gardening – client k

Look At Actions

People lie.

People also tell us
what they think
we want to hear
or,
in the case
of a few contrarians,
what they think
we DON’T want to hear.

If you want to know
what people
TRULY think,
look at their actions.

In the case of politicians,
we can look
at their voting history.

In the case of potential business partners,
we can look
at their past partnerships
and their past projects.

In the case of a potential employee,
we can look
at their employment history
and speak
with former employers.

Take the time
to uncover
what the people around you
truly think.

Look at what they do
and have done.

Being The Exception

The eggplants were outgrowing
the cages placed around them.

A loved one suggested
I simply take off the cages.
The eggplants should be
large enough
to fend for themselves.

I was tempted to do that.
Replacing the cages
with larger ones
was work
and required more chicken wire.

Maybe the squirrels and rabbits
wouldn’t target the eggplants
this time.
Maybe this time
would be the exception.

You and I both know
that exceptions are…
well…exceptional.
They rarely occur.

I replaced the cages.

Don’t bet
your entire business
on being the exception.

Long shot bets rarely pay off.

If We Want The Butterflies

Gardeners all over the world
are talking about
how there are no butterflies
in their areas.

They also share tips
on how to rid their gardens
of caterpillars.

Caterpillars become
butterflies.

If we want butterflies,
we have to embrace
and support
caterpillars.

This is true
in business also.

If we want to own
a thriving, successful business,
we have to put in the hard work.

We have to face possible failure.

We have to do all the difficult
and not-at-all fun
things
that create
that thriving, successful business.

If we want the butterflies,
we have to embrace the caterpillars.

If You Don’t Ask For Help

A Youtuber was complaining
about how all the plants
in her garden were dying
or doing poorly.

I saw immediately,
from the video,
what her issue was.

But she didn’t once
ask for help.
She complained
but she didn’t seem to want
or welcome
any advice.

So I kept my advice
to myself.

If you have a problem
or a challenge,
ASK for help.

Then…
appreciate that help,
even if you don’t plan
to take the advice.

That increases the probability
that person will help you
again.

Try It Before You Need It To Work

I started gardening
because I know food shortages
are coming
and anything I can do to help
will…help.

I started gardening NOW
because I also know
it often takes multiple tries
to get something to work.

I don’t want to be
learning
how to garden
and making those dumba$$ mistakes
when I desperately need
the garden to produce food.

You might not need
the income from a small business
now
but start now.

Because you WILL make
dumba$$ mistakes
and it WILL likely take
multiple tries
to get your product/service right.

Give yourself that time
before you desperately need
the income from the business.

Making Decisions Based On Best Information

I planted some frost-sensitive plants
in the garden this weekend.

According to the weather forecast,
there should be zero chances
of frost
over the next two weeks.

That forecast could be wrong, however.
It IS a forecast,
not an absolute.

But I had to make a decision
and it is the best information
I have at this time.

We all have to make decisions
for our businesses
based on the best information
we currently have.

That information could also
be wrong.
And we’ll have to
hastily make some corrections.

That’s part of building a business.

There are no absolutes.

Make the best decisions you can
based on the best information
you currently have.

And move forward.

Plant Many And Thin or Plant Few And Watch

There are two main schools
in the gardening world.

There are the gardeners
who sow a sh*tload of seeds
and then thin the plants
as they grow.

And there are gardeners
who plant only few seeds
and then watch those plants
closely.

Both schools of gardening
work.
Both can result in great harvests.

New product development
is similar.

There are those of us
who develop a sh*tload
of products
and then launch
the best of those products.

And there are those of us
who develop one product
at a time
and do our d@mnedest
to ensure that one product
makes it to launch.

New product developers in both schools
are successful.

But, as the processes for each
are very different,
it helps to know
in which school we belong.

Are you a new product thinner
or a new product watcher?
which school

Adding To Your Project Checklist

I have checklists
of all the things
I need to know
or do
or gather
for each type
of project.

I add to these checklists
during or after
each project.

For example,
I tried growing bell peppers
directly in the garden
this year.
That was a disaster.
The slugs ate them.

So I added
“Grow all bell peppers
in containers.”
to my gardening project checklist.

Before starting a project,
I’ll review the appropriate checklist
for that type of project.

In the Spring,
for example,
I’ll review my gardening checklist.

I’ll see
my note about growing peppers
in containers.
Do that.
And my chances of a great pepper harvest
will greatly increase.

Our lives
are already extremely complicated.

Make projects easier
by keeping checklists.

They will ensure
we learn from mistakes
and that will increase
our probability of success!

Opportunities In Disasters

The world is a bit of a mess
lately.

But it is important
to remember
there are usually opportunities
aligned with every disaster.

The bell peppers
in my garden are being
devoured by slugs, for example.

But those slugs
are providing food
for a recovering bird population.

They are enriching the soil.

That ‘disaster’ striking
your business?

It might provide an idea
for a product or service.

Or it could lead
to another opportunity.

LOOK for those opportunities.

Remember Your True Goals

My bell pepper plants
are being decimated
by slugs.

When this started happening,
I almost sprayed
the plants
with poison.
This would have killed
the slugs.

Which would have
also killed
one of my true goals
for the garden
– to provide ‘food’
for insects
and other tiny wildlife
…like slugs.

Sometimes we get so focused
on intermediate goals
we lose sight
of our true end goal.

We focus
so much,
for example,
on going viral
on social media
that we post things
that wouldn’t interest
or,
worse,
upset
prospects
for our products.

Review your true goals
regularly.
Ensure your actions
move you
closer to achieving them.