10,000 feet… There you are cruising comfortably among the clouds when much to your surprise the pilot of your airplane straps on his parachute, urges you to do the same, and then pops the door and jumps! This scenario is not much different than when you find yourself in a small business that has just received news of challenging times ahead. Whether it’s the economy, or staffing issues, or a difficult cash flow situation – there IS a solution! Your parachute is sitting just over there…

In many cases, however, business owners make the critically flawed mistake of viewing the solution (the parachute) as a suggestion. Much like shopping for a new outfit, the tendency is to “try on” various ideas until we find one that makes us comfortable – rather that realizing the overall value of the solution itself. Think it not so? Let’s look at a few case studies.

Case Study #1: You’re new to the business community, and need to generate new customers. You were told that the local Chamber of Commerce was your solution, so you pony up and pay your dues. Over the next several months you attend networking events and hand out tons of business cards. But your phone isn’t ringing, and you start to feel like you were given bad information. Your parachute straps are a little too tight, so you decide to take it off. Key indicators: You stop attending as many functions, and you start using phrases like, “I tried that… it didn’t work for me.”

Case Study #2: Your business is established, but it’s hit a plateau. You’ve been told that ABC Consulting is fabulous, and so you decide to hire ABC to take you to the next level. The workload placed upon you is considerable – especially since you need to do that in addition to running your business. You start to fall behind, and with every passing week you feel more and more burdened. Your parachute is too heavy, so you take it off. Key indicators: You discontinue your consulting service and use phrases like, “it’s too expensive.”

Case Study #3: Your business is barely afloat. Existence is more like survival, and you wonder where your next paycheck will come from. Someone keeps encouraging you to “pay it forward” by encouraging, supporting, and helping other business owners achieve their goals, but all you can see is the mounting stack of bills and obstacles in your own business. The parachute is simply one more thing – and you can’t take anything else… so you refuse to even put it on. Key Indicators: You are paralyzed by the tidal wave of debt and the trickle of customers. You use phrases like, “Why isn’t everyone else helping ME?”

My friends, in each one of these real-life scenarios – the parachute has made itself known to you, and yet for one reason – (excuse) – or another, you’ve found a way to snatch failure from the jaws of success! Is it that you are afraid – truly fearful – of success? That’s possible. Many people do not have the infrastructure to handle real success. But more often the case isn’t one of fear of success – but it is one of lack of understanding the overall value of the parachute. You wouldn’t “try on” a parachute at the moment it is needed… you would strap that thing on and ride it all the way to the end!

If you find yourself in any of the scenarios provided – or perhaps a scenario all your own – and a parachute of one type or another has been offered to you… don’t go into it with the attitude, “I’ll try this, and if it doesn’t work for me – I’ll try the next thing.” Rather – pick your course of action, and see it to the end. What’s the old adage? Failing to plan is planning to fail!

Safe landings!