There is a song by Garth Brooks, Standing Outside The Fire. As a personal business coach collaborating with and supporting self-employed business owners, entrepreneurs and solo professionals I see that one of the primary causes of failure is standing outside the fire.
Standing Outside The Fire—Definition
What does standing outside the fire mean? In short, it is mistaking involvement for commitment. When you are standing outside the fire, you are involved. When you get in the fire you are committed.
Let’s go back to the refrain of the song. “Standing outside the fire. Standing outside the fire. Life isn’t tried it is merely survived if you are standing outside the fire.”
Whether you want to increase business performance, focus on business growth or personal growth you must get into the fire. Getting into the fire will mold you and your business to be something better. Business success comes through trial and error. If you don’t get into the fire you will merely survive.
Most small business owners I know are not into business and spending a significant portion of their time and lives to just be surviving. They want to grow. They want to thrive. And, at some point they want to have a life that is less business and more life.
Standing Outside The Fire—Not Growing
As a business performance coach I can tell you that fear sets in when the self-employed business owner stops embracing his own personal growth. Getting into the fire burns up fear and allows you to progress. Always embrace personal growth and change.
Standing Outside The Fire—Not Doing
You are out of survival mode and are on the way to small business success. You love the relative stability you are enjoying now. Your focus becomes keeping the stability instead of growth. You become afraid of the very thing that made you successful. Change.
How do you get into the fire and burn of the fear of change. If you see there is something that will improve your marketing business plan, sales or operations just go out and do it.
In the next post I will reveal some more tips to get you into the fire of success and away from standing outside the fire.
