How We Think About Our Problems

Everyone is facing problems, challenges and drama in their life. How we think about our problems will determine the outcome. You have heard the expression "garbage in, garbage out". Well, this is true also for the positive and the negative when we are attempting to resolve issues we have to deal with. With positive input into your thinking process the result is more likely to be positive. Load your thought processes with positive thoughts on a daily basis.

Relationships Not Transactions

Legitimacy of a business comes from serving others. Successful business is not about good transactions, it's about good relationships. When you treat your customers and suppliers well they are more likely to come back and repeat doing business with you and recommend you to others. Running a good business means you provide value to others while making a profit for yourself.

Question Instead Of Statement

How we respond to events and other people is an indication of how mature we are. Instead of reacting instinctively with a knee-jerk response to everything that happens, maintain a positive frame of mind by formulating your response as a question rather than as a statement. For example if you are dissatisfied with someone's actions; ask what they did, then if it was the best they could have done and what could have been done differently. Then encourage them to do better next time.

Be A Risk Taker

Without risk there is no reward. Moderate risk takers are not only more successful since they have a tendency to seek out opportunity, they are also happier than other people according to a recent study. If you are the kind of person who like to push yourself outside your normal comfort zone you are likely to be more content, fulfilled and successful. The most interesting aspect of this is that any normal person can work toward risk and can in fact become a better risk taker with practice.

Display Authenticity

True authenticity is one key networking element. No effective relationship can develop without actually engaging with people and this forms the basis for demonstrating authenticity. Are you what you say you are? Do you always deliver on your promises? Do you commit and follow through? All of these engaging characteristics develop an authentic relationship.

Prepare For The Worst

Plan for the best and prepare for the worst is an age old advice. Obviously you want your plans to be as excellent as possible in order to exploit the opportunity and hit it big. However, it is often more important to cover the soft underbelly and protect the downside properly. Prepare yourself and your team by asking "what if" questions in the style of "What is the worst that could happen?"

Do The Opposite

Most people as well as businesses are often charging in one direction after "the next big thing". One excellent way of differentiation is to do the opposite. Many times that's where you find uncontested market space. Rather than competing on the same premises head to head with all the others you will find margins and pools of profit where there is little competetion out there in the blue ocean. Observe the masses and do the opposite.