Facing Tough Times In Your Business ?

In South Africa and the world in general, it is estimated that 80 % of emerging (small) businesses will fail in their first year of operation. Only those that have the ability to weather the tough times have any chances of being in the 20 % that survive the first year. I used to cringe when faced with tough times in any business that I was involved in. Lately though I have learned to be strong, and I say to myself that as long as the sun will rise tomorrow, I will have an opportunity to address my challenges and as long as I have done what it takes to create new opportunities for my business, a situation will soon arise that will help me through the tough times. In other words do not QUIT. Keep pushing your agenda, if you do not, someone else will and eventually make a success of it.

Have you ever noticed that some people confront tough times head-on and continue to pursue their goals? They won't quit. Quitting is not an option for them. They get up every morning, lick their wounds, dress for battle and fight the good fight. These tough timers share common characteristics that serve as an example for the rest of us. These characteristics are:
Have courage.
Success is derived from your willingness to face adversity head-on. Start every day by tackling the hard issues first and do not procrastinate.
Narrow your focus.
In tough times learn to limit the magnitude and the scope of your problem. Focus on the immediate impact area of the adversity. Learn to separate issues to help you focus narrowly on a workable solution.
Perceived control.
View your challenges from a position of control. You need to understand life in terms of things that you control and things you cannot control. Ask yourself, "What can I control in this situation?"
Problem ownership.
You need to take ownership of the problems besetting your business and take action regardless of the cause of the adversity or whose problem it is. You need to say to yourself, "I can do something about this." They would rather fix the problem than fix the blame.
Creativity. You need to always see a way out of difficulty. You need to be creative and to become more creative you must learn how to think out of the box. Approach the problem differently.
Perseverance. You need to persist until they win. You need to know, inside, that there is a time limit on tough times. Every downturn in the economy or your particular industry is always followed by a period of expansion.
Optimism. You have to be a positive thinker, but your optimism cuts deeper than happy thoughts. You have to have a deep belief in your right and ability to live a positive life. This belief gains traction in positive behaviors.
Support group.
John Donne, a 17th century English poet and cleric wrote, "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main ..." Who is as strong individually as we are collectively? No one. You may be able to do it on your own, but why?

Personal Development Tips

Here are some personal development tips for you
- Never avoid difficult decisions: take them as early as you can.

- Don't burn bridges with whoever it may be: you may just need them one day.

- If you don't enjoy what you do, stop doing it: everyone will notice you and they will stop supporting you.

- If you are not going forward, you are going backwards.

- Never rely on important information unless you have confirmed it yourself
- Never show your whole hand when bargaining: only show enough to win.
- If you don't know the answer to a question, say so: contrary to popular belief, this IS a sign of leadership.
- Try to work with people you personally know to be successful at what they do.
- Keep fit (at least, eat well), maintain family links and take at least one holiday a year.
- Stress reduces your effectiveness below that of working a three-day week.