Is it wrong to want quick success in business?
A year or so ago I was leaving a lunch meeting with several women business owners. During lunch one of them had pondered out loud, “Is it actually wrong to want quick success in my business?” Of course it isn’t! We all want quick success, but we have to be prepared to dig in and lead our business until success comes our way.
One way to encourage quicker success is to teach yourself to ask for what you want or need. Women business owners, I find, are sometimes hesitant to ask. I’m a big believer that part of being the leader of your life and your business is asking for what you need or want. Not that the answer will always be exactly what you are hoping for, but….I guarantee you it will be better than if you acquiesce to what is offered.
Ask yourself what you want, and ask others for what you need to get there
When someone approaches you with a new idea ask these two questions to yourself.
- How will this help my business from a broad, overall perspective?
- Is this a strategy for my business, or is it a tactic? Why pay attention to that? Strategies make your business thrive whereas tactics usually cost you money. Click To Tweet
Here’s an example that happened to me. Someone recommended to me that I purchase images from a company called Social Squares. Here is how I thought about this recommendation.
- This is a tactic – a source of stock photos.
- I already get stock photos through my Canva account plus I’ve bought many over the years.
- Mostly, I use my own photos now anyway.
- Social Squares is a monthly fee for photos, and I would rather pay a monthly fee for strategic learning.
- It might be worth one or two months of membership, but I don’t need it long term.
This is thinking like the leader of your business and the keeper of your bank account. Both of which are your job to do as the CEO and owner of your business, right? In the end I decided I would buy a single month of membership, download any photo I thought would be useful, and make a note on my calendar to cancel before the end of the month. I don’t need to pay $25 monthly for stock photos.
What about asking for quick help in your personal life?
There’s no shortage of people in positions of power who will tell you what they want you to do. When I needed some minor surgery one of my doctors blithely referred me to her in-house surgeon, whom I’ve never heard of, haven’t met, and don’t know a thing about. It’s 100% my responsibility to check him out and not just do what someone tells me to do. So I reached out to neighbors and friends, asking for the name of the best surgeon for this type of surgery.
It’s bad leadership of your life to simply show up thinking that other people have your best interests at heart. Often they do, but it’s also clouded by their own preferences. It’s my responsibility to protect my health, not the doctor’s. Too often we think that we have to do what other people tell us to do, without question. That’s not stepping up to lead your life in the best way possible. While the doctor means well, I’m sure, she’s inviting me into her process. But this surgery is about me and my process. See the difference?
What you need or want for your business is often far more easily obtained than you think, if you will just ask. Make it your mission to question what you hear, and ask for what you want. Ask, don't acquiesce. Click To Tweet
Keep your mind set on strategies, not tactics. Practice keeping your focus on what you want or need, and ask for it. That’s truly being the leader of your life.
Related article: You’ll learn more in Leadership for Entrepreneurs – The Courage to Create Something New
I talk about quick success and asking for what you want, along with other leadership and business strategy topics on my blog and in my CEO Circle Community group. You can also access my training emails by clicking here.
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Kate says
I loved the empowerment of this post and the many places that you cross-referenced how this appears in our lives. Sometimes we may not even be aware of our acquiescence. Thank you for the contemplation, Sue.
Sue Painter says
You’re very welcome. Thanks for reading!