After a cold winter, a group of kids is lined up alongside the edge of a lake. One kid challenges the next to jump in, but he balks. So does the child next to him, and the one standing on the other side. Each one protests, afraid to jump in what could be icy water.
At last, one boy announces, “I’ll do it!” After taking a deep breath, in he goes. Emerging seconds later with a great big grin on his face, he tells the others, “Hey, it’s not bad at all!” And within moments, the rest of the group dives in after him.
Business is like that, especially business in a poor economy. It can be frightening to stick your neck out, even in the best of times. Yet the current economic environment can actually offer exceptional opportunities for those who are willing to step out, jump in and take on the challenge.
The courage to take on new challenges is one of the most important ingredients to success. Global empires have been built on the concept, and I can honestly say that I owe my own career to it. Furthermore, businesses and individuals are both attracted to a positive attitude. As a leader, if you can project your own energy and passion onto the people who work for you, I promise it will get passed along. It is absolutely contagious, yet something that cannot be faked. If you look at a company like Apple, you’ll see that Steve Jobs’ original vision has permeated into contemporary culture. Of any brand, consumers who purchase Apple products are among the most loyal and passionate.
Without courage and a can-do attitude, potential opportunities can easily be missed, as a leader becomes mired in fear and negativity. Let’s face it, there are always going to be downturns in life and in business. Who are the people and companies best equipped to handle it? It’s not the ones who feel the storm will never pass, but those who look at it as a chance to do things differently and look at their lives or organizations in new ways.
One day, I was at the office of HoMedics, a company specializing in personal health products. It was in the midst of dealing with the return of 40,000 pillows from a retailer. There was nothing wrong with the product, but the retailer hadn’t struck upon a successful way to sell it. I played with a pillow for a bit and thought, “I can do something with this. I know I can.” I began bubbling with excitement and issued them a challenge: “Let me try selling it on HSN. If I can sell all 40,000 units, I get a percentage of ownership in the pillow.”
Giving up a piece of a product can be tough for any company. But the pillow was underperforming and the management team at HoMedics knew my reputation. My passionate willingness to commit sold them on the idea, and they decided to take a leap of faith along with me. The long and short of it? Both HoMedics and I wound up very happy with our arrangement. I sold out the pillow through my shopping channel appearance, and to date, I’ve succeeded in more than 4 million more.
Not that you should ever proceed recklessly, but it is one thing to be realistic about a given situation and quite another to allow yourself to be paralyzed by it. In any given business situation, you have to do your homework, examine all the facts you’re dealing with, identify all the positives and negatives and then make a decision. If you choose to go for it — whether it’s expanding your production line, buying that piece of property or opening new stores — do so with commitment and enthusiasm.
Yes, it can be frightening staring into the unknown, whether you’re the kid standing at the edge of the water or the businessperson contemplating a move with major financial consequences. But if you step out in faith, armed with a well-thought-out plan, a positive attitude and a focused determination to succeed, you may find that the water’s just perfect.
Tony Little is the president, CEO and founder of Health International Corp. Known as “America’s personal trainer,” he has been a television icon for more than 20 years. After overcoming a near-fatal car accident that nearly took his life, Tony learned how to turn adversity into victory. Known for his wild enthusiasm, Tony is responsible for revolutionizing direct response marketing and television home shopping. Today his company has sold more than $3 billion of product. Contact Tony via his website, www.tonylittle.com or by e-mail at [email protected].
