Pages

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Hamsters Live Alone And Run On A Wheel. Are You A Hamster? (Gosh, I Hope Not)


We are all being pulled in many different directions. Very important parts of our lives have conflicting goals and it makes it difficult to succeed in any one area, much less capture victory in each space. This crazy-busy world means we often wear blinders, and that can limit our true effectiveness.

To win you must know what it means to win. A hamster on a wheel never gets to a destination. It runs and runs, but stays in the same cage. Take a moment to know what success looks like so that you will recognize it when it appears. Get out of your cage and make things happen.

Embrace the power of networking. You do not live on an island (I mean this metaphorically for those literalists in Honolulu or New York City!). In every industry the people you are connected to are the pathway to opportunity. Limit your participation in a "Relationship Economy" and you find yourself coming up short.

In any economy capital and currency must move in multiple directions. The same is true in our "Relationship Economy". You must give and take. Many want to give, but then get too caught up in their need to take, and they never get around to it. You must do more than want,... you must take action. It is easy to get distracted by the squirrels (Did you see the movie "Up!"?).

Think, talk and act in terms of mutual understanding. Discover and respect the points of view and needs of others. We instinctively play to our own strengths, but those who will achieve the most will also prop up others in their quest. Have their goals on your mind along side your own aspirations, and you will find yourself becoming more important in your business community (conversely, worry about only yourself and you will become expendable).

The hamster on the wheel lives alone and spins on that wheel. You are not a hamster, so get out and communicate with other people and build up your "Relationship Capital".

Have A Great Day.

thom


1 comment:

  1. Felt this way for a long time before last year's sxsw. Starting to get some traction. Now the only things in the way are woodchips. Easy to move through.

    ReplyDelete