Hi! Welcome back! Today I’d like to begin discussing advice on success from the book Nuts! By Kevin and Jackie Freiberg; in it they look at the crazy methods used by Southwest Airlines to achieve personal and business success. I’m actually going to start my review by looking at the last chapter entitled Go Nuts!; which offers some great advice for anybody but especially for today’s business entrepreneur. I’ll quote right from the book “The malady of our time is that so many people have lost their sense of meaning, purpose and dignity. Alienated and empty, these people go home exhausted and dehumanized”. I think this statement captures what many Americans are feeling today as they struggle to remake their lives after the economic crisis of 2008.
Much like the Great Depression of the 1930’s today’s depression is filled with haves and have not’s. If you are like me you are wondering when your number will be called and someone will give you an opportunity to demonstrate your skill set. However, if you’ve had the good fortune to still be employed other than higher gas and food prices you world probably hasn’t changed all that much.
Find a purpose you’re crazy about. That’s the first tip offered in the last chapter of Nuts! Most of us yearn to do something meaningful with our lives here on earth and contribution in some way to a cause that has meaning to us. I recently saw a Movie entitled “Keeper of the Keys” in which somebody said that we all have different talents and that it was “impossible to dream about doing something we don’t have an ability to do”. I’ve always fancied myself as a coach and now I’m attempting to become a business coach, I think it’s the right thing to do now at this stage in my life. I think I will succeed if my faith in God and myself is strong enough.
Make your life and work an adventure. “Become more curious, interested and inquisitive, wake up and start seeking new challenges; refuse to settle for mediocrity in yourself or in others.” You know how it is when you purchase a new car and suddenly everywhere you look people are driving the same car you just bought? Well that’s what it is like for me starting my consulting practice suddenly I’m noticing how many people in our country make their living by doing their own thing either with their hands, head or heart. It’s encouraging really to know that although it’s a bit scary to put yourself on there alone and attempt to earn your money based solely on what you know and can do that millions of others are doing it successfully as well and showing you that you can do it to if you believe in yourself.
Believe in people and they will believe in themselves. Success and confidence goes hand in hand you really can’t have one without the other. In order to be successful in any aspect of life you have to have the self-confidence and courage to go for what you want to do. The authors state “take a moment to see people not as they are, but as they can be.” When you do two things are possible one people will perform according to the vision you have of them and secondly your faith in people and their potential maybe restored.
Don’t take yourself too seriously. I think that is excellent advice for the new entrepreneur. As a business owners it’s all up to you to make it happen but people are people and we are going to make mistakes, say stupid things, act clumsy at time but instead of worrying about that shrug it off and laugh about it—it’s good for soul and mental health.
Dare to dream. The author’s state “Dreams stimulate our senses and awaken our entrepreneurial spirit. They fuel our imagination, release our creative energy, and draw forth a deep sense of commitment to action. It’s difficult to take action toward something you can’t envision. It’s almost impossible to envision something you don’t dream about. People who lose their dreams have nothing to hope for and, without hope; they have nothing to live for. Dreams help us experience the richness of life.”
I love that paragraph I think every person who attempts to start a business is a dreamer and we need more of them in our country today. When you reflect on it many of man’s significant accomplishments started out as ideas and were completed by people who had the courage to dream. So dream it’s good for you and the country just not while you are driving please.
Dare to be different. Southwest Airlines makes room for the novel, unexpected and unpredictable. When people came with fresh ideas that made sense they went for it! Why not try it! If it fails, learn from it, laugh and move on. If it works celebrate with the people that made it happen.
Finally Pursue love before techniques. The author’s make a profound statement “The tragedy of our time is that we’ve got it backwards. We’ve learned to love techniques and use people.” If you’ve been in the business world as long as I have you recall all though cost cutting measures, reengineering, right sizing efforts that really didn’t in many cases improve product quality or customer service they just kicked a lot of good people to the curb.
I hope you found some nuggets of sound advice in today’s blog. I’ll be reviewing the remainder of the book for other tips from Southwest Airlines play book next time. Author’s note--my blog posts have been inconsistent of late that’s because I’m making the switch from looking for a job to looking for projects and I’ve been on the road making contacts to find my first client and then the next one and the next. I hope to blog about work assignments in the future but right now I’m “kissing babies and shaking hands”. I hope to have my first presentation before the Seymour, Indiana Chamber of Commerce in a few weeks, if so I’ll write about it here.
Thanks for reading and until next time all my best! Jer.
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