Batting for the Fences are you ready to be an entrepreneur?
I go to a lot of baseball and softball games. Four kids. Three play ball! I KNOW this game. I LOVE this game!
My son started his high school baseball career this spring. It is VERY exciting! Everything is stepped up a notch. But as I sat at his game this week...actually it was TWO games...double header...I know right? Anyway....as I sat there, I was struck by how much playing baseball is like being an entrepreneur. Seriously!
It takes being prepared. As a first baseman there is a HUGE amount of pressure to be prepared. You have the right glove, you anticipate the batter, you watch your pitcher. You are at the ready.
As an entrepreneur you must be READY....PREPARED. You have the right tools in place. A website. Supplies to fill orders. Training and education. Whatever it takes to get your "craft on". Everything you need to do your thing!
It takes focus. As a pitcher he has already prepared himself with the "how to". That should be second nature. On the mound he doesn't have to say "how do I do this again?"...no...instead he focuses. On the batter. On the catchers glove. On throwing the right pitch.
As an entrepreneur you know by now it takes a great deal of focus. You MUST keep your goals in site. You have the skills...now you stand strong on the mound...not allowing yourself to be distracted. No "shiny object syndrome"! F.O.C.U.S.
It takes courage. When he steps up to the plate he doesn't know what they will throw at him. It could be a wild pitch. He could miss. Be he stands at the ready. Ready to swing...hard!
STRIKE 1!
You lost a client, but what did you learn?
STRIKE 2!
Your design was a total flop, it just did not work. Deep Breath. Try Again.
BALL 1!
You said no to an opportunity that wasn't the right fit for you.
BALL 2!
You almost swung...it seemed right...but in your gut you "knew".
SLAM!!
You swung HARD. It felt amazing! The contact was perfect and you take off sprinting towards first base with your accomplishment!
Noah hit his very first OUT OF THE PARK home run on Thursday. On contact he took off towards first, unsure that it was, in fact, GONE. By the time he rounded first his coach said, "it's outta here!", he eased to a jog, {{ big smile }}.
THAT is what a home run feels like.
And when he walked into the dug out he celebrated! With his coaches. With his team. I LOVED seeing his face! I was so proud to be his mom!
Do you celebrate your wins? Big OR small? You need to. Celebrating THAT feeling is what continues to motivate us. It's what helps us carry on. It's the feeling we dig deep to find when the going gets tough...which it will.
So are you batting for the fences today? I know I am!
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Posted on April 23 2011