How the jack of all trades syndrome kills businesses

I will start by sharing a story. Imagine you won a bonanza that says that you will cart away as many cars you can push into motion. You walk up to a car and begin pushing. You do. You do it hard.

It doesn’t go very far because you saw the road is rough and the car may not be the right one for your size, someone else comes up and tells you that other cars actually move easily when you push them. Since you have options, you stop, think and then you move to another car, while someone else, newcomer starts pushing car the car you abandoned.

This one was big, but people have said once you push hard, it will run fast, then you to start pushing, you push- and push. Then you remember; automatic-drive cars can’t be pushed easily, so you move on to a different car instead. Meanwhile the other newcomer (let’s call him frank), is still trying to get car number one to move. You get desperate, since you car number three doesn’t look easy after three push attempts you look for a fast way to get one to move. So at the urging of someone else, let’s just call him a “businessman”, you move on to car number four while Frank continues to stay with car number one.

You get kind of frustrated with car number three because the darn thing just doesn’t move much when you push on it. In disgust, you move on to car number five, six and seven because someone you know told you or you thought that they would be better. All the while, our simple Frank sticks with car number one.

After a few hours you haven’t gotten anywhere. You were only able to move the cars just a little bit and you’ve decided to call it quits because there must be something wrong with all the cars, even hopeless Frank, Frank?.. You look around and then that you notice it…

…Frank and car number one are gone.They are nowhere to be seen.

You see, while you went from car to car, pushing a little and then moving on when results didn’t come fast enough, Frank continued pushing. And pushing. He will readjust, and then push again.

And car number one started rolling. Slowly at first, but then faster. Soon, the car gathered speed and then moved on down the road.

Morals from the story?

1. The bonanza-the truth

The “ticket” we all have is that we can all succeed at anything we put our minds to do if only we stay at it long enough and if we work hard enough. Access to different cars represent business ideas and prospects, in various sectors of the economy. Skills/strengths required to succeed needs to be developed within ourselves, but the opportunities are endless. The internet is awash with possibilities and has left even the jobless and penniless without excuses.

With the current income streams sweeping the Nigerian market; FOREX, fixed odds, stocks, gold, import commodities, solid minerals, agriculture e.t.c. it will only take a choice and dedication before we begin to reap returns. The possibilities are great.

2.The car-business growth

Few businesses begin to post profits the very first week, or months of inception. Most business like the stationary car, have the potential for growth but it will not grow until we push- and this takes time. The only plant that is grew in a day died the same day-we need to choose a primary business ideas and get it in motion.

It has been said that we need to push the business, even when it seems not to be yielding quick returns, for it a while it will roll. Every business seen as a success today had a beginning. The visionary decided on what to do, then he/she worked, worked smartly applying different methods and systems to ensure the car (business) begins to move on its own. They do not give up at the beginning, when there is massive investment of time and resources to ensure that the business succeeds. They are actually seeking to run businesses and not to go on a spending spree when there are slight posts of profit and gains. You got to choose a car (business) and stick to it!

3.The businessman- quick and fast and our greed!

In every business, there are guinea pigs, people who are used for experiments, the losers and the jonses; people who rush into the next big program and the next business that people say is working. They are the people that others make the money from; people who buy huge penny stocks but cannot get anyone to buy them, people who run into scammers in their bid to travel out fast, people who buy robots for forex only to scream foul later. Remember the fest and the furious?- the businessman is fast, you later become furious! You may find out later that the businessman went away with the car you wouldn’t push.

This works on two things; our laziness and our greed. Even with MLMs which seized the Nigerian market like a virus, it was required that you work. Beware of systems, schemes and robots-for forex traders that promise you returns without using your brain. The famous defunct investment schemes are pointers to that fact.

Most of us do not work long enough but jump on every current bandwagon that people say its working. It’s working, yes, but will it work for you?

4.The disease/symptom

The problem the man had, and most businesses and entrepreneurs have is what is called “the-grass- is-greener-on-the-other-side” syndrome. The truth is that there is an abundance of potential in the mind that thinks, there are endless possibilities and ideas that can transform nations and business if only-only if we stick to the game plan, stick-to-it.

Every man thinks the other man has an easier business and if we plunge into it we will make “it”-fast!, we also think when we are into this and that at least one of them will work, but you will not be an authority in any.

Must I stick with one? What about multiple streams of income?

Focus is key, many of us want to start many businesses but it is smarter to be successful in one, then the experience and resources can then be extended into the other areas. I personally know a man who was known to in 5years had practiced to be a tailor, singer, printer, bread, beer and block distributor. Today I find him strolling selling newspapers and he was wondering why he has not succeeded. I wonder why he should!

It’s time to move beyond the bandwagon, it’s time to start producing from all you are interested in; move beyond the readers, consumers and users; it’s time you decide which area you want to make your first million, first two million. It’s your choice…

Sit down and decide, plan and please, stick to it.