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by
Debra S. Valle
Fuel for your business
On the most fundamental, organic level, human beings are virtually identical—and so are
the “bodies” of our businesses. Just as our bodies each possess hearts, lungs, kidneys,
and spines, so too do most businesses feature certain common foundational elements—such as
marketing, accounting, sales and distribution, and infrastructure. Should one or more of these
organs or departments fail to work effectively and interdependently, we wouldn't stay in business very long.
However, the “bodies” of our businesses are only 50% of the equation. What is it that
makes us, as individuals, as different from each other as our businesses are unique? That spirit,
that beautiful unique energy that emanates from each of us in its unique way, might be called
our “souls.”
For me, and for the purposes of this article, the “soul” is what keeps us inspired to
live and share and to contribute to our best self each and every day. How we remain inspired, creative
and focused, how we stayed fueled by hope, faith and trust when there are no visible reasons to
believe, how we remain balanced and open to new opportunities when none are in sight is the realm of
the “soul” and our connectedness to that which is greater than ourselves.
When our souls are out of alignment either personally or professionally, sustaining forward
momentum, staying on course, and having faith that our plans and objectives will be met—or if
not met revealed to us in a different light—is virtually impossible.
The question then becomes, “How do we get in touch with the souls of our businesses so we can
remain on task when the going gets tough, and then be willing to change course when insight is provided?”
The spirit within our businesses
Each of us is motivated by a spirit within—a passion—that keeps us present to our
ever-changing “selves” in relationship to our businesses.
Our “fuel” is . . .
- Hope—hope that what we seek for our business is attainable, even when we don't know
how something might be achieved.
- Faith—faith that success, either as we have envisioned it or in some unexpected manner,
will one day be ours. Faith comes with a certain knowing within; it's what we know is attainable if only
we stay the course.
- Trust—trust in ourselves and our abilities, and knowing we are on the right path.
This fuel—this spirit within—is what keeps us moving forward into an unseen and unknowable future.
Sustaining momentum
Our businesses are organic structures requiring attention and time. In last month's
Fuel, using
the body as a metaphor for our businesses, we identified the business organs that were working, what needed
a workout, or were completely missing. We might imagine a similar inquiry to discover what's working and
what's missing in the souls of our businesses—only the process for getting there is a little different.
When I find that my motivation starts to waver and I begin to wonder if my business plans are going awry,
I complete a simple exercise that helps keep me focused and inspired. I start by reviewing several quotations
about “Hope,” “Faith” and “Trust” that I find particularly compelling
(see Fuel for your soul). I then ask myself series of questions designed to help me get to the heart of
the matter and to identify the source of my derailment. More often then not, I find that by
simply answering these questions I am able to quickly get back on track.
See Fuel cells for details on how you can make this simple—yet powerful—process work for you.
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Fuel cells
Simply knowing about the body and soul of your business isn't enough. You need to commit to
taking actions that cement your foundation and keep you pointed forward.
Use the process outlined below to wrap
your arms and your mind around the soul of your business:
- Read the quotations in Fuel for your soul. Read them several times until you feel
you really understand the message they are trying to convey.
- Now answer the following questions. Be sure to record your responses either on paper or using your computer.
“What is it that I hope for?”
“How do I sustain that hope?”
“What causes my spirit to derail?”
“How do I stay present to prevailing and ever-changing winds and still remain on task?”
“How can I let go and not be desperate for what does not occur in my business?”
“How do I keep both oars in the waters of Faith, Hope and Trust?”
- Review your answers and start another list, labeling it “Daily Actions I am willing to take.”
- Write down the steps you are willing to take in the next week, the next month, and the next 90 days to keep your
spirit alive and embracing a future that cannot be known or seen.
- Combine these actions with those from last month's “The Body of Your Business” exercise. You should now have
the makings of a “mini” action plan that comprises the steps you are willing to take to get the body and
soul of your business back on track and to keep it there.
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Fuel for your soul
Consider these words of wisdom:
Hope
“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is
live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.”
– Barbara Kingsolver
“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood...Make big plans, aim high in hope and work.”
– Daniel H. Burnham
“To Hope means to be ready at every moment for that which is not yet born, and yet not become
desperate if there is no birth in our lifetime.”
– Erich Fromm
Faith
“Talk unbelief, and you will have unbelief; but talk faith, and you will have faith. According
to the seed sown will be the harvest.”
– Ellen G. White
“In actual life every great enterprise begins with and takes its first forward step in faith.”
– Friedrich Von Schlegel
“Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith.”
– Saint Francis of Assisi
Trust
“When I'm trusting and being myself . . . everything in my life reflects this by falling into place easily, often
miraculously.”
– Shakti Gawain
“Sometimes we need to just do the best we can and then trust in an unfolding we can't design or ordain.”
– Sharon Salzberg, O Magazine
“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by
fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”
– Foster C. McClellan
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