BNI Minnesota & N. Wisconsin Blog

By B. Scott Binion

If you were outside in two feet of snow with temperatures below zero, would you take off your boots to shovel the driveway?  Of course not!  But did you know that a lot of business owners do that very thing, maybe not literally, but in how they operate their business?  They remove or change something as a pure reaction instead of thinking it through like they should. 

Here are a few examples:

• Let go of your “star” sales person due to a bad couple of months
• Spend needed funds on non essential things, such as that fancy new red sportscar
• Stopping what’s working like your networking activities because it takes too much time

I’m sure there are a thousand other examples of “when the boots come off in the cold” you can think of.  To put it bluntly, you most likely will sacrifice future gains for a so-called urgent course of action.  Which usually leads to unfavorable results.

Before you take those boots off, think about how cold it will be.  Same with your networking, count the cost before making drastic business-changing decisions.  It may cost you more than you think.

If you have cold feet right now, call one of us at BNI Minnesota and let’s see what can be done to get your networking activities ready for the New Year.

By B. Scott Binion, CPA, MBA

• If only I could have had one more week to get ready
• If only I had closed that deal and got the project, my year would look great
• If only I stayed away from doing work for them, what a hassle
• If only things could be different!

The answer is “You’re right!”  Things would not be the same as they are today, they would be much different.  Constantly knocking yourself for missed opportunities or deals gone bad does one great big thing for you……..causes REGRET!  If only I could have or should have or would have – Oh there I go again, got to stop doing that.

So next time you are about to use one of those “shoulda, coulda, woulda” terms – STOP!  Instead reflect on what is going right. Dwelling on what you missed out on doesn’t help anyone.  You can’t change one thing about what happened in the past.  Come to think of it, right now you can’t change anything in the future.  But, you can immediately impact the now or present.

If you want to learn more about my regrets – I mean the ways to make an impact on where you are now, call me today and I’d be happy to listen.  Make this year the best of your life – that’s what I’m going to do! 

by B. Scott Binion

Have you ever encountered one of those persons that are “directionally challenged” or can’t find there way out of a paper bag?  I’m one of those people.  Just ask my wife, kids, friends, or clients.  Maybe you are too!  So when someone tells me to “Take the Next Right” I do exactly that.  Most likely their directions will get me where I want to go.  Don’t know what I’d do without MapQuest or Yahoo Maps!

When you hear that same phrase – “take the next right” - what does it make you think of?  It may mean a turn to get you to your next appointment.  It may steer you away from getting to the wrong place.  It may just mean simple-to-follow directions.  All could be true.  It may still be some sort of directions, but in a more profound and practical way.  

Think of it like this – “What is the Next Right Thing to do?  Meaning - what is the next action that is right for you at this very moment. I can’t take credit for the overall concept; it came from my friend and pastor, Roger Thompson.  In a recent sermon, Roger taught this concept with many illustrations and practical applications, such as being a great husband or wife, a strong role model for your kids, and so on.  All very meaningful to those who took his advice. I sure did and hope to follow it for a long time.

How about applying it to your business as well?  Here are a few variations of doing the next right thing in your professional and business life:

·     “Take” means you have to do something first to get results

·     “Next” implies moving forward and moving on from the past

·     “Right” can mean a direction, a good decision, or steering away

TAKE the next right.

The word “Take” does in fact mean you must have action in order to change your current situation.  That first step is most often the hardest to do.  In my practice I have seen countless very talented and gifted business owners dead in their tracks because they can’t seem to take that first step.  Frankly, both you and I most likely have been in that situation too.  But once a few steps are taken in the right direction, momentum will begin to build, and meaningful results will happen.  Only with taking action will your desired outcomes occur – almost all successful people have found a way to get that first step behind them.  As the saying goes, “it’s down here from there.”

Take the NEXT right.

Hearing someone say “Next” makes me think of starting again.  No matter what mistakes have been made, yesterday or even today – and everyone makes their fair share – you can move forward time and time again.  You can always say next!  One of the keys is not saying it too often.  If you keep your mistakes to a minimum and limit the times you have to say “next,” what a solid foundation you will have to build upon.  With fewer mistakes, a stronger person or company can begin to emerge.  

Take the next RIGHT.

When my wife says take the next right, I usually do – she is not directionally challenged like me.  Before you can take action, you at least need to know what direction you want to go.  That’s where “Right” comes into play.  Fortunately, life offers many directions to take.  Some lead to lessons learned, others to fortunes revealed.  Nevertheless, you need to make the right decision or your path can become overwhelming.  With the right decision, success can also be just around the corner.

Sometimes the “Right” thing to do is to stop doing something.  I have a consultant friend that explains it in a short story like this; a business owner just can’t seem to figure out the solution to a problem.  He hires a consultant to help.  After reviewing the problem, the consultant asks the business owner one question – “what are you doing when this happens?”  The business owner says it happens every time I do this!  My friend simply says STOP doing that and it won’t happen again!  Your next right thing may be to stop doing those things that prevent you from achieving success.

When you hear someone say “Take the Next Right” I take it you will think of it differently now.  Remember, you have to start somewhere, so take that first step.  Make the next move to where you want to go, no matter where you have been before.  Combine it with a right decision, and your next right may truly mean a successful journey awaits you.

Hurry, TAKE that NEXT RIGHT and get closer to your success today!