COME TO REALIZE: 1 Self Awareness

“Enjoy your midnight snack at 10.” – Me

I simply do not function well after midnight. I don’t exactly turn into a pumpkin but my brain turns to mush much like the inside of one. This is just one important thing I have come to realize about myself while navigating the labyrinth of life.

I have had many “aha” moments in my life; countless epiphanies, hard lessons, realizations, growth lessons, whatever you want to call them. If I had to pick the most important I don’t think I could. But if it was a gun to my head decision it would be a two part answer; One, that if I do not implement anything learned from those “lessons” then they mean nothing and, two, if I don’t share the lessons with others they mean even less. They simply become another forgotten thought, cast away to the deep, dark, dusty crevices of my brain.

Back to the opening quote. What does it really mean and what is the true essence of the lesson? It means I am not a night owl so I shouldn’t stay up that late and more importantly, schedule important late night meetings or events. The reality is I am not sure how many people actually do that. In the businesses I participate in, it is not very common, although there are some events that can run into the wee hours. I might not have to use my brain but I do have to participate in these situations and hold important conversations.

In my experience, the later I travel into the night the worse my social skills become and my patience and tolerance begins to wear thin. That is the important realization here; when I become tired I become anti-social, impatient, intolerant, and irritable. That is not the winning combination for anything good that I know of. As a result, I become much more reactive to my environment and the things people do and say. The best course of action for me is to avoid these situations to the best of my ability.

Peeling another layer and boiling it down even more, it really comes down to self awareness; knowing myself well enough to avoid situations in which I will not act as my normal professional or social self. Okay, truth be, told I am not that social as it is, but you get what I’m saying. Of course, this applies well beyond late night social or business situations.

What is self awareness? Is it a personality trait? A skill? A behavior? Oh, and aren’t there different types or levels? I don’t want to do a deep dive here and get all scientific and psychological so let’s just stick with it being a skill for our purposes here.

Self awareness is such an important skill to help us navigate life and the various decisions we make and the situations and circumstances we find ourselves in. Perhaps its most important function is to really help us discover and follow our calling. It is so easy to get swept up in the race to become the master of anything that will propel you to the top of whatever ladder you are climbing; rewarding you with endless riches, book deals and master classes that will expedite your journey to retirement. Until all the smoke clears and you are left looking at your confused, unhappy reflection in the mirror. This isn’t what I signed up for!

Follow your instincts and learn to know yourself. Get quiet and discover who you truly are. Self awareness will lead you to your what and why.   

Talk Soon,
Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live

THE THREE KINGS #19: OPEN – PRESENT – PATIENT

May 5, 2020

The Three Kings are simply three things, assets, skills, characteristics, principles, and so forth that I find important on some level. The series or feature is meant to be a short read of easily digestible information that hopefully provides some value and actionable concepts that you can apply to some aspect of your life or business.

The content is inspired and influenced by my own personal experience in life and my career as a business owner. They are three things that have helped or hindered me through my life and career. I have written many of these but I am posting this one first, out of order because of the unprecedented times we are in right now. These pieces are not necessarily meant to be sequential by any means anyway. How coincidental is it that this is number 19? Interesting.

Without further ado, here is the first, non-sequential installment of The Three Kings.

Here are the three things that keep coming up for me during this time of the Covid-19 crisis.

OPEN-MINDED:
When this crisis first hit and Idaho was advised to stay at home I was immediately consumed by fear. Optimism, trust, faith, and other things needed to make it through tough times cannot co-exist with fear. When fear takes over the others are absent. I have experienced this over and over in my life and thought that I had learned my lesson, but apparently I have more to learn. I’ll give myself a break as this is an unprecedented situation

Regardless, I have found that I have to be open to new ideas and different ways to run my business. If I choose to stay in fear and let it dictate my thoughts and actions I will be very unproductive and negative. There is no room for a solution without an open mind. For example, at the pie shop, we had to be open to a new way of doing business because the old way was no longer an option. We lost all of our dine-in lunch service which is a significant part of our revenue. We quickly began offering takeout and delivery of course, but we also began focusing on dinner by creating meal packages centering on our savory pies. That has saved us.

PRESENT:
Problems only exist in the present and solutions only work in the present. Of course problems can last for a long time and solutions can and should be created and implemented to address the future, but that is always unknown. Solutions can only be created and implemented today so that is where I must focus the majority of my efforts. Future tripping only perpetuates a state of fear so I try to practice being present as much as possible.

PATIENT:
If you know me or have read any of my content I am sure you know I am a naturally impatient person. I love instant gratification. Fortunately, I have learned that instant gratification is often short-lived. Real progress and sustainable growth takes time as does working through a crisis. The strategy to navigate through the current crisis does not instantly cure all the negative effects, it takes time.

Our dinner strategy we created for the pie shop took time to create and execute and it took time to start yielding results. It is currently keeping our doors open and for that I am grateful, but I do not know what the future holds. I am sure that a crisis like this will have some long term effects so we will have to practice all three of today’s kings today in the present to prepare for the unknown that lies ahead.

Talk Soon,
Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live

Short Sale

“Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and they underestimate what they can do in two or three decades.” – Tony Robbins

Ready. Set. Go!…CRASH!

How often have I set out with great intentions to work toward my auspicious goals. Hour after hour, day after day burning the midnight oil well beyond the strike of midnight to accomplish the impossible. But don’t tell me that. Nothing is impossible. I can do whatever I set out to do. I can be whatever I want to be. I just need to apply myself and go for it. My mother told me so.

Well, how true is that? Would if I want to be a Nigerian prince, could I? There seems to be so many, it must not be that hard to become.

I am sure it is true, with limitations, however. I can be and do many things but I believe there are limitations beyond my control. Some things take more than hard work and dedication to accomplish. There are many factors that can legitimately fill that side of the column; genetics, government, laws, and living environment, to name few. I could continue the list but there is a fine line between the columns and an even finer line in our thinking and judgment of what we put on each side.

I have no desire to discuss what we claim to be holding us back and preventing us from attaining our goals. When I see a long list in the right side of the column, the holding me back side or the beyond my control side, I begin to believe that they are really just excuses.  I am more interested in discovering how we move beyond those and move them to the left side column where they are converted into assets that make us stronger.

The truth for me when I look back to reflect on my journey, the opening quote by Tony Robbins is so true. I totally overestimate what I can do in the short term. That can be a year, a month, a week, or even a day. Just placing this in the context of a to-do list holds true. No big life changing goals I’m trying to accomplish, just a simple daily task list. I never cross everything off.  When I look back five to ten years and compare where I am to where I thought I would be, I am often further. Yet when I look assess my six month goal I often find myself short of the mark.

Why is it? Am I too ambitious in the present and short term? Is the future just too far out and unknown to really imagine what can be accomplished? Are there too many daily obstacles that steer me off course in the short term? Am I just too lazy?

Maybe it’s a mix of all the above. What I have learned for me is that the more I leave uncrossed on my list, the more discouraged I become. As an owner and operator, there is always unfinished business. There are always things to do and as one thing is completed another to-do materializes. It’s just the nature of running a business. What I need to do is learn to not become discouraged or overwhelmed, and for me, the key is acceptance.

Acceptance that time is the scarcest asset. Acceptance that everything is never done. Acceptance that the quote above is true. Acceptance that I am good enough. Acceptance that I’ve sold myself short, again.

The really lesson for me is that I am good enough, it’s the goal that is not. Failure is part of the learning process. In the short term I am overzealous and in the long term I don’t give my ability enough respect. Time is a tricky thing. Ten years seems an eternity and a year seems like more than enough but appears in a blink of an eye. So, being good enough only matters in the present. I can’t be good enough ten years from now and what was good enough yesterday might not be today.

Regardless of where in time I place my checkpoint or finish line, the steps that get me there are taken today. Therefore, the essence of this lesson for me is to learn to live, and work, in the present because when I become too caught up with time, goals, and those never ending to-do lists,  I miss out on life and  sell myself short.

Talk Soon,
Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live

The Art of Social Distancing: Part 4, Distant Early Warning

What does any of this have to do with anything? How does this fit at all? What does this even have to do with social distancing as we are coming to understand it in 2020?  What am I even writing about?

Just a few of the questions circling the squirrel cage since I started writing this series. Which, by the way, began with the intention of being a single piece. The reality is, the creative juices have not been flowing as usual. You would think ideas would be flowing like a class five river right now. Not the case. At least not for writing. I am turning out pieces at a snail’s pace.

I am not even delivering very much content at all. My regular posting schedule has come to a halt, my story posts and updates have come to a halt, and my daily reports have come to a halt. This is an unfrequented time ripe with inspiration yet I am not channeling it as I usually would. My head tells me I should be pumping out content like crazy right now. I should be documenting what we are doing as a business o get through this unprecedented time but all I get is a blank screen, blank paper, no tape rolling. Wow, did I just age myself there?

I do blame part of it on the pie shop. When we started on this new venture it really turned my schedule upside down. The truth is, that is just an excuse. Entrepreneurs need to be flexible and adaptable. New schedule? No problem, I will l move my writing time to this part of the day. I will exercise in the evening  and I will record my videos between x & x. That is how one must adapt to changing environments. If I am too rigid I will break.

The good news is, the juices are still flowing, just in a different direction right now. I am coming up with endless ideas for the pie shop. One recipe after another. New product here, new strategy there, so many that I forget most before I have a chance to write them down. That is just about par for the course. I forget more thoughts, ideas, poems, products; you name it, than I ever remember. Most of which come to me during one of my social distancing practices of running or bike riding. They come and they go all before I return home with a chance to write them down.

All this brings to mind so many questions. Questions about our current situations, questions about our response as a country, our response as citizens, our response as individuals, questions about our past, and questions about our future. So many questions and so many more. Too many questions for one mind to ponder.

But I guess the most important question is will we learn from this? Will I learn from this? Will we heed this as a warning to be better prepared in the future. Will we take this as a warning to live better today? Will we take this as a warning to become a stronger country? A stronger people?

The reality is I can’t answer these for others or predict how the world, the US or our citizens, and elected officials will act or respond. I can’t answer what anyone else will learn from this and carry into tomorrow. I can only speak for myself. And the truth is, I don’t know.

Of course, I hope I will learn from all this. I hope I will start doing the things today that will better prepare and safeguard me, my family, my businesses, and all the things I truly care about for what might happen in the future. Not an excessive, obsessive doomsday preparation but at least have basic safeguards and plans in place. You can’t plan for everything.

I hope I will start documenting more today to have more to share tomorrow. To have more ideas shared than lost in the squirrel cage. I hope most of all that this will serve as, yet another, distant early warning that we never know what the future holds. That life is fragile and precious. That all we ever really have is life in this moment.

Can I learn to be present each moment and live my life with purpose and meaning when the panic recedes? When the fear subsides? When life as we know it, or knew it, returns? Will life ever return to normal? Can I learn to live every day as me? Just me, not worrying about what others think? Not worrying about my shyness? Not judging you or wondering if you’re judging me? See? More questions. Sometimes I simply think too much.

I can end this by saying life has been good the last couple week despite the circumstances. Why? Because I let the fear come and I let it go without taking a hold of me. I stopped worrying about everything and began accepting that this how it is right now. I decided to accept life on life’s terms, stop fighting or forcing it, and live in the moment.

Can I carry it forward? Time will tell, one moment at a time.

Talk Soon,
Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live

The Art of Social Distancing: Part 3, Going The Distance

The real question is, can I go the distance? The cliché is true; life is a marathon, not a sprint. Can I maintain a positive pace of no judgment where I truly do not care what you think of me? Can I maintain a head space free of judgment toward myself and others? Probably not.

Why? Because I am human. I am imperfect. Perfectly imperfect as my mom says. I am in a constant race to get ahead of the competition. Constantly finding the path of least resistance in order to out do, out pace, and out last so I can cross the finish line first. Therein lies the foundation for my judgment.

I am surrounded by everyone else in the race. When I’m falling behind it’s easier to look outward and judge others than look at myself. Accountability is no fun. If I look at myself, I might see something I don’t want to see. It’s easier to say “Look at that one with the fancy shoes and matching outfit, what a clown.” “Look at him, he runs like a chicken.” It’s easier to say, “These shoes are slowing me down.” When I am passing people it’s easy to pat myself on the back to inflate my ego. Most of the time I am constantly racing to find the happy place. When I feel less than or judged, I do not feel happy. Projecting that back on you lifts me up and propels me closer to my happy place, or so I thought.

The reality is that most of what I judge you for is the very things I dislike in myself. Although, oftentimes I don’t even realize it, mirrors do a great job of reflecting the image of a stranger. The people that bother me and bottleneck my race are the mirrors displaying all the things I need to work on. Of course, I’d rather not admit that, it’s much easier to just judge you. Until it isn’t.  

At this point in the race I have crossed the halfway marker. I am inside the final half of my journey. I have learned through the process that the more you do something the easier it becomes. I have found this equally true for both positive and negatives behaviors. The more I judged, the easier it became. Eventually that judgment becomes a natural behavior that no longer requires rationalization or justification. It simply becomes a seamless part of my standard behavioral patterns.

Until you find yourself alone in the race. There are no more competitors. No more mirrors. No more people to judge, or blame except for yourself. You stand alone. The only way back is to dig deep and see where you went wrong. Implement change and correct course. This half of the race is all about fine tuning, honing, and perfecting what has been learned. Suddenly the mirrors reappear and on the good days, the person looking back is not a stranger, it is exactly who you strive to be.

I really do still prefer to socially distance myself and limit my outside world interactions. As I shared in the previous part, it’s not because I am a jerk. I am just more of a home body that doesn’t do well with small talk and socializing. I like to read, write, run, ride, work in the garden, and just hang out at home and be. Although I do have quite a hard time sitting still. I am a doer, just not a big talker.

However, in life we do not always get to do what we selfishly want. I have learned art of compromise to participate more and be a part of. I have learned to be gentler on myself and others. I have learned to accept myself and others. Of course I revert, I am only human, but the question I posed in the opening is still top of mind; can I go the distance? Only time will tell. All I can do is my best, one day at a time.

Talk Soon,

Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live

The Art of Social Distancing Part 2: Give No F#@k$

I was always worried about what you thought. I was consumed by it, actually. Outwardly, I might have appeared quiet and mellow, but inside my mind was pegging the needle; thoughts racing faster than I could process and retain them.

My brain was always running on overdrive, working overtime to fuel the insanity caged inside. Between the day dreams, the illusions of grandeur, and the stranger than fiction scenarios I created, there was little time for quiet. Perhaps that is why I was/am so outwardly quiet; it’s hard to have two conversations at once and the one inside wins the majority of the time. It also might explain my love of loud music; to drown out the constant background noise. And so, the social distancing began.

I was born a Pisces, for that I had no control. What I did have control over was whether I put any thought into what that meant. To be honest, I really didn’t care, until I got older and the references and explanations for my personality and behavior began to compound. After so many times I thought, not out loud of course, “maybe there’s something to that.”

Don’t get the wrong impression here, I did not decide to become an astrologist or deeply study the zodiac, I simply did a little digging around. What I found was some brilliant descriptions of my personality. It offered a bit of understanding of me. It allowed me to accept that I like to walk around with my head in the clouds, that I am very in tune and sensitive to my surroundings, and that I would much rather play my guitar alone than hang out in a crowd and socialize.

There is so much that confirms there really is something to these astrological signs, but that is really not my thing. It makes sense, yes, but I am not a scholar of nor wish to write an article on the subject. Suffice it to say “if the shoe fits…”

The bottom line is that learning this information made me realize that I was not crazy, strange, or weird but I am simply a pensive Pisces. That explained a lot and offered some insight as to why I think so much. The trick was how I would crack the code to not think so much about what you think of me. The answer was I had to learn to accept myself and all my personality quirks, flaws, and imperfections. That led me to realize that I think you are judging me because I am judging you. The solution for this was the same; I had to learn to accept you as you are just as I did myself.

This allowed me to stop judging me, stop judging you, and learn to give no F#@k$.  

Talk Soon,
Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live

The Art of Social Distancing: An Introvert’s Dream?

Aside from the dying…And possibly the crying and the lying, is this not a dream come true? For all of us anti-social introverts like me, that is. Of course, I jest. Well, sort of.

I have never been a butterfly, not a social one, at least. Although, I have gone through a transformation or two in my life. I have also transformed to blend into my surroundings quite often. A tactic to fly under the radar and go unnoticed, though I suppose, that is more like a chameleon than a butterfly.

Whatever critter I un-poetically juxtapose my existence and liken it to is beyond the point of which I write. What is the point? Well, the fact of the matter is that I have been practicing social distancing most of life, although I have never heard that term until this current pandemic. Why have I been doing such a thing? Because I don’t like you and suppose you don’t like me either. I assume you think I am an ass as I do you. Although it can be true, it isn’t always fact. So here I am, forced to do, one of the things that I do best; live anti-socially. Super!

Except, I do not like being told what to do. As a matter of fact, when I am told to do anything, I prefer to do the opposite. But I don’t. That, of course would draw attention and force me into a social interaction of which I do not care to partake in.

The reality is, people like me have practiced social distancing for years. We just didn’t know there was a term for it. People called it shy, introverted, quiet, and anti-social. Not to mentions the more descriptive words like, “jerk”, “asshole”, “weirdo”, to name a few. We did this whether we were conscious of it or not. It’s what we do. I would much rather have a conversation in my head or participate in my incessant day dreaming than converse with you. No offense, really. It’s not (usually) anything personal.

All this just might raise the question: “why did you buy a retail restaurant?” It’s a very good question. One that I have asked myself over and over, quite possibly on a daily basis, since my wife  and I did such a thing. After all these years of perfecting the art of introversion and isolation and I go buy a restaurant. Crazy, I know.

For many years I have loved to cook, bake, and create delicious and unique food. I even started a side hustle and for years people would say, especially my daughter, “you should really open a restaurant.” I would always confidently say “no way, I don’t want to deal with people.” But I did it anyway and I began to learn a new art; the art of conversing and socializing. I have actually been slowly removing the outer anti-social layers for may years now and just as I am starting feel more comfortable with all you people out in the real world you start showing up with masks, gloves, and money in a sealed envelopes and let’s not forget about the carload of toilet paper. That a way to make me want to socialize. That makes me want to run. Run far away and retreat into my comforting daydreams.

Oh, wait. That is what I have to do. That is what I am forced to do. So here I am forced to do what has kept me from you all these years. I must socially distance myself. At least now I have an excuse so you can’t call me a jerk or an asshole or a weirdo, right? Besides, I’m not the one shopping for groceries in a mask and snorkel.

All joking aside, we are in strange times and a little light-hearted humor is good. I am not happy about this, but I am grateful that the pie shop is “essential” so we can continue to operate and help feed our community and pay our bills at the same time. Of course, we are using extra precaution to follow all the guidelines for social distancing to keep workers and customers safe. Please understand I am not making light of or undermining what social distancing is during our current crisis. I do believe it is imperative to follow the guidelines and stay safe.

But please allow me to get back to my social distancing life for a moment to wrap this up…

 I really do not hate people, at least not all of them. Indeed, I am quiet and shy, at least until I get to know you, but I am not a jerk, asshole, or weirdo, most of the time. Of course I can be, but the true art of social distancing for me has nothing to with physical space or introversion. It has to do with letting go of what you think of me; distancing myself from the opinions, beliefs, and judgment of others. It is accepting me for whom and what I am. I am an introvert. I am a daydreamer. I am not the most social or socially acceptable person and I am ok with that. I do not need anyone’s approval to be ok these days.

I am who I am and I like who I am…

Be safe. Be healthy. Be happy!

Talk Soon,
Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live

How About Now?

Strange days are surely upon us. It is eerie and surreal. The energy passing from person to person, from car to car is almost tangible. Yesterday (as I write this) the Idaho governor just passed a stay at home order and asked that all non-essential businesses close for twenty one days. The pie shop has the ability to provide carry out and delivery so, thankfully, we are allowed to operate. We are an essential business.

It is definitely slow and we have shortened our operating hours, leaving me with extra down time. Down time makes me think too much and become anxious. I am not the best idle person in the world. I do not sit still well.

So, even though we are an essential business we have abbreviated our operations. The obvious reason is because business is slow. The other reason is because we want to cut back on the interactions we do have with the community. This leaves me with some time on my hands. Too much? Well, there is never enough time, stay at home order or not, time truly is the most valuable commodity.

In a perfect world I would get as close to caught up as I could on that “to do” list that never seems to end. I would fix this and finish that. I would put the final edit on the book I thought I finished over a year ago, Hmm, is it even still relevant today? Maybe I should take some time, dust it off, and do a quick review.

I probably should but instead I simply find my spot on the couch and sink into the black hole of whatever is currently being binge watched in our house. And let me not forget the list of greasy, fatty, sugary, comfort foods that take seat with me to enhance my viewing pleasure.

Before this whole pandemic came to be you might have caught me complaining that I don’t have the time to ride or run every day like I used to. You might find me reading a page or two a day instead of a book or two a week. You might find me doing a lot of things except something about that for which I complain.

So how about now? The days are getting longer providing the time to exercise when I get home from work. I have more time at home so why not crack those books more often? How about now I take the time to do a little more to enhance my life and those around me rather than wallowing in the panic, fear, and negativity streaming on every platform available today?

I am working on it. I think I have read more in the last week than I have since we bought the pie shop. I am pushing myself harder to go for longer runs and rides to get back into the shape I was before. The food? Well, that is still on that “to do” list. I am working to get back to my better eating habits but man, junk food tastes so much better when sitting on a couch watching TV.

The truth is, I am human. I often look for the easier softer way, especially in unknown like the current one we find ourselves in today. Therefore I try to be gentle and not beat myself up too much, I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and strive to do better. I do not like to sit and wallow; I like to do. I like to do things that are positive for me and others. So for now, I am trying to get back to the things that make me me and fuel me. I am focusing on things that will feed my mind, body, and spirit.

So…

How about now we start doing something we know is good for us.
How about now we start something new we always wanted to do.
How about now we do those things we put off until we had time.
How about now we stop letting the panic take over.
How about now we stop feeding the fear.
How about now we stop hoarding toilet paper.

How about now we start doing something that truly makes us human.

Because when this all passes, I want to see the better me looking back at me in the mirror, not the one I’ve worked years to leave behind.

How about you?

Talk Soon,
Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live

I Quit.

We all have a little more time to think during this time. Might as well take some time to see how we can make some positive changes in our life and really discover what matters most to us. Time like these really put in perspective how short and precious life really is.

“Determination is habit forming; so is quitting.” – Frank Sonnenberg

Think I’ll just quit…
Think I’ll just sit…
Think I’ll just dream on…
Think I’ll just move on…
Think I’ll think no more…
Think I’ll do some more…

Do what I need to do to prove to you that I can.

So I quit…
I have made the decision to quit.

Quit saying this but doing that…
Quit stopping this and starting that…
Quit dreaming but not doing…
Quit thinking but not saying…
Quit putting off until tomorrow…
Quit waiting for ducks in a row…
Quit waiting for the stars to align…
Quit waiting for the perfect sign…

So I simply quit.

Quit quitting.

Although…

Maybe I should keep on quitting certain things.
Quit doing the things that are destructive.
Quit quitting the things that are constructive.

Pretty obvious, right? Of course it is. Then why do I quit doing it?

Like water, I seem to choose the path of least resistance. It’s hard work to do the right thing. It’s hard to get better at whatever. It takes work, effort, determination…

So, I often just quit.

The more I quit, the easier it is to keep on quitting. It becomes a habit and I become a quitter. But what if I change that thinking? Put a positive spin on it? I don’t mean rationalize, justify, or manipulate. I mean quit the stinking thinking?

Quit the negativity…
 Quit listening to the self limiting thoughts…
Quit acting on the negativity…


Start listening to the positive thoughts. I know, sometimes you have to listen real hard for those. Listen past the bad chatter and…

Start doing the right thing one day at a time, one act at a time and over time I stop being a quitter (in the negative sense that is) and…

I start becoming a doer. I form a new habit. The habit of doing what is good for me. The habit of not doing what is bad for me and…

I eventually I see, I am now thinking of what is good for me.

So, I quit quitting. I start doing because the worst thing is to do nothing at all.

Talk Soon,
Kevin W @LEAP272
Owner-Operator

You have to leap if you want to live

Fire Hose

“My normal routine is pretty much putting out fires all day.”  – Vera Wang

Do you feel like sometimes you’re not a business owner? That you are not an entrepreneur, doing what you are inspired to do? No doing what you are called to do or what you are passionate about? Thinking to yourself, “I didn’t sign up for this”? Asking yourself, “When did I become a fire fighter”?

The good news is, if you are thinking or asking any of the above…
You just might right where you thought you were. The difference is, it might not be exactly how you envisioned it.

I had those wonderful visions of grandeur (still do). I have imagined that wonderful life as a business owner, an entrepreneur following my calling, turning my passion into a profitable business. Spending my time creating products or services with that fire that burns inside. Riding high on the waves of life – Freedom, flexibility, security. Full days, short on work and long on fun.

What I discovered was that the days were long alright, but short on fun. The work days seemed to get longer and longer as the business grew. The freedom and flexibility was put off until tomorrow… Is it tomorrow yet, no sir, we need you here today.

“Wait, I know, I’ll just hire someone for that!” I think to myself and I create the perfect job listing in my head. To clone myself to do for me what I don’t want to do myself! But it is tomorrow and again, I am needed in the office and before you take your third step in the door….

“Good morning, this customer wants call back from an owner”
“Hi Kevin, This guy stopped by, I said you weren’t but, he’s coming back…”
“The FedEx rep wants to get our business back…”
“There’s an issue with the new retail boxes…”
“The trucking company called, the container is going to be delayed…”
“The website was double charging every transaction overnight…”

Two and a half steps in and I have walked in to the fire, and not the good kind of fire. I’ve walked into a disaster area, little fires everywhere. Each burning a path into another, until it’s one big fire…And I’m the fire fighter!

That’s what a business owner does all day, put out fires. What about my to do list? What about all the boxes I need to check off today? What about my afternoon run? Maybe it’s time to hire that clone?

No.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Do you want stop being a full time fire fighter? Do you want to drive your business in the right direction? Do you want to create the life you dreamed of when starting your business?

Of course you do so here are some tips.

1. Don’t hire firebugs

Some of the best advice I was given about employees was to be slow to hire and quick to fire. Take the time to find good employees. And, if they aren’t working out, cut them loose, quick. You need to learn to follow, and trust your instincts. When you get that twinge in your gut, or that red flag pops up when dealing with a prospect or a new hire, listen to it and decide accordingly. Focus on what your business really needs to help you grow and prosper, not what you really want. Those two are not always aligned.

You need to do the hard things, the important things that will drive business. Do not hire people to do it for you. Find the right people to fill the gaps. It’s worth finding and spending money on good people. Remember, it’s a long term investment.

2. Do what you do best and outsource the rest

Deeper on the point #1 – Focus on what you do best and what drives your business. You can’t do it all. Trust me; I understand that in the beginning you have no choice. You will have to wear many hats no matter what. If you want to grow, the time will come to build a team. That includes hiring employees, consultants, and third party services. There a lot available these days so take your time to decide what works best for your business.

3. Start your day right and manage you time better.

No matter what you do or who you hire, there will always be fires to put out. As the boss, you will always be asked to pick up the hose; it’s just the nature of the game. There’s only 24 hours in the day so I can’t change that. What I do is manage my time better. Get up earlier, it works. If you are one of those “I’m not a morning person” people, you better become one if you want to be an entrepreneur.

I have my routine that works for me. I get up early so I can feed my mind body and spirit. I do my readings, meditations, writing, and exercising. These things get me “ready” for the day. And, I start my work day before it’s time to open up. This gives time to focus a few important things I need to do or address BEFORE, any fires have ignited. That way I know I getting the important things done first.

No need to worry about missing my afternoon run…I ran before the crew even woke up.

Talk Soon,
Kevin W.
@Leap272

You have to leap if you want to live.