Two Lessons From My 8-Year Old Niece
I spent Christmas at home with my family and six nieces and nephews. As I interacted with them there was so much for me to remember and use as a strong foundation for 2013. I thought I’d share them with you as well.
1. Believe in What You Cannot See
My niece, Lucia, still believes in Santa Claus. I overheard her speaking to my dad about leaving carrots for Santa’s reindeer on the night before Christmas. My dad reassured her that she didn’t need to cut the carrots up because the reindeer would be able to eat them whole. He also let her know that it was OK to leave just a few carrots since the reindeer would be visiting so many different houses. Lucia was thrilled with his answers (and I think my dad was quite proud of himself).
My niece reminded me of the sheer joy of believing in something that you can’t see. My father reminded me of the capability that we all have of talking ourselves into those things that we may not be able to see yet.
As an entrepreneur both of these skills are essential. You can make a million plans, write down thousands of numbers, and learn tons of marketing skills. But if you don’t believe that it’s going to happen – none of it will work. You have to believe in something you can’t see – something that you’ve never done before. Often, you have to believe in something that you can’t even fully figure out.
Behind every great plan is FAITH and COMMITMENT. You must have faith in that which you can’t yet see. And you’ve got to commit to it happening. My niece did that by leaving out the carrots and cookies. Entrepreneurs do it by taking big bold actions, even if they don’t quite see the outcome.
2. Talk Yourself Into It.
As entrepreneurs, we are all familiar with talking ourselves off a ledge. During those moments when you feel like everything is falling apart, you talk yourself into being calm and hanging in there.
The same principle works for believing in what you can’t see. Let’s say your mentor tells you that you need to have ten sales conversations in order to learn how to sell. By the fifth rejection, you start to doubt her words and wonder if this is ever going to work.
You have a choice at that moment. You can believe in what you can’t see – believe that you are going to be successful. And then use that belief to move forward beyond those rejections. Perhaps you even reach out to get some extra help with sales conversations.
Or you can spin into a spiral of self-doubt and lose faith in yourself and your business. Just as my father talked Lucia into putting out just enough carrots for the reindeer, as an entrepreneur you are always talking yourself into that which you can’t possibly see.
Believe in what you can’t see, and talk yourself into it daily. May 2013 be the year that your visions become a reality.
I’d love to read more about what you say or do to believe in yourself and your business. Leave a comment below to let me know more.
