Focusing on the outcome of your business can have the potential for failure built right in. What happens if the outcome is not what you expected? Or what if the outcome does not materialize at all? Was the journey to get there still worth it? Identify the processes that make your business run and make them as fun and rewarding as possible.
Having goals is not a bad thing. It would be ridiculous to try and achieve anything of note without goals. But should they be a massive crowning achievement or merely a beacon to guide us on the journey?
The problem with getting tied up in trying to reach a goal for it's own sake is that there is so much tied up in the final result. If the desired result is not achieved then everyone gets disappointed. It only takes a few times for this to happen before your mind will start working against you.
How does your mind work against you? First of all realize that your brain will do everything it can to keep you from pain. That's part of the reason we don't go around walking into doors all the time. It's also why we have a bit of trepidation using heavy power tools for the first time.
Failure is painful and the brain will learn that when we don't meet goals there is pain involved. So instead of even doing the work that would require us to say "no" when it comes time to measure the goal, we just don't do the work.
And the work can bite back.
A lot of people will be familiar with the phone solicitor example. This job has one of the highest hiring rates around. This industry also has a reputation for burning through employees. Why is that? There is a daily measure of whether a number of sales were made in a day. Failure is measured when that magic number is not made for the day.
Because sales goals for each day are so difficult and stressful to reach, most of the workers fail in their daily goals. So rather than facing failure every day, they just stop showing up.
How's that for avoiding pain?
You will notice in this example that the only thing going for the worker was making the goal. The process of achieving the goal was painful. That is, they were trying to make sales on the phone. This is an unpleasant experience and the sole reason for doing it was to achieve the goal. Since the goal wasn't being met in most cases, it became a totally unfulfilling experience.
Let's switch that around and place an attainable goal along with an enjoyable process.
Many people enjoy playing sports and it's pretty easy to measure results and goals. Cycling is a great sport, so that will be our example. Imagine you have the goal of riding 20 miles through beautiful countryside on a Saturday afternoon. You've done a lot of riding, so 20 miles is within your reach.
From the beginning you are enjoying yourself. The warm sun feels nice against your skin and the wind plays with your hair. The bicycle flows down the road and fragrant flowers perfume the atmosphere.
Doesn't this sound like a great time?
Before you know it, the twenty miles are up and you feel great! You've accomplished your goal, and you even felt great doing it.
But what if you didn't finish the goal? As you passed an elegant bistro, what if a close friend saw you and invited you to stop by for a moment. The remainder of the day was spent relaxing on the veranda. You would have missed out on the goal, but everything up to that point had been enjoyable, so there's no reason for you not to take it up again.
This shows some of the reasons why goals should be guides for where we want to go, but we must be sure that the ride along the way is going to be as much fun as getting there.
From Patio Chair Cushions to Gazebos - How to Choose Patio Accessories for your Outdoor Space
Patio accessories are the cherry on top of the sundae. Patio chair cushions give your furniture color and comfort, umbrellas give you shade and can set the tone of your yard, gazebos, arbors, and outdoor appliances add luxury and style. Let's take a look at 5 outdoor accessories, what they can do for your yard and if they're right for your outdoor space.
Patio Chair Cushions – Three tips to make sure you get your money’s worth.
n the hunt for the perfect patio chair cushions to add the final touches to your outdoor space you’ve probably noticed that patio chair cushions can cost you anywhere from pennies to hundreds of dollars. How do you know what is a reasonable amount to spend? How do you know if you’re getting your money’s worth? Here are three tips to make sure you get the best cushion for your dollar.
Patio chair cushions – Adding comfort and style to your outdoor space.
Whether you prefer a Zen hideaway, an urban minimalist space, or a tropical paradise three things remain constant, you need a place to sit, you need appropriate landscaping, and you need to pay attention to the details to make the space your own. Details like Bali umbrellas, pottery, an arbor, patio chair cushions, and even an outdoor spa can make all the difference between an average outdoor space and your perfect sanctuary.
