Putting your foot down hard on the accelerator and going full steam ahead when running your business is quite a common theme amongst entrepreneurs. Most of the time, emphasis is placed on driving the business with your pedal to the metal – barely ever slowing down or stopping to smell the roses.
Obviously, it’s great to be that invested, inspired and driven to become successful and achieve extraordinary things in the quickest way possible – but going full speed isn’t always beneficial or effective.
Just like a race-car driver, you need to hit the brakes at times to comfortably make sharp turns around those difficult bends – and by counting on speed alone, you might just cause an accident.
I believe that slowing down, or sometimes coming to a complete halt, will do you and your business great justice. So loosen up your seatbelt and prepare to slow things down a bit.
Think About Your Business – Don’t Just Push It
In order for you to get to break-neck speeds and drive your business to achieve success in the fastest possible time, you end up pushing extremely hard; making as many sales as possible, spending resources and money on getting better results, and ensuring that you keep your eye on the prize – never stopping for anything.
Being in the driver’s seat usually means that you want a bigger, faster and more powerful car. You want to be better than the rest and reach your destination before anyone else does.
But the problem with that is that you end up spending very little time looking at the best ways to win; rather focusing on getting to the finish line through sheer speed alone.
So what pace should you be going at to achieve better success in your business? What is the ideal vehicle to choose on your journey?
Well, you could probably choose a Prius and end up last, knowing that you’ve made a great impact on the environment; or you could pick something with a V8 engine, where you get powerful acceleration, reach amazing speeds and take yourself to victory faster than anyone else. Both are great choices, depending on your motives, but I recommend that business owners pick a Tesla.
Why not just pick the V8, though?
While it certainly seems like a great choice to choose the V8, the time it takes to fuel-up isn’t exactly good for your business. The engine is much bigger, so the fuel consumption is greater – which also means that you need to stop quite regularly before you get back on track and keep moving. But stopping isn’t the issue; the time spent on your stops, is.
When you stop to fill your petrol tank, those moments give you time to let the route sink in – providing you with clarity, innovation and thought. With the rush that you’re in to make it to the end, you barely have enough time to think about using better techniques, tactics and strategies – or to find more fulfilling and fruitful paths to success.
Having a fast car with a high speed is great and arriving at your destination faster than anyone else gives you a wonderful feeling, but it’s not always the most strategic approach to your business (nor is it economically or environmentally friendly).
And over time, with maturity and growth, the realisation that you no longer need such a powerful, fuel-hungry machine begins to sink in.
It’s only then that you start to understand the risks that come with being too fast and your desire to be number one. You begin to see the importance of hitting the brakes from time to time, slowing down to appreciate the views and putting some of your brightest ideas to the test.
If you’ve already chosen the V8, I recommend a trade-in. It’s time to swop out that roaring beast for a sexier, more modern and sought-after car: A Tesla.
But, why a Tesla? Because they are far more economical, safe for the environment, desirable and just as fast as a V8 is. You’re given the opportunity to speed up when you want to while enjoying the luxury that it offers you – you also make a much better impact on the world around you.
Hold on. Don’t you have to wait a lot longer to actually recharge the car before you can get back on the road? Precisely. As a business owner, that’s exactly what you want; time is extremely important and rushing into things can be dangerous, so taking much longer breaks during your journey will be far more rewarding for your business.
You’re unable to properly think about your business if the only thing that’s on your mind is winning. Thinking about your business means spending more time on strategies, developing your working environment, and giving more attention to people, policies and processes. These are the things that far too many business owners ignore and don’t give enough attention to on a day-to-day basis.
Slowing down to gather your thoughts, work on areas that need attention, and develop your abilities doesn’t make you a loser. In fact, it makes you a smarter, enjoyable and more remarkable driver that people can appreciate and look up to. It makes you a winner.
There’s absolutely no need to rush. The journey that you take in running a business is a beautiful one. Growing yourself, enhancing the lives of others, discovering new strategies, techniques and tactics to make you the best leader that you can be will be far more rewarding than sacrificing everything just to make it to the finish line.
Think about using a Tesla in your approach to business and scrap the idea of using a V8. You can still speed up whenever you feel the need, but there’s far more time for you to think about the important things and grow.
Clear up your passenger seat and make some room for me.
I can act as your GPS, giving you the right direction, guidance and information on all of the greatest routes and pit stops to visit along the way.
It’s about the experience, the journey, and not always about the end. I’ll send you my location via Whatsapp or Email you directions to come pick me up:
+2783 253 3339
