But It's Only a Little Bit of Dog Poop!

I was with a group of friends over the weekend and we were discussing a particular retail establishment that tends to draw some of their consumer base from the "other side of the tracks".
"I see people screaming at their kids and slapping them when I'm there. It makes me so mad!" said one person.
"I just feel like I've walked out of the Twilight Zone when I leave there, but they have good prices." Said another.
"I get so agitated when I see some of the things that go on there, but I save $20 on my weekly shopping" comments another.

Here's a novel idea; if it puts you through that kind of tension when you frequent anyplace, STOP! So you save a bit of money and have all kinds of trash floating around in your head for half a day. Is it really worth it?

If I wanted the best cake in the world, I would have to visit my mom. She makes the most awesome chocolate cake! She will use the best of ingredients and puts a tremendous amount of love into everything she bakes. What if next time I went home and found a slice of chocolate cake sitting there waiting there for me. I would be thrilled! But before I took the first bite, Mom said, "I put just a little, but not much, dog poop in the batter." All of the sudden, the cake would lose it's appeal!

If I wouldn't tolerate that in my food, why would I pollute my mind with the same garbage that can be found by frequenting certain establishments? If you find businesses that make you feel uneasy, leave. So you spend an extra $20. Big deal. Consider it a deposit into the greatness of your mind!

I Don't Have Time for Personal Development!

I hear this from people all of the time. They offer a litany of how much stuff they have to do and offer up why they can't pick up a book or listen to an audio. Yet these people are glued to their televisions to capture the next episode of American Idol.

I have several consulting clients and one of the subjects that comes up is increasing revenue. (Duh, if you're paying someone for their advice, you may want a return on your investment!) I immediately ask them what the last book they read was. I'm not talking about the latest thriller or romance novel they devoured on the beach; rather, I want to know the last personal development book. I then send them to the book store and tell them that I will continue their session after they have finished half of the book. They still pay me for the session even if it is only 10 minutes; but that is how profound personal development is!

My challenge to you is this: Go hang out at your local bookstore and devour some personal development material. Your business will never grow until you grow. Let me know how it works for you.

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