In 1988, Louis Matte approached me one day and asked if I would join him in building a business.
I knew I was taking a chance and I said yes. By saying yes, I had to turn down an offer from Tom Tobin that would have made me three times the income over the short term.
There were days when I was struggling and stressed and thought that perhaps things would have been different if I would have said yes to Tom, and no to Louis.
But, in the long term, it all worked out for the best. In fact, it has worked out wonderfully.
Some of the greatest things in life happen when we say yes.
Think about the times in your life where you have taken a chance on something or someone, and it has changed your life for the better. The time when you said yes to an invitation, yes to a date, yes to an opportunity, yes to volunteering.
I know for myself there have been many times when I have been scared, and stood there wondering what I have just agreed to. Sometimes these yes's have involved a lot of work, time and commitment, but who said that we would grow if there weren't some challenges?
Recently, I was working with a business owner, James, who said yes to a challenge.
James could have let his business continue on the road it was on, but, he knew in his heart that it wasn't satisfying. James understood that to continue doing what they had always been doing in the past, was going to lead to failure in the future.
Not only failure of the business, because the business model didn't work anymore, but also failure to follow his dreams, which in essence is a spiritual failure.
How many of us continue to do what we are doing even though we know it's not working? How many of us are doing the same old thing in business and getting the same results, even though we know we have the opportunity to say yes to something better?
What is that doing to you on a deep level?
Saying yes often takes work. Making change always does. It takes courage.
As James is about to discover as he moves his business in a different direction, there will be challenges. However, change is life for James. New life for his business and life-giving for himself.
As entrepreneurs, sometimes we get stale doing the same old things. When we say yes to opportunities that make sense, we become invigorated and this invigoration spurs on growth and growth, when managed properly, is often profitable.
Is it time for you to say yes to change in your life or your business?
Dave Fuller, is a certified professional business coach and the author of the book Profit Yourself Healthy. Email Dave at [email protected]
