It sure makes me feel good when a plan comes together and I accomplish something with a good ending. I reach a goal. That happened to me earlier this week. What made it feel good was I had a lot of struggle and failure before I got to feel that experience of success. It proves to me that it takes diversity to make success taste so sweet.
I had suffered pointless cyber attacks on my web store that forced my ISP (Internet Service Provider) to shut down my store several times. The details are printed elsewhere but let me say it was a very disappointing time for me. I was forced into a decision about how to handle the situation.
This surprise chain of events changed everything in my comfort zone for two full months.
I made a decision that totally re-envisions what I am going to do with my ecommerce website. Was I going to keep it running? I decided, yes! The attacks were not my choice, but what to do because of them was my choice and a new goal.
I learned a totally new process of assembling the necessary computer server hardware and internet connections in a place known as the cloud. I picked a modern software program to manage the look and operation of the store. Being the cheapskate I am and a limited budget, I managed to learn those two totally new systems from studying the user guides and making many mistakes.
Sales almost totally stopped in this transition. I was able to bring the old site back to life for awhile and that was a small victory and a good feeling.
Now the switch is complete and everything new is in good working condition. Customers have come back and all the many bits and pieces of the new store have settled into their proper places. That is a score and a really refreshing feeling.
Over the last weekend I was able to get back to my lost wax silver casting in my workshop. I have been on a bit of a learning failure mode for awhile making bad casts. So with the store attack and a few struggles in the shop work, I was a bit depressed and a little fearful. But I decided to try again. Then I made two perfect casts.
Now my can-do spirit is totally lifted and I am feeling refreshed again. If I lived a totally perfect existence, there would be no joy to experience, just another boring day in paradise with nothing to compare.
I have discovered there is nothing (realistic) I cannot do when I put fear aside and totally commit to a personal goal. A goal without a plan is just a wish. A personal goal has to be something I want to do and not necessarily the will of others. I am not obstinate. Good plans require solid decisions and I enjoy making my own. The reward is that totally refreshing feeling of accomplishment from working my plan until it has all come together.
Doing “what’s expected” when there is something else (maybe harder) I really want to be doing, is difficult. I don’t always do what others expect. Sometimes the easy decision is not always the best. I can fail doing what I don’t like as well as fail doing what I like. I’d rather do the later. Success is so much more rewarding doing what I like.
I believe leaders break new ground because they like doing the unexpected. They like to face new risks and overcome new challenges. Almost 30 years ago I took a major step towards my own destiny by leaving the family business. That was a hard decision. But family businesses are either a dictatorship or full of compromises, usually a little of both. Once I experienced the rewards of setting my own goals and following my plan, I was hooked. I continue to meet other’s expectations when we share the same goal. That’s a plan too, developing those mutual expectations.
Success is even sweeter when it can be shared.