We were travelling at over 60 miles per hour when he hit me from the side. My head slammed against the door and my seatbelt cut into my clothing. The metal of his car grinding against mine rang in my ears and the smoke coming from his wheels as he tried to force me off the pavement burned my eyes.
Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I was hit by another car at full force on the passenger side of the car, sandwiching me between the two of them. The hood of the car flew up blocking my view. The first driver braked quickly and hit my rear quarter panel. My car spun out of control and I flew towards the light post at the edge of the track.
My mind was a blur. This was not the way it was supposed to end!
I had invested over $1000 in the car (which was a lot of money for me in those days). I had, however, made up my mind, weeks before, that I was going to win the race prize money to cover my costs.
I didn't win the Hit To Pass but I did come second overall. After two days of racing, I took home a huge trophy, a nice cheque that more than covered my expenses, and a bad case of whiplash. My car was a write off and I wasn't sure how I survived. One thing is certain though: if I hadn't been so determined to win the prize money, I never would have succeeded.
I was playing to win!
How determined are you to win this race called business that you have entered? Many small business owners are not focused on the finish line, they are enjoying the atmosphere, the noise, the distractions. You can still enjoy the experience but the mindset of playing to win is a game changer that can set you apart from other mediocre businesses.
Successful business owners think long term. What can I do today that will make my business better? How can I create an experience for my customers that will make them come back? This means hiring the right people to interact with your customers and delivering a product or service that is memorable. Developing relationships with your client base that will last for decades. This creates value.
Businesses need to re-think what they are doing to ensure their future success. This may mean working cooperatively with other similar businesses, suppliers, and your customers to come up with a framework that creates more value. Think out of the box in ways that will drive new business and create opportunities that you haven't envisioned before
Dave Fuller, MBA is a Certified Professional Business Coach and can be reached at 250-617-7467 or by email at [email protected]
