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| Credit: Sam Van Der Hoeven |
I am not going to “beat around the bush,” making you read all the way to the end to find out what the #1 Business killer is. I will give it to you right now because it is so important, if you read no further, at least you will have become aware of the biggest problem stealing the success out of your business. The #1 Business Killer is Pride.
Pride gets to all of us and it destroys!
Pride gets to all of us in one way or another.
Pride won’t allow you to take the lesser job, you would rather go into bankruptcy.
Pride won’t allow you to listen to your boss’s requests so you loose your job.
Pride won’t allow you to admit mistakes so your children grow up angry and unbalanced.
Pride won’t allow you to give in to the needs of your spouse so you get divorced.
Pride won’t allow you to listen to new marketing or product ideas from your staff so your business stops being profitable.
Shall I continue?
If I had to guess, I would say pride has contributed to almost all the outcomes you regret.
Pride is a strong emotion that arrests your being, shackles you in chains, and puts you in the dungeon of despair. I know how it feels, I live there too!
Recently, pride has been a massive issue in my life. Many of you know that just over a year ago I sold a highly profitable Ice Sculpture business called Masterpiece Ice. It was the right thing to do. I thought that my next business would spring up fast and be successful right out of the gate. Well, in truth, it is taking a ton of work to make it happen again. Since money doesn’t grow on trees, I came to the conclusion I would need to get a part time job to sustain life while I build this business. In theory this would be an easy task: put together a resume and voila`, a job would appear. Well, you have to know I have been happily self employed for 8+ years, going back to work for someone was a huge pride issue.
I didn’t know how big my pride had gotten until I walked in for my first interview. I almost threw up! When I got the job and went back for training, I was angry, almost threw up again, and just about told them to take a hike and walk out. Then I realized pride was killing me. I didn’t want to feel that way anymore and neither do you. What we both need to know here is that success is on the other side of pride.
Success is on the other side of pride!
What does pride do? It makes you fall. I am sure you have heard, “Pride comes before the fall”
and it is true because: Pride blinds, Pride binds, Pride grinds, Pride minds.
Pride blinds you from seeing solutions, innovative or creative thoughts and ideas
Pride binds you to the status quo and cements your “One Way” sign into the ground
Pride grinds negativity into relationships exiling collaboration, the heart of relationships
Pride minds if someone has something to say to you about it.
So…
If you are blinded from seeing solutions, bound to travel one way, have negativity in relationships, and mind if someone has something to say about it, how much momentum and higher profits in your business will you get?
Just in case your pride is in the way, I will answer for you.
NONE! Zero, zip, zilch, nada. Pride, in my opinion, is the #1 business Killer.
Has pride gotten to you? Leave a comment, let us know how pride has affected you. Unless your too proud to!
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Until next time,
Coach Jeff
P.S. In my next post I will give you Prides arch nemesis!
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone struggles with this. What makes it so hard is separating productive pride from unproductive pride.
Productive pride is part of character. Doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Standing for what you believe in. Being your best.
Unproductive pride is arrogance. It is believing you are too good to follow, listen, or even clean your own toilet. It is characterized by a lack of humility. It always ends in ruin.
Human beings are so afraid someone will find out that we are not perfect that we pretend to be all knowing. Part of humility is knowing we are flawed. All of us.
One of my favorite episodes of Star Trek TNG features the wisdom of the Ferengi Quark, who is known for his ruthless capitalism. He cites the the 109th rule: "Pride and an empty sack is worth the sack."
Jeff, I have every confidence that you will eventually succeed at whatever you do.