Category Archives: Business

A Case for Religion in Your Business

Religion is the perfect business.

It:

  • Solves all of your problems.
  • Gets better when your friends do it.
  • Has no perfect substitutes.
  • Is incredibly sticky (because of above).
  • Generates mountains of money.
  • Can get not-for-profit status.
  • Connects people.
  • Motivates people.
  • Drives unpaid endorsements from common folk and celebs.
  • You get a lifetime membership
  • Costs money to learn and be certified.
  • Is for insiders only.
  • But is appealing and open to outsiders (who pay the tax).

This all, of course, assumes the religion is non-violent.

Even if you can’t do all of these, strive for some. Because the closer your lifestyle or practice or agency or school or store can be to a religion without calling itself one, the closer it will become to the perfect business.

Legacy

If you were to write your obituary today, what would it say?

Yes, this is a morbid question.

But, hey.

Maybe it will inspire you. Bring you focus.

Seems to always help me.

Fire Sale

Feeling lethargic before, during and after work?

Fire things.

Yes, firing things is difficult.

But it’s definitely than firing people. Before, during and after-the-fact.

Right?

You’re fired.

Results

Results are all that matter.

Adding social media followers or fans doesn’t produce results.

Monitoring daily sales or traffic stats doesn’t produce results.

Hovering over your inbox doesn’t produce results.

Yes, it’s tempting to do all those things. Heck, it’s easy.

But while they feel productive, they don’t get you what you really want.

What everybody expects.

Results.

Laziness and Busyness

Telling people you’re busy is one thing.

Telling yourself you’re busy is another.

That, my friends, is probably just laziness.

Spending time on the wrong things means you’re not spending time thinking.

Don’t be lazy.

Think.

You’ll feel less busy.

Simple

Look at the people above you. Or, the ones you follow. Basically, the people that influence you.

Now ask yourself: Is that who you want to be?

I mean everything. Influence, family life, responsibilities.

If yes, continue on the path you’re on.

If no, quit your job, unfollow, and unsubscribe.

It’s that simple.

Mr. PTO

When your “out-of-office” is on, you have two choices.

  1. Read the emails and selectively send brief replies.
  2. Respect yourself.

Your call, Mr. PTO.

Boyhood

Everyone can find something in the movie “Boyhood” with which to identify.

Perhaps that was the goal.

Certainly, though, that’s why the movie did nothing for me.

I’d prefer to make things that you either love or don’t appreciate.

Shreds of appeal for the masses? I couldn’t even get past the first hour.

Moral of the story: Don’t be like “Boyhood.” Resist temptation to make something for the masses. Appreciation is not enough.

Cost

“How much does it cost?”

It’s a question that doesn’t mean what you might think it means.

It actually means, “How do I avoid this? Is it necessary? Can we find a way to reduce it?”

So, if you’re selling stuff and hear how much does it cost, you’ve already lost.

Strengths

Find ’em in yourself. And your teammates. And your friends.

Focus on those and nothing else.

Because the weaknesses will always be someone else’s strengths.

And building upon what you’re good at is much more productive, fulfilling, and enjoyable than trying to fix the things at which you suck.