You always hear me say that time can be your friend or your enemy, and that we need to change the tires while the car is rolling down the highway. So many people I’ve worked with are always waiting to deal with one more issue or one more crisis before they begin to make the changes that will put them in a different place down the road.
Last week, in the same day, I spoke to two MSP owners that I’ve known for more than a decade. Having these two conversations in the same day really made me think.
The first conversation I had was with someone who joined TruMethods early on. Since then, he has come and gone. His business has gotten a little better, but not enough to give him the choices he wants or maybe needs at this point in his life. Truthfully, he’s basically where he was 10 years ago.
The other business leader I spoke with is one of our early peer group members. This individual worked hard to become a professional businessperson and build a team of leaders around him. His business had no intrinsic value when we first met, and now it’s valued at more than $10 million!
And he isn’t just making more money today. He has transformed his life, team, and self-image.
Here’s the thing. The business owner with the more valuable business isn’t smarter and doesn’t work any harder. He just took the first step. He didn’t wait until he dealt with a big customer leaving or key employee quitting or a big project to end. Like so many of you, he took the first step, and each quarter made some progress and believed a little more that great things were possible.
Ten years went by for both these business leaders, and today, they are in different spots. Always keep in mind this famous Chinese proverb: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
If you are not exactly where you want to be with your business or your career, start making a new plan. Try staying disciplined for one day, then one week, then one month, and then one quarter. After that — it’s just rinse and repeat. And let time go by.
Make a new plan and start today.
