16 Super Decisions for 2016!
January 25, 2016
You turn on the nightly news. You hear, “The stock market had its worse day in more than two decades. January stocks are suffering their worst start. Analysts tell us that how January stocks go is a predictor of how the remaining year will be in the market.”
Question. When you hear that news, A) Do you immediately consider selling your stocks to avoid a worse loss? B) Do you feel nervous about your 401(k) and begin to fear for you retirement? C) Do you ponder the news and think, “This may be a good time to consider picking up some cheaper stocks? or D) Do you ignore the news and go back to work? Controlling what you CAN control and ignoring what you cannot?
How you answered those questions reveals much about how you make decisions. Decision-making is crucial to success in business.
We are well into January and I want to help you make this your best year so far. Just as the stock analysts say that how January stocks go predicts the future 70% of the time, I want to help you make good decisions that will predict your future with a certainty of success. I am dedicated to helping you succeed in business, in life, in your goals, and in your purpose.
Let’s Get Started with the first Four of these Super 16 Decisions:
1. Have Long-term, medium-term, and short-term goals
Let’s use football as an analogy. The long-term goal is to win the game. Sure, one can argue that the long-term goal should be to win the Super Bowl, but that is just one more game that must be won, so if winning games is your long-term goal, the post-season and Super Bowl will be nice by-products of achievement.
Now, to win games, the team must have medium-term goals of getting touchdowns and field goals. To achieve those, the team must have short-term goals of getting first downs, which consists of making 3rd down conversions and properly executing the running and passing plays.
2. Work at Perfecting your execution of your short-term goals
Football games are won and lost by the execution of individual tackles, receptions, blocks, hikes, and runs, etc. How many times have we as fans groaned when a receiver starts running up field before he has secured the ball, only to fumble it and turn over the game to the opponent? Or a defensive player misses a crucial tackle or a lineman fails to block a blitzing linebacker and our QB gets sacked?? Aaarrggghhh! Those are examples of players focusing too much on the medium range goals – like touchdowns – or not executing the smaller short-term goals of catching, receiving, blocking and getting a first down.
I love – LOVE – dreaming about my long-term goals and purposes, and we MUST have them, but today I am focused on properly executing this blog for you, preparing my video scripts, securing the loans from my Real Estate investors, meeting with my team to orchestrate today’s blocks, runs, passes, and tackles that will get me 10 yards closer to the end zone of closing Real Estate deals, training new rehabbers and other Real Estate investors to profit in today’s markets. And THESE goals will help me fund my foundations long-term goals, helping me realize my purpose in life.
Today’s executions determine tomorrow’s successes or failures. It is not a lack of dreaming, but a lack of attention to the details that often make or break a business.
3. You need both Offensive and Defensive Plans
I hear many coaches say that the best defense is a strong offense, but I also notice they HAVE a defense. In fact, one won’t win any games without a defense. You and I are in business to make deals, rehab houses, teach others, and, in short, to make cash.lots and lots of cash! In business, we need marketing, sales, quality products, financing and good customer service. That is all offense. But, we won’t make any cash or keep any cash or even be in business long if we do not also have a premium defense.
Now, what do I mean by that? I’m talking about Risk Management, insurance, ethical business practices, honesty in deal-making, in short, the integrity that protects my team and protects my business. Further? Sound financial practices, working in cooperation with Better Business Bureau, extra care with the paperwork, not fudging on a rehab, but giving the customers a quality product. THAT is a good defensive strategy and will help secure another big win!
4. You must always act; don’t’ react
Football and business are tough. People get angry and tempers flare…and fortunes are won and lost in moments of ill-timed reactions. A late hit on a Quarterback, a head shot to a player can quickly escalate into a brawl with a star player being ejected and fined and even suspended. The whole team can be hurt for the season by a hot-tempered player REACTING instead of ACTING. The same is true in business. Follow your business plan, stay focused. Don’t let competitors, customers, or investors rattle your cage to the point of your reacting to them. If you find yourself daydreaming of “getting even,” you have lost focus on your goals and purpose.
Author John Grisham wrote a great novel about baseball and how ONE pitch ruined 2 lives, 2 families and 2 sports clubs. It is a powerful story of the dangers of reacting. Set your goals, learn to execute the details, have a good offensive and defensive business plan, and don’t lose your focus by over-reacting.
Oh, if you answered A or B from the first paragraphs on the stock market, you probably are not an entrepreneur and you probably should not play in the market. Risk-taking is not in your appetite. If you answered C or D, you are thinking like a good businessman. If you answered both C AND D, you have the moxy for Real Estate business. And you also have the common sense that is so essential in business decision-making. I hope I can meet you one day. Next week we’ll address four more super decisions for 2016.
