Why Doing Nothing Is The Worst Thing You Can Do!
The old saying goes, "if you aren't growing, then you are dying". There is nothing more true for small businesses, especially in the current landscape we find ourselves in. If you are a small business owner, I am sure that you have felt the pressure of the current recession. Compounding the massive recession we are in is a federal government that seems to be doing everything possible to make it harder for you to do business. Massive regulations, lack of available credit, and increased taxes and expenses seem to rule the day. I also hear on a regular basis that is a challenge for small businesses that are hiring to find good talent to bring on board. With all of these challenges, it's no wonder you want to stand pat and not take any action, right?
Well, if you find yourself in that situation, as many small business owners do, I am here to tell you that doing nothing is exactly the worst move you can make! There's an old Patrick Swayze quote from a movie where he says, "Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to become reality!". Doing nothing and not taking action is a direct result of you, the business owner, focusing on your fears. I can certainly understand this thought process. All you have to do is turn on the TV or read the news, and it's easy to become "paralyzed with fear". So, if you find yourself currently standing pat and doing nothing, here are some suggestions and alternatives to think about:
Make Fear Your Friend!
Our fears are our natural response to something that needs to be addressed. So, if you find yourself focusing on your fears, welcome that feeling! Your fear is trying to tell you that something needs to be addressed. Whether it's declining sales, a problem employee, or a quality problem, your fear is telling you something needs to be addressed. If you do nothing, the problem will get worse. However, by being open to your fears and figuring out what your fear is telling you, you can address the issue and take action on it.
Do Something, Anything!
I remember watching The Honeymooners when I was a kid (man am I dating myself?), and hearing Ralph Kramden scream at Norton, "Don't just do something, stand there!". That got a good laugh out of me. The lesson to learn here is that if you just stand there, you are no longer in control of your situation. If you don't take action, your situation will get worse, your competition will seize the day, or your business will start to die, instead of growing. When you take an action, hopefully a well thought out action, you will achieve some type of result. Hopefully that result will be a good one. If not, you can adjust and try again. Doing this, instead of doing nothing, will eventually yield a positive result for you.
Figure Out How To Grow
Even in the most challenging of times, as long as you are in business, you will have competition and a market to serve. When the times are tough, that's the best time to expand and grab market share. If you do nothing, your competition will do something, and they will end up taking your customers away from you. By taking advantage of your competition when they are down, you can take market share from them while positioning yourself for massive growth when the economy turns around.
Keep in mind the old saying, "if you aren't growing, you are dying", the next time you let your fears take control and you stop taking action. Instead, decide what your goal is and take massive action towards it. Your business will be better as a result!
