A good set of song lyrics

Song lyrics are like puzzle pieces and occasionally in life you find them fitting in place all too well.

This is The Redeemer by Sanctus Real:

Sometimes I just wanna start over
Cuz everything looks like a wreck
And I need the courage to carry on
Cuz I can’t see what’s ahead

And there are places I’ve wished I could be
Battles I’ve wanted to win
Dreams that have slipped through my hands
I may never be back again

But I’m still a dreamer
A believer
Oh, I lost my faith in so many things
But I still believe in You
Cuz You can make anything new

Sometimes I just wish we could say
All the things that are easy to hear
Ignore the injustice we see
And explain every unanswered prayer
But I’d rather speak honestly
And wear a tattered heart on my sleeve
Cuz in the middle of my broken dreams
Redemption is here

And I’m still a dreamer
A believer
Oh, I lost my faith in so many things
But I still believe in You
Cuz You are the answer
The Redeemer
Oh, I’ve given up on too many things
But I’m not giving up on You
Cuz You can make anything new

I don’t have every answer in life
But I’m trusting You one day at a time
Cuz You can make a weak heart stay alive
Forever
And this is where heaven and earth collide
I lift my hands, I give my life
This is how my weary heart stays alive

Oh, I’m still a dreamer
Still a believer
And You are the answer
The Redeemer
Cuz You can make anything new
Yeah, You can make anything new

Running for a Dream

I'm convinced all entrepreneurs dream on some level.  How else would they catch a vision and start on their journeys?  Dreaming is integral to being an entrepreneur but is only a part of it.  Don't take my word for it though. 

My buddy, Abe Clark, is making one of his dreams a reality right now.  Since February of this year, Abe's been running across the U.S. unsupported to support Living Water International's quest to bring clean water to underdeveloped nations.  You can check out more here and even take part in the dream here.

In all honesty, I'm captivated all the more by Abe's story because he and I were acquaintances at UW-Green Bay through a Christian org we were involved with.  We never shared too many in depth conversations or even hung out other than some regular org gatherings.  I didn't know what dreams were cooking in Abe.  So when I first heard of his adventure, it caught me off guard.  It wasn't because I didn't think he could do it - it was because I didn't even know Abe dreamed big like that.  Then again, I should have after finding out that he lived on a sailboat all last summer without much prior sailing experience.

When asking Abe what it was that made his dream reality he said, "Once I get my mind locked on something it is very hard to rationalize with me about if it makes sense or not. I have this idea of what I want my life to look like and I will do anything to get to that point."  The difference between dreamers and doers is quite simple.  Dreamers choose to stop thinking and just find a way to get it done.  They take steps of faith and just get it done.

Abe's advice to dreamers is pretty straightforward: "One thing to remember is that it is YOUR dream for a reason and it will not make sense to anybody but you. Don’t talk about it with people who will bring you down and discourage you. Talk with the people that will help you succeed in your goal. Do your research and make a careful plan. Be aware of the time in your life when this needs to happen and when that time comes put your well thought out plan into motion."

Dream.  Plan.  Act.  Go.

Consumers Are Humans Too!

As if that weren't obvious but in the land of sales & marketing, it becomes easily forgotten.  This is a line I can cross all the time.  In the effort of selling products/services, I find myself forgetting that I ought to care for the person I'm selling to.  Allow me to elaborate.

The economics principle "opportunity cost" is defined as "the cost of passing up the next best choice when making up a decision".  This opportunity cost exists both for the producer and the consumer.  Each must decide what cost is involved in a given exchange.  But the principle broadly applies to life: if I choose to do the dishes for my wife right now, she'll be pleased with me but I'll miss out on doing something I'd rather do.  If I choose not to, I will give up the opportunity to help my wife instead for helping myself.

I'm applying this principle in a different way though.  I sometimes see myself interested more in pushing my product just to make the sale rather than being concerned for the person I'm selling to and the relationship.  If I take a step back, I should ask myself: What matters most - the profit from the sale or the profit of a relationship?  The relationship can provide much more fruit long-term (even if it isn't monetary) than one sale can.

The line I cross is when I become more interested in making the sale than in keeping the relationship.  I'm not advocating for not pushing beyond consumers' initial objections to buying.  I'm suggesting that sales needs to be done with conscience.  I ought to see each prospect as a person and not just an economic unit to increase my profits.

COMING UP: running for a dream

the Monday sputter

Alright, so anyone that's ever worked a job knows Monday can be shear drudgery.  As an entrepreneur, I've found the old adage "if you fail to plan, you will plan to fail" is especially true of Mondays.  So often, it feels like I spin my tires on Mondays.  I'm not completely sure why but it just seems difficult to get into a groove.  Subsequently, it becomes difficult to feel like I accomplished much when the day is done.

I have found a couple things that work though.  Before leaving on Friday, I leave a few notes about where I left off and what I need to accomplish on Monday.  Then, on Sunday evening, I take a peak at those notes and put it in my mind so I'm ready to go.  Generally, I've found lists to be the way I work which is not what works for everyone but it certainly keeps me grounded and focused.

I can't tell you how often I've felt like I waste my days just because I'm going in five directions.  Having a daily plan of what I can reasonably accomplish has gone a long way to helping me improve.  I haven't gotten it down by any means yet but I'm still working on it.

So what works for you?  What habits make you productive?  Do tell.

ON DECK: consumers are humans too!