Work Smart: Pace Yourself!

Successfully running a race is not all about physical ability. Knowing what kind of race you’re in and preparing mentally for what lies ahead makes a big difference in the outcome.


For example, a long distance runner will run a totally different race from the sprinter in the 100-yard dash. He paces himself, not expending all his energy in an initial burst of speed. In a contest between 2 athletes of equal physical ability, the smarter mentally-conditioned athlete will usually win.


As the owner of a work at home business, do you know what kind of race you’re in? Have you been led to believe that you can make a “fortune” in virtually no time at all? Did you jump in full of energy and enthusiasm expecting a quick reward? Did you think this was going to be a quick dash to the “good life”?


The truth is that owning your own home business is more like a long distance marathon. Getting to the finish line is as much a matter of attitude as anything else.


Your goal is to have a profitable home business. What will help a work at home business owner to maintain the right mental attitude and reach that goal?


For one thing, start out with a firm grip on reality. You’re starting a business. It is not a get-rich-quick road to instant millions.


Too many home businesses fail because of unreasonable expectations and discouragement. It’s good to be excited about your business. It’s good to jump in with enthusiasm, being willing to work hard. But don’t be a sprinter in a long distance race. Don’t burn yourself out and then quit because the quick reward wasn’t there.


To use another illustration, businesses are like plants. They take time to grow. You have to water them with an investment of time and money. You have to prune out the dead wood, getting rid of things that don’t work (maybe an ineffective ad campaign). The more you understand how to nurture them, the healthier they become and eventually produce fruitage you can be proud of.


Runners have coaches to teach them how to utilize their physical strengths wisely over the duration of the race. Landscapers study the attributes of individual plants and trees so as to best know how to cultivate them, and then they are patient as their efforts bear fruit.


As business owners, we can learn from both. We need to get to know our business, what will make it grow, as well as what will drain it until it dies. We need to be coached by others who are willing to share their experience. We need to be able to evaluate our assets, our strengths, and know how to use them wisely. We need to have the patience of the landscaper and the perseverance of the long distance runner. And we need to pace ourselves, having reasonable goals and expectations.


If you do all this, your work at home business will grow and like the long distance runner you will reach your goal.


But you must remember, along the way you will need to work hard while striving real hard to WORK SMART!