Money Matters

Achievement Or Bereavement? 
The Choice Is Yours. 
by Thea Swafford

If it were true that you can 'Think and Grow Rich' the American people would all be millionaires! The Monday morning quarterbacks along with those that loiter at the donut shops discussing current affairs would all have Bentley's and chauffeurs waiting to take them to their next destination.

Wouldn't that be a site?

If thinking could get things done then football players wouldn't have to show up for the game... just think about it. If thinking could get things done there would be no more chores, we would just have to think about them and POOF they'd be done!

Let me know if it works for you.

Success in any entrepreneurial endeavor is reliant on a simple truth: Learning does not always require thinking.

Actually, thinking often gets in the way learning. 

That flies in the face of most of what we know, doesn't it? As children we were often scolded when we made mistakes: "You just weren't thinking! Don't you ever think about what you're doing?"

Socrates, one of the greatest "thinkers" of all time, said, "Action equals knowledge." Action, not thinking, is how we achieve results. We learn from experiencing life.

Take playing the piano for instance. If you were to ask an accomplished pianist to think about what they are playing in the middle of a rapturous concert, the music would probably fall apart into a series of painfully disconnected notes.

Same is true with typing. Ask a person who flawlessly types over 90 words a minute to think about the key strokes, and you could probably watch the mistakes pile up. Thinking hinders execution. Thinking can hinder success. 

The fact of the matter is we can intellectualize all we want, but until we take action we will never accomplish anything.

There is a mantra in the martial arts that says "Ready, Fire, Aim". Simply put, this means take action and correct that action as you go. It is quite probable that many businesses never get out of the starting gate because of over-thinking and over analyzing. Most people want all their ducks to be lined up in a row before they begin. This will never happen. The time will never be perfect. 

The key is to get started and then keep striving toward your goal.

The worst kind of thinking is fear of failure, also known as the "What if" disease. "What if I fail? What if people laugh at me? What if I lose all my money? What if, what if, what if?

Fear is paralyzing. It stops the movement necessary for success. Fear weakens our resolve, cripples our creativity, and ultimately stagnates our successes. Conversely, movement overcomes fear. 

When struck by fear, breathe. 

Every inhalation is connected to the flight or fight response and every exhalation is connected to the relaxation response.  

People suffering from anxiety will find that they inhale more than they exhale. People suffering from panic attacks and anxiety are usually habitually shallow breathers. 

Change the way you're breathing and you'll change the way you feel. Simply, inhale through your nose, slowly, smoothly and deeply without strain. Then, exhale through your nose as slowly, smoothly and completely. Count to 5 slowly and repeat until you feel calm.

Did you notice that all you had to do to solve the problem was to take action?

So, don't wait to explore your entrepreneurial spirit; take action now. Each step that you take toward your goal will give you the courage and resolve to keep moving forward and create the life that you dream of for you and your family.