Article: Are You In The Business Of Creating Happiness?

A common perception is that success in business is about selling as many products and services as possible, at the highest price possible, in order to make as much money as possible. I suggest that a truly successful business is one that strives to create as much happiness as possible for customers, team members and business owners, while turning a profit in the process.

When business is done in ways that honor and support everyone involved, the business is positioned to serve the purpose of creating greater happiness and success in the world as a whole. Its purpose becomes a more encompassing endeavor, one that is not solely focused on providing wealth to the owners, investors and board members.

All of this begins with customers, the life-blood of any successful business. If they are not happy with the products and services provided to them in exchange for their hard-earned dollar, they will not return or have great things to say about your company.

When you consider each customer, it is important to see them as a human being that has graced your business with their patronage, not as a dollar sign that feeds your bottom-line. By not taking customers for granted, you will treat them with the respect and caring they deserve and they will become raving fans of you, your team and your business.

The same applies to your valuable team members. They allow your company to function, and without their dedication, it would be extremely hard – if not impossible – to conduct your business as you do. Their agreement to give large portions of their lives in order to earn a living and help you do business should also not be taken for granted. Like you, your team members have dreams of happiness and success, and their families depend on them just as yours do on you.

Team members are not cogs in the wheel of your business, they are human beings. When you treat them with dignity, just as you would want to be treated, they will give their best to you and your customers. Your team members are the conduit between your business and your customers; the better care you take of them, the better care they will take of you.

In my work with a variety of companies, I have witnessed the dramatic differences between businesses that truly care about their customers and team members, and those who do not. It is wise and helpful to work with a qualified professional who can coach you to becoming a great business leader who strives to create as much happiness and success as possible for everyone involved.

You would not want your customers or team members to take you for granted, or to limit your dreams. As a business owner, it is vital that you lead by example toward the outcomes you want to achieve. When you operate from the mindset that others want to be just as happy and successful as you do, you will see and treat people differently. Through this larger perspective, customers and team members cease to be objects necessary to achieve your financial dreams; they become critical links in a chain that creates happiness and success throughout the process of doing business.

There is more to your business success than money, prestige and power. When your customers look forward to doing business with you, when your team members consistently come to work and give their best, and when you lead with a powerful example of truly caring about others, you will experience personal and entrepreneurial happiness, while your business prospers.

It is true that you cannot please everyone. Some customers and team members will never be satisfied with your exceptional efforts. In your pursuit of greater happiness and success, you will need to let certain customers and team members go. However, and without fail, the companies that choose to operate with a “win-win-win” perspective – where happy customers, team members and owners succeed – are the most rewarding companies to do business with, work for and run.

The bottom line is that your customers, your team members and you are all in business together. When you operate from this balanced perspective, one that includes the best interests of everyone involved, and not just yours, the success of your business – and the happiness you create – will exceed anything you ever imagined.

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Take a chance, pursue possibility, and explore potential so that you may discover yourself, and therefore, your greatest life.

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The gift of life was bestowed upon you yet again this morning as you opened your eyes. Embrace this most wonderful gift with your sincere gratitude, so that you may move into your new day with a full heart and a happy mind.

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Look upon yourself, others and life through the most appreciative and compassionate eyes you can. Come to see the beauty in all things.

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Once upon a time, there was a man who was afraid of the unknown. He lived his life in the shadows of his fears. At the end of his life he said, “Why was I afraid to try, to experience, to live? Now I am out of time, and there is so much life that I did not live”. Don't be afraid. Be alive. Your life is happening right now, and now is the time to live.

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Let your desire for happiness be your guiding principle in life.

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The circumstances in your day may not be what you were hoping for ideally, but it is how they play out in your mind that matters. Make the most of the day you have been given, by choosing to perceive your circumstances in a constructive way. Your thoughts are the building blocks of your reality.

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Put your best forward. Be considerate, extend a helpful hand wherever you can, be a team player in the game of life and create win-win situations everywhere you go. Life is great, when we are at our best.

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From the moment you wake, until you fall asleep, your life is filled with gifts. Gratitude brings you into your life as it is, and lets you experience the best therein. Cultivate a grateful mindset so you will embrace the gifts in your life, and enjoy more passion, contentment and happiness.

Article: Are You Succumbing To The Pressure Of Competition?

I have met with many business owners who have lost their way in the face of “competition” with other companies. They have taken on negative attitudes toward these businesses and their owners, especially when that business is out-performing them or has come to town and “taken” market share that they once dominated.

This negative mindset is not necessary or helpful, and if this is you, it is wise to let it go. Focusing your valuable time on what another company may or may not be doing, and being negative about their success will ultimately limit yours. This mindset will also decrease the amount of happiness you can experience in operating your own business.

In reality, all businesses in a given market sector are vying for the loyalty and patronage of a limited number of customers. However, you will not increase your reach with customers by allowing yourself to become consumed by the negative thoughts that are associated with a victim mentality.

Rather than becoming embittered by others doing business in the same sector, choose to be empowered: Control what you can – how you, your team and your company operate on a daily basis -- and let the rest go.

Focus upon your own business and study how it operates. Evaluate the effectiveness of your leadership, consider the performance of your managers and the entire team, look at the quality of the products and/or services you offer, and discover where you can improve. By taking this action-oriented approach, you will fuel your progress to the next level, because your attention will be solidly focused on how you can stand out in the marketplace through becoming the very best company you can be.

It may be in your best interest to work with a qualified professional to help you discover where you can make significant improvements, and to implement the action steps necessary to be an exceptional company. The organizations I work with have found this to be a powerful approach. Greater clarity can be achieved through a third party who will work alongside you to explore your business from top to bottom with a neutral and objective point of view.

Once you have discovered where you can improve, it is vital that you and your team work together to swiftly implement the corrective solutions that have been agreed upon. If you want to lead the way in customer satisfaction and loyalty -- if you what to standout in your sector and if you want to grow – necessary changes must be made and followed through to completion. Here again, an effective third party can be a strong resource in getting the job done, and done well.

Every business owner I have worked work with across the country, has found this self-focused and self-accountable approach to be not only effective, but liberating as well. They have discovered the freedom, empowerment and success that can only be possible with undistracted attention placed upon their own operations and the task of creating a great company.

As you shift your focus away from the “competition” and back to your business, you will quickly notice how much more you are able to accomplish with the extra mental energy you were previously giving away. And, once you have implemented the changes that will take your company to new heights, you will enjoy the increased happiness and success that come with these improvements.

There are only two approaches to viewing marketplace “competition”: You can become negatively focused on others and take your company away from the success you desire to experience, or you can turn your attention toward your own company and your potential success. The second is a self-disciplined approach that will position you to face the reality of how you can improve your business operations, make effective changes, and enjoy the fruits of your powerful efforts. Be wise in your choice here, seek out any professional help you might need, and get to work building the best company you can.

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In the whole of life there is only one you. Be grateful for your uniqueness, embrace it and let it shine. The world is a better place with YOU in it.

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You are the primary ingredient in your life. The thoughts you entertain, the actions you take and the words you use affect your state of happiness. They also move out into the world, and through this ripple effect, you touch the lives of others. Shine from within, and watch how your relationships and your life grow brighter.

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It is wise to never underestimate the sheer power of your thoughts. They are the building blocks of the actions you take, the words you speak, the feelings you have and the reality you experience. The more empowered your thoughts are, the greater you life will be.

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The earth, refreshed from a nights rain. The sun, peeking over the eastern horizon and shining a soft pinkish-orange light across the land. The breeze, gently moving the morning air that is rich with moisture, and bringing the sweet smell of morning to my nose. Oh, this glorious life!

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Enter each day of your life with the powerful intention to think your best thoughts, speak your best words and take your best actions. Learn everything you can, implement this knowledge, become even more of the amazing person you are and finish each day with self-respect.

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You will never know how great life is, until you let it be as great as it can be. Open up. Free yourself from the past. Let gratitude fill your heart and mind. Embrace life, and allow happiness to flourish within.

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Rather than focusing on all that you cannot change, focus on who you are, what you do, how you can contribute and on having a positive impact today.

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Why doubt yourself, when you can believe in you? Why have self-loathing, when you can enjoy self-love? Why neglect you, when you can nurture yourself? Always explore your thoughts about yourself, and choose the highest ones you can. Believe in you. Love, and nurture yourself.

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Praise Yourself!
Praise Others!
Praise Life!

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Every day you make a multitude of decisions. Most of them turn our quite well, while some do not. Remember to give yourself credit for the positive steps you make, as you also learn and grow from the things you could have done differently. Celebrating your victories creates the needed momentum to produce more victories in your life.

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Embrace your physical abilities; run, laugh, sing, play and enjoy them. Do all that you can with whatever level of health you are blessed with, because it is one of life’s fleeting treasures. Be grateful for your health.

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Give your utmost to everything you are a part of, so that the very best in you may shine forth into the lives of others.

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Where there is life, there is possibility. Take a deep breath, look around, listen and embrace your life as it is right now, so that you may recognize the opportunities for greater happiness and success in your life.