Billy Sparkle’s T.I.P.s

T.I.P. #2

To Be Continued…

Have you ever reached the end of a television show only to see the words: ‘To be continued…’ flash across the screen? These words are placed there to inform us that although this is where the episode would typically have ended, this particular segment is part of a two- or three-part episode; and we will have to tune in next time to see how things play out.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could somehow make the words: ‘To be continued…’ flash across our minds w hen we a rebeginning to engage in certain activities? Specifically, I’m referring to such activities as: starting or running a business, entering a relationship (romantic or otherwise), engaging in exercise routines, eating programs, or sales and marketing practices – essentially any activity or practice that leads to our physical, financial, mental, or emotional well-being. If we could begin these activities with a clear sense that they are meant to be continued, we would gain a useful advantage that would dramatically increase our Prosperity.

I say this because too often, we begin these types of activities motivated more by the results we believe the activities will bring us, than by the opportunity to be engaged in the very activities for their own sake. Then, when we achieve the desired results, we tend to dis-continue the activities, which eventually leads to a reversal or disappearance of the progress we had made. Our weight goes back up, our income goes back down, our relationships grow stale and stop flourishing, etc.

Alternatively, we fail to achieve the results in the first place because we weren’t engaging in these activities with a full commitment. We were only doing them half-heartedly because it wasn’t established that these activities were meant to be continued. We viewed them more as ‘necessary evils’ to achieve what we wanted, and involved ourselves at merely minimal levels of engagement.

Had we decided from the beginning that these activities were meant to be continued – in some cases for a lifetime – we would have resolved ourselves to that fact, and then set about in determining how to engage in these activities in the most effective manner. In other words, we wouldn’t be wavering as to whether or not we’ll even do them to begin with, always looking at the “scoreboard” to see if the results have shown up yet. Instead, we’d be actively engaged in participating in these activities as a way of life, or as a way of furthering our business, or our relationships, or whatever other results the activities were designed to bring forth.

This is why I like to instill in my clients that the reward is not to be found in the results; but rather in the activities that we’re engaging in, which lead to the results. By seeking the reward in the activities, it ensures the continued engagement in such activities. The results will ultimately take care of themselves.

It’s like playing basketball. The scoreboard and the points will take care of themselves. You don’t ever really have to look at the scoreboard. And, of course you’re going to – I mean, how can you not? But, the point here is that if you’re focused on the activities: dribbling, passing, shooting, blocking, and so forth, you’ll be looking at that scoreboard a whole lot less than if you were focused on the scoreboard and taking your eyes off the ball. Keeping our eyes on the ‘ball of activities’ is the most assured way of achieving whatever results we’re in the game of bringing forth.

There’s a great book, written by Jim Collins, called Built To Last. If you’re a business owner, I highly recommend it. If you’re not a business owner, I recommend it still. In this book you will learn what it takes to produce prosperous results over a long period of time - a useful skill for any of us to develop.

From the book’s title, one might infer that things can be built to last. What I learned from reading this book is that the so-called ‘built-to-last’ companies were really engaging in activities and practices that – when continued over time – created the appearance of a company that was built to last. In actuality, it was the continuation of these companies’ activities and practices that allowed them to thrive. If any of them were to discontinue these activities and practices, it wouldn’t be long before they experienced failure. And if we fail to continue the activities and practices that contribute to our own success – both personally and professionally – we won’t be experiencing our own successes for long.

“I don’t know,” says the man scratching his head as he goes out of business, “…business just dried up.”

Business did not ‘just dry up.’ Unfortunately, this man failed to continue doing the things that were contributing to his early success. Had he continued engaging in these very activities – or at the very minimum, paid someone else to continue doing these things for him – his business undoubtedly would not have dried up; and it would have, instead, been thriving.

People become adversely affected when they fall into the illusion that things are going to last. It lulls them into a state of inactivity or, at best, uninspired activity.

Couples, for instance, do all the right things in the beginning of their romantic relationships. They get engaged or married believing that they’ll automatically gain the security of everything being continued afterwards. Then, they fail to continue doing the very things that they were doing in the beginning, thinking that their successful match was built to last. While it is true that it was built, it will not last unless each person continues to treat the other with the same loving gestures, and nurturing actions that supported their relationship in the beginning.

Entrepreneurs and business owners do a number of things when they’re starting their businesses. Some of them will work; some of them won’t; and once they’ve figured some things out and gained some traction, they’ll create a little success. Too often, though, they then begin to focus more on their initial success than on the underlying activities that were contributing to that success. They take their foot off the gas, so to speak, and find themselves a few miles down the road wondering why their businesses aren’t moving as fast.

Failure to recognize the importance of continuing behaviours and practices that get us what we want in the first place will ultimately lead to the ending of the very things that we are presently enjoying.

So, don’t let that happen to you. Continue doing what works. Continue performing result-producing activities until you’ve achieved your success. And once you’ve achieved the success you were striving for, continue performing result producing activities in the face of your success. Because, after all, things aren’t built to last; but they can be built –

To Be Continued...