1) Successful farmers and successful business owners are goal-oriented. They don’t live just for the day, but think ahead and plan well to increase their chances of a bountiful harvest later. If you’re not a planner, you’ll never make it as a farmer or a business owner. Even the “fly by the seat of your pants” risk-taker and genius visionary has to plan ahead and set goals if he wants to create a sustainable enterprise.
2) Successful farmers and successful business owners know that “planting seeds” isn’t enough. After planting comes daily nurturing, taking care of what you’ve planted. Neglect this all-important part of your business, including caring for your customers in a proactive way, and all your hard work will likely be negated. Planting seeds is only the beginning. Now the real work begins — and continues.
3) Successful farmers and successful business owners know that cutting corners is risky. Do things right the first time and reap the rewards later. Business owners who cut corners inevitably regret doing so at some point down the road. How many businesses have failed because of an attitude of “good enough” instead of “only the best”? “Good enough” is never good enough. Get that out of your head right now.
4) Successful farmers and successful business owners consider the acquired wisdom of others. Business owners who insist on going it alone, refusing to consider and weigh the experiences and advice of those who have gone before them, do so at their own peril. With organizations like BNI, SCORE, and the professionals we network with face-to-face and in our social media communities and tribes, we have a wealth of wisdom to draw on if we want to be successful. Take advantage of what others want to teach you!
5) Successful farmers and successful business owners are risk-takers, but finance-conscious. They know that carrying too much debt, or spending profits carelessly, can destroy the financial health of an enterprise. But they also know it’s imperative to invest in themselves, and be willing to take measured financial risks. So successful business owners invest carefully, thinking about their goals and how their spending will get them there. The careless investor and wild spender will find himself crying over his folly eventually.
