There are two types of business people: those who want to achieve success, and those who are committed to success.
In the wildly successful aftermath of LTB 2015, I’ve had the privilege of hearing back from the hundreds of people who attended.
Many told me how excited they were to have access to this unique platform for growth; how they networked and landed so many new connections; how they were inspired to raise their aspirations and lead the pack.
During these conversations, I’ve spotted a trend that differentiated two types of businesspeople.
There are people who are committed to genuine change. They’ll learn about new ideas, strategize which ones will work best for their trade or industry, and implement them all the way, till the finish line.
Then there are the people who are content to listen. They’ll learn about new ideas, strategize which ones will work best for their trade or industry, and then let everything fizzle. While they may try to kick off an idea or two, the moment they encounter some resistance, their plan will come to a sudden stop.
You see, they want to achieve success; but they aren’t committed to success.
So what exactly is commitment?
In 1519, a brave Spanish explorer named Hernan Cortez sailed his fleet of 11 ships into the Harbor of Veracruz, Mexico. It was common practice in those days to leave armed guards at the docks alongside the ships, as they might be needed to return to the mainland for supplies or, if necessary, to retreat from the enemy. But Cortez came for victory. He was committed to taking over this new land, whatever the cost. He didn’t want his soldiers to have any doubt about their mission, so he gave the orders to burn all the ships. Cortez ensured that conquest was the only means of survival for all of his men by providing no possibility of retreat. Failure was not an option; he was committed to succeeding in his quest.
While Hernan Cortez obviously took his commitment to a fearless extreme, there is a lesson to be learned from his daring actions.
No matter what you are committed to do in your business – from raising sales targets to hiring new employees to creating a new marketing plan – chances are, you’ll inevitably hit a few stumbling blocks along the way. The easy way out is to throw in the towel. After all, there’s a huge rock standing in the way of your objective; may as well just give up, right?
Hernan Cortez didn’t want to fall into that risky trap.
Defeating an enemy is hard. Pitfalls will be scattered along the treacherous path. So Cortez removed the one thing that stood in the way of commitment – ships that would allow for an easy retreat – and boldly marched his way into the history books.
The good news is that you don’t have to take the same risks Hernan Cortez took to see his objectives through to the very end. Here are a few Ptex Practical Pointers to help your commitment stay on course.
Establish Clear Objectives: Before you commit to something, you’ve got to know what you’re committing to do. Draft a clear outline detailing the specific objectives of your commitment. With a clear blueprint in hand, your chances of taking it to the tail end are significantly greater.
Commit To Action: Rome wasn’t built in a day. The objective you’re aiming for probably won’t be completed in a day, either. To keep the momentum strong, you’ll need to commit “one-action-a-day-steps” toward your goal. Don’t view the commitment as one huge goal; break it down into lots of little daily pieces, until the bigger picture finally comes to life.
Get A Buddy: Have your spouse, co-workers or friends hold you accountable. They’ll push you to stick to your commitment and follow through. Plus, they’ll be there to celebrate and cheer when you get to the finish line, making the taste of victory all the more sweeter.
Above all, it’s important to remember that the only way a commitment will come to fruition is if it’s acted upon. You gotta’ be “in it to win it,” as they say.
Onward and upward,
Meny Hoffman
