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No 63                                                                               July 2005

The Road Not Taken

These are the first two lines of one a poem of the modern age, by American poet, Robert Frost. "The Road Not Taken" has inspired millions to at least reflect on the paths they have taken in their lives, if not stirred to write down their genius, their justification, or sometimes their lament, for the choices they made.

Entrepreneurs seem to live in a "yellow wood" where our roads are always diverging. We have to make lots of decisions and often quickly. Some are big decisions and some are small.

If we try to have everything perfect before we decide, we're in danger of doing something worse than making the wrong choice -- not deciding. Inertia is worse than a mistake, because with inertia, nothing is learned.

We have to choose our paths -- whether it be to start a business or not, buy or sell, in or out -- with the information we have at the time, and let hindsight shine its perfect light on our genius, justification, or lament. But in that perfect light, which only shines when a decision is made, we will find information, knowledge, and wisdom.

Mr. Frost took a risk and chose the road less travelled, which is the point of his poem. For entrepreneurs, the moral may be more about the fact that he made a decision. And to paraphrase the poem's last line, for entrepreneurs, that could make all the difference.

And the full poem -for those interested:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Robert Frost

As portfolio workers we are in the field, making a difference.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

~ Mark Twain

Fly High

Flight is one of the great benefits humans have acquired from the employment of mechanical advantage. When you see an aeroplane in flight there are three forces at work to create this benefit: thrust, lift, and control surfaces. In order for an aeroplane to fly successfully, meaning where the pilot wants it to go, all three forces must be working in concert.

These forces are also in evidence when you see a successful entrepreneur.

• In an aircraft, thrust comes from the engines. For entrepreneurs, thrust is their vision and determination to accomplish their goals.
• Lift in an aircraft comes from the airfoils - the wings. Entrepreneurial lift comes from practising sound and stable operating fundamentals.
• In an aircraft, the control surfaces are ailerons, elevators, and rudder. In an entrepreneur, the control surfaces are all of the aspects of a healthy human life: physical, mental, cultural, familial, and spiritual.

A well-piloted entrepreneurial plan recognises that a business with only thrust and lift becomes an out-of-control rocket destined to crash. But when appropriate and intentional influence from the control surfaces is added, entrepreneurial lift and thrust become productive and meaningful forces.

Gain and maintain balance in your professional and personal life by making sure your entrepreneurial aircraft operates with the three forces of entrepreneurial flight: thrust, lift, AND control surfaces.

Putting Yourself First!!

Today I want to challenge you about starting, or continuing to, put yourself first. What comes up in your mind when you read that??? Take a few moments to think about it. How would you feel putting yourself first? What would that take?

I put this suggestion to a group I was working with few weeks ago and got quite a strong reaction. People felt that such a suggestion was selfish and there was no way they could put themselves ahead of their family, especially where they had young children. It just did not fit with their values, their way of seeing their role and their world.

And I do respect that.

However I also know that we can’t give what we don’t have. If we put ourselves so far down our personal priority list that our emotional, physical and spiritual tanks are running on empty, then we are no good to anyone.

Whatever your situation is this week, whether you live with others or live alone, whether you are busy, busy, busy or pace yourself superbly, take a few minutes to do something (more) just for you. The busier you are the harder it will be I know, but the more you really need it. That is one of the paradoxes of life!

And don’t wait till next week – that is a feeble excuse. Go do something for you TODAY. And if you find this very difficult, then a Life Coach will help you – this is what they are trained to do, and can do it, and more quickly that you think!

© 2003 The Nework Centre   |   email neworknz@yahoo.co.nz

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