Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

" Often your strength is measured in how you manage your weakness." -Paul Edwards

Everyone here comes into this thing called self-employment with particular and unique experiences, talents, skills, etc. Unfortunately (with very few exceptions) we also come into our "callings" with certain things that hamper our success. The question that I would like to pose is; What major weaknesses did you have to overcome and what are you doing to overcome it?

An example is that I have a problem with scheduling. I was late for everything and was always missing appointments and not acheiving goals. I first found myself watching a t.v. show on HGTV (free plug compliments of Imagery Magic LLC.) which led to me making a determination to head out to the library the next day (two hours later than I had planned) and started reading books. I then took a course on Organization. This led to realizations that one of my main reasons for schedule problems was my lack of organizational skills. I got into this sudo fung shei kick and now I have a place for everything in my entire house. I also no longer rely on my brain to remind me of anything. I totally live out of a day planner now. Everything from business appointments, to doing the laundry goes into that thing. My wife thinks I am obsessed, but now I have the time to schedule time to tackle other weaknesses that are toying with my success factor.

My problem is fear of not being ready. Doesn’t that sound stupid? I was afraid to start elusivetreasures.com since 1997. It was meant to be more art sales, but I eventually started it in 2004. One thing I learned somewhere is that my final idea and design will never be realized in one day. I had to realize that parts of the site were not perfect… but that was OK. At least I was taking it one step at a time.

I still find my behaviors of, “what’s the use, if I can’t do it perfect-like?” I have to step back and see the structure and build it. Then slowly it comes together. That goes for my designs, inventions, music, and running my first business.

I made a list and I just go down the list now… Before I only looked at the final picture. Now I just start the first thing on the list, that I wrote as the steps to the goal. Does that make sense?


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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

Makes perfect sense to me. I have had that problem on occasion as well. My wife, however, still has a tendency of looking at the whole thing from conception to end and getting upset and confused. I keep having to slow her mind down and get her focused onone goal at a time. This keeps me focused as well, because heaven forbid I keep on her about doing first things first then I go and do the same thing. Sometimes I think we were brought together to keep eachother balanced. This leads into another weakness that I work on and that is accountability. Another thing I have come to notice is that with true success, no man is an island and we all have to hold ouselves accountable to others whether it be partners, investors, clients, or whoever. Going it alone in business is actually a misnomer.

Yes... "Going it alone in business is actually a misnomer."

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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

That is a challenge that all home based business face, not unique to you.  I have the same problem.  I knew that if I worked in the house I would get swallowed up by TV, our three kids, things to do on the "honey-do" list.  For me, I found a great lease arrangement that is month by month and only 400/month.  It makes me get up and out of the house and productive.  Well worth the monthly rent.

My problem?  I hate talking on the phone.  So, what am I doing today?  Calling people on the phone who signed up for a drawing I had at a bridal show.  I`m hating it.  Although I am well-spoken, I have always felt my strengths lie closer to the written side of communication.

My way of combatting the problem is to make myself get on the phone.  There`s just one problem though...I`m not sure when I should be calling to be most effective and not be a pest.  What a fun time that is.  :)  I figure with more experience, I`ll figure it out!

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MeLissa
Independent Chocolatier for Dove Chocolate Discoveries http://www.ChocoRocco.com Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/ChocoRocco

My problem is I am a speakerphone addict, and that I have the tendency to do too much at once.

Being a multi-tasking, multi-monitor kind of guy, I`ll be encoding a podcast, updating a web site, talking to an employee on iChat, and then answering a clients` email - basically, task ADD.  It all gets done, but maybe, not always the most efficiently:-)

That, and when I have ideas at 2 a.m., I not only write them down, but many times I`ll be up for a couple hours implementing it!

And Josher - working on weekends, the honey-do list definitely gets long!


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"It`s not work, it`s network!"

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