Yesterday we talked about how survival relies on avoiding making critical mistakes...
But also, survival is all about focusing on the most critical tasks and issues at hand and avoiding a crisis before it happens.
Same thing goes for your business. In order to not only survive but thrive, you need to focus on the most critical tasks each and every day, and knock those out before you waste time on activities that aren't as critical.
I've coached a lot of people who were in the process of starting martial art schools. And among the most common mistakes instructors make is mixing up their priorities.
In survival, you focus on shelter and fire, water, and food, and generally in that order.
Why shelter and fire first? Because exposure will kill you quicker than anything.
Next, water. You can't survive long without that. Then finally, food, because you need fuel to continue living - I mean, that's pretty much common sense.
But what isn't common sense is how long you can go eating just a minimal amount of calories each day. Your body has fat stores that are designed to keep you alive for extended periods when food supplies are scarce. And, those extra pounds you carry can keep you going for a while in an emergency.
Unfortunately, many people who end up in a survival situation prioritize food first, which is a huge mistake. A deadly mistake, in many cases.
And why do they do that? Because they aren't used to going hungry. Civilization has made people soft. People just aren't used to being uncomfortable.
So, they focus on the immediate need to feel full, instead of thinking ahead about what's going to happen to them when temperatures drop at night and they're freezing their tail end off.
Many school owners do much the same thing when launching their schools. I've said time and again that in order to make a school grow, you need to reinvest your profits back into it for at least the first year.
But what do most new school owners do? They quit their day jobs way too early, forcing themselves to rely on the meager profits their school is generating to sustain their own lifestyle and their dojo's continued existence.
BAD IDEA!
Just because it's uncomfortable to have to work a day job and then show up at the dojo and teach for hours every night, it doesn't mean you can't do it.
The thing is, if you're boot-strapping your dojo and you want it to succeed, you have to put off your immediate comforts in exchange for your long-term survival.
See, the idea with survival is to last long enough to make it back to civilization. And, it's understood that some sacrifices will have to be made, and some hardships endured, in order to get back to the comforts of home and hearth.
Same thing goes for starting a business in your spare time. Sacrifices must be made, and hardships endured, so you can eventually enjoy the lifestyle you desire.
So, keep your eyes on your long-term goal and endure those hardships. They won't last forever, and paying your dues will only make it that much sweeter when you are finally able to go full-time in your school.
Until next time,
Mike Massie
MartialArtsBusinessDaily.com
