I woke up this morning and glanced at a message from a friend of mine.
My friend Erin is a young mother who was wide awake at stupid o’clock in the morning, taking care of her daughter.
She was huffing and puffing because this was the fourth night this week where she was taking care of her young daughter.
After a few moments of complaining about her lot in life, Erin’s heart softened.
She looked back at her daughter and saw her HEALTHY baby, warm and cozy fall back asleep.
Erin then shared that she recognized that she was privileged to have the life she had.
Erin further shared that many times in her life, she thinks about what she has to do.
She then gave examples of some annoyances in life.
Then Erin reframed those annoying experiences and pointed out the positive aspects of each experience.
Erin’s experiences had not changed.
However, Erin’s response to those experiences changed and uplifted her.
Thank you, Erin, for being open with the lesson you learned.
What happens to us in life is not as important as what we do with what happens to us in life.
I’ll never be able to relate to my friend.
My wife and I have four children, and I’ve had my share of sleepless nights taking care of children.
However, the number of nights I’ve stayed awake caring with each child pales in comparison to the nights my wife has devoted herself to our children.
I’ll never experience the mom guilt that comes from trying to balance working outside the home with the balancing act of throwing everything I have at keeping a happy home in place.
As I teenager, I saw my single mother work two jobs, go to night school, work as a teacher’s aid, and still not make enough money.
I was a part of both stories, and I’ll never be able to relate to the love and devotion a mother has for her children.
I’m reminded of a Native American story about the Creator trying to hide the Secret to Happiness from humanity.
The Creator met with his most trusted advisors.
First, the Creator turned to the Eagle and asked, “Where shall I hide the Secret?”
“Place it on the highest mountain. Man will not find it there,” replied the Eagle.
The Creator pondered on this response and the uttered, “No, that will not work. Man will go there.”
Next, the Creator asked the Clam, “Where shall I hide the Secret?”
The Clam responded, “Hide at the bottom of the deepest ocean.”
The Creator thought briefly and responded, “No Man will one day go there.”
Next, the Owl gave his opinion, “Maybe you should place the Secret on the moon.”
“No, Man, will one day go to the moon,” replied the Creator.
After some time, the Opossum stepped forth and commented, “The secret should be hidden in Man’s heart.”
The Creator pondered deeply on the Opossum’s words. After quite some time, the Creator said, “Yes, that is the last place Man will look.”
Over the last eleven years in business, I’ve had a constant drive to grow my business.
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time, money, and resources growing my client base and offering new services to my customers.
If I were to show you a line graph out the growth of my business, you would see periods of growth, decline, and plateau.
Most of the work I’ve done in my accounting business has been geared to create a recurring revenue stream.
Most of the services I’ve offered need to be completed on a regular basis.
- Every year a tax return needs to be completed and filed.
- Every month bookkeeping needs to be done for a business.
- Every couple of weeks, employees needed to be paid.
- Regularly, the business owner is looking for guidance and advice on their business.
Too often, I’ve neglected the needs, wants, and desires of my current client.
Too often, my current clients were unaware of the additional ways I could serve them and help them grow their business.
Too often, when I’ve looked to grow my business, I’ve looked to new clients who didn’t know me to bring in more money into my business.
This predisposition to looking first outside my business for growth is idiotic.
The better approach to growing my business is to look for more ways to serve my current clients.
I’d be better off meeting regularly with my current clients and listening to them.
I’d be better off asking my current clients what they want to accomplish with their businesses.
I’d be better off educating my current clients on all the services I provide for my clients.
Every time someone hires me to serve them, I am given a sacred gift.
That person is placing trust in me.
How much easier would it be for my clients if they knew that I provided a solution to the problems they have in their business?
How much easier would it be for my clients if they could come to a person with whom they already had a relationship?
How much easier would it be for my clients if they didn’t have to live with problems in their businesses that I am uniquely qualified to solve for them?
How much easier would it be for my clients if they didn’t have to waste time going through the hassle of interviewing someone new only to find out that person couldn’t solve the problems?
How much easier would it be for my clients if they were able to remove stumbling blocks in their business because I’ve helped other people remove those stumbling blocks?
I wish I had a valid reason for looking first to new clients rather than looking to my existing clients.
It is much less expensive to sell services to clients who already have a relationship with me.
I’ve already established trust with my current clients.
I’ve already solved problems with my current clients.
I’ve already helped my current clients become more successful.
I already know my current clients.
My current clients are much more likely to buy new services from me than people who have never worked with me.
The secret to the business of my dreams already lies within my business.
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