The Way You Do Anything is the Way You Do Everything: The Why of Why Your Business Isn't Making More Money

Chapter 4

Having Guts

I'm going to work so that it's a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it.

—Steve Prefontaine

The phrase we all know is not “believing is seeing,” but rather “seeing is believing!”

“Seeing is believing,” my friend, is pure raw guts. All the marketing, ass kicking, love, support, cheerleading, and strategy in the world will be useless if you do not know what you want. It is as simple as going and getting it.

A friend told me that as much as she wanted to bow out of a difficult situation, she had to stay involved because it provided “security.” Sorry, that's an excuse. And I just don't accept excuses!

The following is a list of my least favorite excuses. Chances are that at least one of these will hit home for you, and possibly even piss you off. If it does, well, get in line.

“I can't make a change because of…”

1. Money

2. My kids

3. My weight

4. My spouse

5. My skills

6. My education

7. My fear

8. Time

I know an overweight woman who was overwhelmed with the commitments of her three kids and a 60-hour-a-week job. She was living paycheck to paycheck, and even got an eviction notice at one point. Though she had an education, it wasn't in an area that interested her or helped her do what she wanted to do with her life, and the job she was in had actually caused the quality of her skills to suffer.

She was scared to death. Paralyzed. She actually found herself on the subway having a panic attack and almost passed out. She felt ...