Life Lessons

Graham Hamer sent me a few life lessons that I want to share with you

Hi Fran,

Lesson: I don't care how good you are, you can't do everything well. Focus on what you're good at, and either hire people to do the rest or do without until you learn.

Lesson: When you know something that can help someone, tell them. It costs you nothing to share your knowledge, and you never know where it will lead.

Lesson: How you treat people will determine how people treat you. In short, your reputation precedes you. So what kind of reputation are you building?

Lesson: It's much easier to trust someone if they go out of their way to help you when there's nothing extra in it for them. Being helpful isn't just a "feel good" thing (although it does) - it makes good business sense.

Lesson: Know your stuff. Most experienced people turn down 90% or more of the deals that are offered to them. You need to know what you CAN do, what you WANT to do, and what you HAVE TIME to do.

Lesson: Before commiting to something, think about whether or not you can fulfill your obligations. It's critical to be dependable.

Lesson: To honest people a handshake is more important than a written contract. With honourable people, a contact is unnecessary. With dishonourable people, a contract is useless. So never agree to anything verbally that you wouldn't sign your name to.

Lesson: Friends are more important than deals. There are a million deals out there. Do you have a million friends?

Lesson: Don't BS people. Folks don't expect perfection or a walking encyclopedia Remember Harry Callahan's admonition: "A man's gotta know his limitations."

Lesson: Rushing things through to get the deal going is a major cause of failure. Rushing doesn't mean doing it fast. It means paying more attention to speed than to important details. It's possible to get both, if you are willing to do the work.

Lesson: Expect that customers will try and screw you. They may not always be aware that they're doing it, and they may lie to try and convince you that it wasn't their intention. It doesn't matter why they do it.... but they WILL do it!

Lesson: On the other hand, expect that people will tell you when someone is doing something they shouldn't. You'll be surprised at the number of people who will watch out for you if you have a reputation for honest dealings. (It's refreshing, believe me, so don't forget to thank them.)

Lesson: Be prepared for some things to work much better than you thought they would, and others to flop that you thought were "sure things." There are simply too many variables to predict everything right beforehand.

Lesson: Changes are an inescapable part of doing businesss. Being flexible is critical.

Check out more of Graham's stuff at Profit Arena

Have a Wonderful day

Fran Watson
Remember to BANABU