I write this post as I return from a week of vacation with my family. As my daughter is in her early teen years, we enjoyed a few days at one of the well-known, large amusement parks in Orlando, Florida. Ironically enough, they were preparing a new ride that will be opening later this year. It looks like that the new ride starts with standing in line in the hot Florida sun to get into the ride. Once inside, you can enjoy the illusion of standing in line in 3D, and then exit through the gift shop, where you can buy a small figurine of four people standing in line for only $39.95…
As I got to spend lots of time waiting in lines, I began to think about another opportunity that we get to spend waiting: the time spent waiting for our business to grow.
I always explain to potential home inspection students, before they enroll in my inspection school, that it takes a while to build a successful home inspection company. On average, it takes the typical inspector between one and three years to develop a client base that is large enough to provide a stream of inspections consistent enough to yield a steady income.
There are certainly exceptions to every rule. Some lucky home inspectors hit the ground running, developing a successful business in less than a year. And while this is the exception and not the rule, everyone believes that their business will be one of the exceptions.
One of the most repeated phrases in the English language is ‘patience is a virtue.’ While patience is certainly important when starting any new venture in life, business or otherwise, it should always be mixed in with a healthy dose of reality. Not everyone will be successful at everything that they attempt.
Please do not misinterpret this to mean that I am against trying new things in life (or business), as I certainly am not making that suggestion. I have tried (and failed) at numerous new ventures in my life/business.
There is a famous quote, that has been attributed to several different people, that says “If you are not failing, you are not trying.” This explains that our successes are born from our failures; that we learn from our mistakes. We never know which one of our hair-brained schemes will be the one that will lead us to success!
It is important to remember that we should always strive for success, in life as well as in business. However, it is equally important to understand when to change tactics and try something new. Jarod Knitz, American author and motivational quote machine said “Wisdom is knowing when you are being patient, and when you are wasting time by waiting.”
We should try our best to be patient, but always be vigilant for our next opportunity.
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Thanks, Joe
