You have heard the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. Or can you
You can, only if the old dog is willing to accept a new or different way of thinking about the old trick. Otherwise, no you can’t. And this is easier said than done!
One road block or barrier that often gets in the way of building a rock solid business, is the stuff that sits in your blind spot. These are things that you know you don’t know or even more challenging, the things you don’t know that you don’t know.
Although it is very important to know and address what is in your blind spot, it also as important, if not more important, to know what ‘existing’ thoughts or behaviours need a ‘prod’ or ‘tweaking’ to keep you heading in the right direction. I call this ‘thought baggage’. It is pre conceived thinking and acting based on doing what you have always done, usually without thinking about it. Like being on auto-pilot. For some, this ‘thought baggage’ a major factor holding them back from getting the results they really want.
Newbies, those who are new to the industry (or new to their role) in one sense have ‘pole position’ as they come without ‘thought baggage’ and have a big juicy sponge to soak up the all the ideas, concepts and leanings of doing business today. However, what they don’t have is the years of experience or invaluable lessons learnt from making all the mistakes that others have made firsthand.
On the other hand, it’s those who have been around a while and have the most experience that I believe face the biggest challenge today. They have bucket loads of ‘thought baggage’ (some good, some not so good) as their minds have been wired to think and act in a certain way for so long. To challenge their status quo and get them to think differently about things they know so well, is tough stuff. For some, this means decoding a very stubborn brain that has 30 years of experience. This is no easy feat, especially if it has worked for them all these years.
Take social media as one example. Used properly, it can be an extremely cost effective way to build your business and spread your disease (so to speak) on mass. Yet the reluctance of so many to ‘give it a go’ is a huge concern today. Without some sort of social media presence it is like playing hide and seek from prospects and clients. This is not a good strategy in business.
What this highlights is the critical importance of being continually open to grow and challenge your thinking on an ongoing basis. Why, because otherwise you run the risk of complacency kicking in and auto pilot switching ‘on’. At this point the conscious brain stops searching for better or different ways to get the same job done. This is what I refer to as ‘very dangerous territory’ and it can be a massive contributor to crippling your competitive advantage.
The world has changed, in part thanks to social media and the internet, although the fundamentals of doing business are still the same. If you want more money, sell more stuff. If you want more clients, get more prospects. However, the way you go about doing business today is what has shifted. If you don’t keep up with the times and stay relevant for ‘today’, it won’t be long before your results give you that ‘nudge’ to make a change that you need. You are competing against some of the best businesses who are thinking differently about how to catch more ideal prospects, convert them into clients, and keep them for life.
If you want to stay competitive and not let a stubborn mind hold you back, make sure you continue to be challenged and pushed so you always move in the right direction. If you need a helping hand to make it happen, reach out and get one.
That’s exactly how we can help.
