Around this same time the past two years, I’ve published a list of twenty-five lessons learned or reconfirmed during the previous year since leaving corporate life. Here’s another list reflecting on the past year as The Brainzooming Group marks three years as a full-time venture.
Here's Year Three in Review
- It’s so unbelievably easy to be very busy but still not spend time on the vital things your business needs.
- The best thing you can do to support a friend who is struggling could be shedding a tear for them.
- You can go home again. Don’t be surprised though if nearly everybody you used to know is gone or shell shocked.
- Creating an LLC doesn’t have to be a day-one event for your new venture. There are more important business artifacts to create first.
- In business, swinging for the fences can result in grounding out just as easily as it can hitting a home run or striking out.
- It’s possible a great deal of someone’s success is because of the situation that surrounds him or her. Without the favorable situation, success vanishes.
- On the other hand, it’s possible a great deal of someone’s challenges are because of personal issues and not the situation that surrounds them. Put them in a new situation, and the problems persist.
- There is a place for an iPad in my business life. And I’m much more excited than I ever thought about giving it a greater share of my business screen time.
- When you first hear, “No,” it feels worse than, “We’re still planning on doing something.” Six months later, you realize a “No” back when would have been much better than continuing to hear, “We’re still planning on doing something.”
- It’s deceptive to assign a deadline to a project and simply assume the start time is “right now.” A project often seems to have its own time when it will let you get started, and it’s rarely “right now.”
- I remain committed to the belief that selfless is better than selfish in every way. That doesn’t mean selfless always (or even typically) feels better in the present moment.
- In many situations, I do well using self-accountability. There are a number of other situations, however, where I absolutely need someone to repeatedly ask me, “How is it going? How are you doing?”
- It’s still tough to have the faith to depend on “out of the blue” opportunities happening when you need them although they always seem to happen in just that way.
- I’ve cut down dramatically on the number of shirts I destroy by marring them with permanent ink. This is good, but I‘m not completely sure why it’s changed.
- It always surprises me how many presenters are so transparent about not giving a shit about the audience.
- While it’s now clear the Brainzooming blog can disappear for a couple of weeks because of external forces and still get the audience to come back, it kills me to imagine deciding to not publish any single work day.
- Replacing my four-year old computer increased my productivity dramatically. I need to remember that in 18 months and act accordingly.
- I’ve been surprised how much trying to deliberately stay out of the home office on weekends this year has made Monday a fresh, enjoyable experience. Thanks to the home Wi-Fi network, network printer, and new laptop, it’s possible to do this and be productive.
- Exercise, exercise, exercise. Every time I ignore this lesson, it catches up with me.
- Going back a long time, I handicap myself through not taking advantage of all the resources available for success. This used to fuel my own sense of self-competition. Now, this characteristic mostly frustrates me about myself.
- Just because a dream comes true doesn’t mean it will stay true.
- The door between where you are now and where you considering going can be intimidating. That doesn’t mean the place on the other side of the door is anywhere near as intimidating as the door makes it seem.
- Knowing what’s best and knowing what will work can be very different.
- It’s increasingly easy to be swept up in the hype swirling through social media and popular business culture. Use your own judgment and instincts to call B.S. at an ever-increasing rate, too.
- Before you start, you may think there will be a certain number of lessons, but you could come up one short.
How about Joining Us as for Year Four for The Brainzooming Group?
Thanks for reading the Brainzooming blog the last year. And if you’re getting ready for 2013 and need a fresh, innovative perspective for how you’ll continue (or re-start) your success, email me or give me a call. We’d love to help you find new pockets of success you might never have imagined previously!
As one last note, today marks fifteen years since the first day I put on a pair of orange socks. For those who don’t know the orange sock story, here it is! - Mike Brown
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If you’re struggling to generate and implement new ideas, The Brainzooming Group can be the strategic catalyst you need. We will apply our strategic thinking, innovation, and implementation tools on to help you create greater organizational success. Email us at info@brainzooming.com or call 816-509-5320 to learn how we can help you figure out how to work around your innovation challenges.
