When is the last time you took a mandatory course? Maybe recently, or maybe you can’t remember. I believe most life lessons are mandatory. Every day, we have no choice but to learn. We learn from our own experiences and those of others. It would therefore be right to say that we are all enrolled in the school of life. We are taking a live course on living and beyond. There are many lessons to learn in our lifetime. We learn how to and how not to. Life lessons fascinate me. Those that relate directly and indirectly to business are all around us. What everyday business lessons are we learning?
Lesson 1: Business is not Easy
Nothing in life comes easy. It is through great effort that many have hit major milestones in their lives. Aspects of everyday living such as family relationships and friendships need effort. Even small tasks such as making our beds require some effort. The same applies to starting and growing a business. Most in business put in some extra effort to start their business venture. To survive in a highly competitive marketplace, some effort is needed across the different facets of a business may it be corporate governance, sales and marketing, financial management, customer experience, human resources, innovation, strategy etc. The extra effort is evident in the number of hours that entrepreneurs spend working in and on their businesses. Are you putting in adequate effort into your business?
Lesson 2: Stay on the Right Track
Life is considered a journey. In life’s journey, there are many tracks. These tracks lead us in different directions. Some of the tracks outrightly point us in the wrong direction and if we follow them, we might get lost. Other tracks are clearly marked at every turn. By following the markings, we are more likely to get to our destination. Sometimes we assume that we know our way and end up getting lost. When lost, they are those that seek help and some go round in circles. Even in business, there are so many tracks. This means, making many choices along the way. Those in business can for example choose whether to stay ethical or not. Business owners and leaders make choices every day. These choices either get them on track or off the right track. Staying on the right track helps us to get to our destination much faster and with less effort. Are you staying on the right track?
Lesson 3: Never Give Up
We face many hurdles in life. We often experience fear, we lack clarity, or resources become overstretched etc. Despite these hurdles, giving up is rarely the option. We keep trying one more time. We seek ways to overcome or jump over the hurdles. We do not easily give up. The same is true for those in business. There are many hurdles, but, giving up is not often an option. In business, we never have enough resources. For example, we face financial challenges, we never have adequate staff, we get negative reviews from our customers. Instead of giving up, we look at options available and make decisions on what to do and what not to do. If you are facing challenges in your business, do not give up as yet. Instead, find out how others have dealt with similar challenges. Giving up on our businesses and on ourselves is never an option. Keep evolving!
Dr. Lucy Kiruthu is a Management Consultant and Trainer. Connect via Twitter @KiruthuLucy
