When I entered the Ear/Nose/Throat specialist office in Metairie Louisiana, one of the most important questions on my mind was “will I be able to continue to speak effectively with my motivational business after this surgery?”
The doctor was explaining the surgery process and how the pre-cancer cells on my tongue will be removed. When I asked the doctor the question about my motivational business and speaking, he hesitated and then responded with “Marvin, you will just have to learn to use what you have.”
How often in life are we dealt with a challenge that could seemingly take us completely out of the game? What if we lost one of our greatest strengths? How many of us would give up, and how many of us would find a way to pick ourselves up and move on?
I chose the path to move on and keep my speaking business going.
In life it is critical to persist and overcome obstacles – no matter how great they may seem. All of us have strengths as well as weaknesses. And we should all commit to working on them regularly. Follow these tips to help you capitalize on strengths for small business success:
- Take a pencil and paper and then list your strengths. Everyone will have more than one strength, just as everyone has more than one weakness. For this exercise it is important to focus on your strengths. Your strengths may include positive attitude, health, dedicated family, good relationships, or solid partnerships with your coworkers. Make sure you list more than one strength, and feel free to add to this list at any time.
- Pick one strength from your list each day and stay conscious of that strength throughout the day. Find ways to use your strength in some form. It could be to mentor someone else, to make a winning sales pitch, or to simply finish that task that has been sitting on your to-do pile.
- Each night before going to sleep, make it a habit to review how you used your strengths during that day. Think positively and try to avoid the negative thoughts like “I should have…” that can often creep in and corrupt our ability to succeed. Do not dwell on what you did not accomplish. Instead look closely at what you did accomplish and how your strengths played a part in that success.
- Paste a note on your bathroom mirror as a reminder to focus on the strengths that I have TODAY. By cultivating your strengths and building them to be even greater, you can achieve success in many areas of your life.
Strategic Coach’s Dan Sullivan once said “if all you do is focus on strengthening your weaknesses, at the end of your life all you will have is a list of strong weaknesses.” This is an important message when so many of us are bombarded with negative attitudes and weak thoughts. It is not easy for many of us to realize our full potential because we are held down mentally by so many obstacles and challenges. Treat those challenges as opportunities to shine and prosper. Focus on your strengths – use what you have – for your life and small business success.
Peace, Love & Gumbo - Marvin
Remember, “Marvelous Performance is always intentional. Marvelous Performance is never accidental.”
Feel free to send me your opinions, comments and feedback. We encourage you to inquire how our systems will help inspire you, your team, group or association to measurable Marvelous Performance. Email me at Marvin@MarvinLeBlanc.com
