It's a question that is usually asked of singers, musicians, and artists as a way of determining what that person is most likely to produce. The same can be said of you and me. How we spend our time, what we spend our time on, who we spend it with, and why we spend it there are great indicators or predictors of what WE are most likely to produce. Today is a good day to ask yourself these five key questions.

1.    What and who are the influencers in your life?

2.    What sources of information are you allowing in?

3.    Who are you listening to?

4.    How are they shaping you?

5.    Are you even aware of it?

Take an honest and open look at your results. Can you say with confidence that your key influences or influencers are the best they can possibly be? Are you likely to produce the results you're looking for if these same influences remain in place? What needs to change? Who needs to change? When will you commit to making those changes?

To truly be a person of great influence, we must surround ourselves with truly great influences. As the old saying goes: What goes down in the well comes up in the bucket. What's coming up in yours?

This article also appears on LinkedIn.

About the Author: Terry Crouson is the Owner and Head Coach at Silver Coach Solutions, LLC and is currently doing business as The Growth Coach of West Metro Detroit. He is dedicated to helping business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and self-employed professionals find their way by finding their why. He is a highly respected business coach, speaker, facilitator, and community builder. Terry is certified in the Strategic Mindset Process, and is also a DISC Certified Behavioral Consultant.