7. I don't have the right connections.
Between company websites and
LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and all the other social media platforms you can
reach almost anyone besides the Pope and maybe Bono. In fact some people are
surprisingly accessible (maybe that's one of the secrets of their success?)
Still, start small. Start
feasible. Build a foundation. A great network is like a pyramid with a wide
base, not a thin vertical line that goes straight to the top.
And never forget that the more
influential the person, the more they tend to be inundated with requests. Have
a good reason to connect, give before you expect to receive, and you will be
surprised by the people who respond.
8. I'm too late.
Jobs beat you to the graphical
interface and mouse... but Xerox beat him. Zuckerberg wasn't first in social
media. Buffett is hardly the first to buy and hold.
The list goes on and on.
Innovation is never one-and-done; some of the most successful companies – and
careers – are based on refining earlier ideas and innovations.
You're only too late if you're
not willing to be better, faster, stronger, cheaper, or just ever so slightly
different than whoever got there first.
9. I can't think of a great idea.
Dreaming up something new is
really, really hard.
Reacting to something that
already exists is really, really easy.
Walk around and start
complaining (to yourself.) You'll see tons of problems that require solutions.
Those solutions are ideas.
Or walk around your workplace
and start complaining (again, to yourself.) There are tons of problems you can
address.
"New" is hard to
imagine. "Better" is much easier.
Most careers and businesses are
built on "better," not on "new."
10. I can't take that risk.
Any risk you take today is a
risk you can recover from tomorrow. Given time you can overcome almost any
setback, stumble, or failure, and emerge stronger and smarter and better
equipped to succeed the next time.
If you never try, all you will
be is regretful. When you're old and grey and "done" you'll have to
look back on your life and think, "I wonder what might have happened if I
had only..."
Having to look back with regret
is one risk you should never take.
11. I'm better at planning than execution.
No you're not. You're just too
lazy to do the grunt work. Or you think you've already paid your dues. Or you
think you're above it. Or – pick your excuse.
Every successful person I know
can and does, when necessary, roll up his or her sleeves and just plain outwork
everyone else. (That's one of the reasons they're so successful.)
You don't need some undefined innate quality to be good at execution; all you need is discipline.
You don't need some undefined innate quality to be good at execution; all you need is discipline.
12. I can't stop until it's perfect.
Sure you can. You just don't
want to: Maybe you're insecure, maybe you're afraid, or maybe you fear
rejection or criticism.
Do this instead: Do your best.
Then step back: If doing a little more work will result in a dramatically
better outcome, go for it. If doing a little more work will not make a
difference anyone but you will notice, let it go.
Then make improvements based on
feedback you get from the people whose opinions matter most: Your customers.
13. I'm not comfortable doing it that way.
I was raised to be humble and
self-effacing, so I hate to say I'm good at anything. But sometimes I have no
choice; taking advantage of certain opportunities requires confidently
describing my skills, experience, and accomplishments.
If you're not comfortable doing
something because it violates your principles or ethics, by all means don't.
But if you're not comfortable doing something simply because it will take you
outside your comfort zone, you're just rationalizing.
And you'll never be more than
you already are.
14. I can't find anyone who “gets” it.
Oh, they get it. They just
don't want it.
Truly great ideas can be
described in a few words. Truly great products can be described in a few words.
When no one seems to "get it," the only person not getting it is
probably you.
Let go of your pride and agenda
and "unique point of view" and figure out where you've gone
wrong.
15. It's too hard.
Long journeys are hard. No
problem: Individual steps are easy.
Say you’ve been sitting on your
couch for years and suddenly decide to run a marathon. You're right: That's too
hard. But you can go out and run a lap or two. Or you can walk a mile or two.
You can take one small step towards a difficult goal. And then another. And
then another.
Or say you want to lose 50
pounds. That's too hard. But you can eat one meal differently. Or you can take
a walk at lunch.
Or say you want to open a
business. You can look at possible locations. Or work on your business plan. Or
talk to a potential supplier. Or get advice from a mentor.
You can't accomplish any
difficult goal overnight, but you can accomplish one step, however small,
towards that goal.
Think about the end of a
journey and every single step that will be required along the way and you'll
never start. Instead, just do one thing that will help get you there. Then
build on that one thing.
You can definitely do that.
16. I'll be too embarrassed if I fail.
Failing in public can be
humbling, especially since some people love to talk about the misfortunes of
others. Of course those are the same people who never dare to try something
themselves. So don't worry about them.
A smaller (much smaller) group
of people will respect you for taking your shot. They'll recognize a kindred
spirit.They'll empathize. They'll encourage. They'll pick you up.
They know what it's like to try
and fail and try again.
They're people living their
lives on their terms.
Okay, this is the end of it, I hope you enjoyed it and you could pick out one or two reasons you give sometimes in your career or life. I will love to hear from you by commenting on which of the point resonates with you more.
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