I have been struggling with a cold for the past couple of weeks. Not the kind of illness that keeps you in bed, but just a sloppy old head cold. You know the kind that keeps you from thinking straight, has you tired all the time, and just takes your "edge" away from you.
It's funny (in a sick joke kind of way – no pun intended), but after a couple of weeks of feeling like that, it almost starts to feel like a new normal. You actually forget what it feels like to feel good. In fact, last week, I mentioned to a friend that I was so looking forward to that morning when I woke up and felt like myself. I'm happy to say that morning was today!
As I was driving into the office thinking about what a different outlook I had for the week ahead because of feeling better, I started thinking about the health of our businesses. How many of us having been struggling with the work equivalent of a "sloppy old cold" for months, or even years? How many have forgotten what it feels like to be a healthy organization?
Get up from your desk and walk through your office and perform a quick "physical". What do you find? As an organization, are you thinking clearly? Is there energy? Are you performing to your potential? Is there an "edge" that exudes confidence?
If not, then it is time to "heal thyself".
Start eating right – Only work on those prospects who value what you have to offer, can be profitable, and with whom you will enjoy working.
Work out – Practice the skills you need to execute to be successful – role-play your sales presentation, practice handling objections.
Exercise your mind – Build your business acumen by always being in the middle of a business book, read relevant blogs, and constantly exposing yourself to new and exciting ideas.
Set a "weight loss" goal – It's easy to feel lethargic after putting on a few pounds. Similarly, it's easy to feel lethargic because of a lack of new business. Set a new business goal that will make you proud once accomplished.
Fortunately, colds run their course and one day you wake up feeling on top of the world again. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way in business. In business, you have to heal yourself.
Eat right, work out, exercise your mind, set healthy goals, make a little progress each day, and one morning soon you will wake up feeling like a whole new business.
