Sliding Doors - how do you know which door to go through?
I can't sleep. Too much is going through my mind. I toss and turn all night long and wake up in the wee hours desperate to fall back asleep again, but not able to because I am thinking too much.
It's a problem that many small business owners face time and time again. I am no different.
It's a problem that many small business owners face time and time again. I am no different.
There is a lot to think about. How do I grow my business? Do I expand overseas? Should I hire more people? How do I get clients to pay their bills on time? Should I have handled a particular situation differently? I've forgotten to write something down that I must do tomorrow - do I get up now and write it down?
The list is endless.
Then of course small business owners tend to have some type of personal life. Are you in the right relationship? Are you giving your wife or husband the attention they deserve? Are you children getting enough of your time? Is there time for holidays this year? What about 'me' time?
Although I am reluctant to use excuses as an explanation for why I don't always sleep as soundly as I should, I probably could make some subtle changes to help the situation.
Making choices is the first. When we make a choice, we leave behind other options. It's like the movie Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow. If you choose one door, will it lead you to where you would like to go. If you would have chosen the other, where would it have led you?
In business, if we don't expand overseas, it means we may end up stagnant.
Then what? Do we keep making money but never really fulfil our dreams?
In life, if we choose one person over another or one direction over another, will it be the right one? Can we turn back and go through the door we chose not to go through the first time? Can we trust our gut instinct?
One thing for sure is that there are too many choices in life. Too many sliding doors. If we choose a path, or a door as it may be, then are we closing off opportunity and ultimately happiness in another direction?
Food for thought.
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comments ( 4 )
James Ruesch
19 May 2016Money should NEVER be our goal or dream because it is endless. We may be led to wanting even more and more and more. A goal is a finish line and money does not have a finish line, it is infinite. Greed is never-ending, you will never be satisfied. Thus, instead of using "money" as a goal or dream, it should be used as a means to achieve a much reasonable objective. For instance, building your family house, sending your kids to an excellent school, supporting patients who don't have enough, and other useful needs and activities. By the end of the day, success will not be measured by how much you've earned but by how HAPPY you have become, which cannot be solely bought by paper bills.
ReplyMiguel Valero
02 Feb 2012Of course decisions on which door to go through must come with diligent contemplation and thought. The most important thing is regardless of the result of the chosen door, that people move forward. The type of thinking where you want to go backwards to another door is dangerous. It doesn't benefit anyone thinking about the past and hoping to change previous mistakes. This relates to both business and in life.
ReplySophie
31 Jan 2012Very good article !
ReplyOur life is made up of choices and when we open a door, it is necessary to take risks. I believe that we should not ask too many questions and we have to forge ahead. We are obliged to make bad choice sometimes but it is also the definition of an exciting and spontaneous life. In business, the impact of a bad choice is can be significant, but it is also a way to make a business stronger and I make reference to another post on your blog called "Pick Yourself Up From the Floor - Tips on how to bring your business back from the brink". You said " Could I survive this disaster? [...] I made the decision that I would never let anyone else do this to me again."
For me this is a good example of how making a mistake is also a way to learn a lot and become stronger.
Paula
31 Jan 2012In every decision we make we will always think about the alternative road that we have dimissed. There are always 'what ifs' in life. However, to help ourselves sleep at night, it's important to do what you believe is best at that time. In business, all decisions should be rationally weighed up against the pros and cons. If it is right for your business at that time then go for it! The important thing is to always be open to change. Steve Jobs didn't become who he was by taking the easy road each time. Learning for past failures and successes is what makes you a better business owner, that way you can have no regrets.
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