I Hope You're Not a Wannabee

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Copyright (c) 2013 Nigel Botterill

Last year I spoke at a Business Owner event at the O2, Now at that event there were alot of people who wanted to be like Sir Richard Branson and James Caan (who were also speaking at the event) or even me! One of the prices you pay when you speak at an event like that is that lots of people in the audience want to come and talk to you afterwards. Now, I don't mind this at all, I try really hard to be polite and give everybody the right amount of time but, honestly....you've no idea how hard that is sometimes. The quality of questions and conversations is frequently so very, very poor.

So many people seem to want to be successful WITHOUT having to do the darned hard work necessary in order to become successful. They seem to think that there's a magic pill. Well there isn't!

If your business is going to become super successful then know for sure that you working very hard will be an essential ingredient in getting there.

It reminds me of a story I heard a few years ago about a man who goes to Church and prays, "God, I need a break. I need to win the lottery. I'm counting on you God".

Having not won the lottery, the man returned to church a week later and once again prays, "God, about that lottery....I've been kind to my wife, I've given up drinking, I've been really good. Give me a break God. Let me win the lottery".

A week later, still no richer, he returns to pray once again. "God, I don't seem to be getting through to you on this lottery thing. I have been using positive self-talk, saying affirmations and visualising the money. Please give me a break God. Let me win the lottery".

Suddenly, there's a crack of thunder and the heavens open up. A white light and heavenly music flood into the Church and a deep voice says, "My son, give me a break! Buy a lottery ticket!"

The fact is, there are too many business owners in our country right now who are not doing enough of the right things to have any chance of success. Wishing and dreaming won't make it happen. Only activity and implementation will.

Have you ever noticed that the last six letters in the word, "Satisfaction" are A-C-T-I-O-N? Now, I've looked this up and, in Latin, the word "Satis" means "Enough". It seems that what the ancient Romans understood clearly was that enough action ultimately produces a satisfaction.

Now, you may already be way ahead of the pack on this. I'm not suggesting, for one minute, that you fit into this category of "Wannabees" who are seeking some magic pill but, it does seem to be something that is becoming increasingly pervasive across society.

I read with great interest a couple of weeks ago about the founder of Spanx, this very clever hosiery that changes women's (and men's!) shape. It's another example of people looking for a quick fix rather than tackling the underlying issue properly. The founder has made billions of course.

At the O2, there were lots of American speakers who were, in essence, peddling "Get-Rich-Quick" schemes either by trading in foreign exchange, property, online marketing and a plethora of other things. It seems that so many people are looking for the easy win. As my good friend Thom Smith would say, it's "X Factor Syndrome".

Well in business there is no 'easy win'. I mean none of the things that I teach are inherently hard or difficult but doing them properly, in the right way, consistently takes effort. A lot of effort. But there really is no other way.

So, I know that my message here is not sexy or populist but what I'm saying is that to achieve long lasting sustainable success, takes real genuine hard work. It takes accurate thinking -- lots of it - and compromises all other aspects of your life. But then, you knew that already didn't you. Deep down at least.

That's why what we entrepreneurs do is so worthy. It's why, in my belief, the business owner who creates jobs and wealth and pays taxes is, genuinely, right up there with the great and the good as one of the most important and valuable members of society. You should be proud of that.

It's also why the poorly read, dream-seeking, time-sucking Charlies whose only questions are ever about "The quickest way, the easiest way" will never amount to more than a bag of beans. Hard work to them is getting up before 9.00am on a weekend and God-forbid they should ever miss Eastenders or Gypsy Wedding to do some work or read some more.

There ain't no quick fix.

It's true that the harder you work, the luckier you get. But it does come in that order...

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