It's a sorta no-brainer when you need help in business:
Flummoxed, bewildered, stuck. But what kind of help do you
really need? Do you need to take a class, read books, hire
a coach, or get peer-support?
It's a big question. Without the right support and
education, everything you're working for can fall apart.
But, the wrong support can be expensive, time-consuming and
overwhelming.
The first stage of growth:The world of
education.
When you walk a spiritual path, there are different stages
that a murid ('murid' is a Sufi word for spiritual student)
goes through.
In the beginning of spiritual walking, there is a lot of
foundational work that is done, learning about your ego and
the tricks it plays, as well as learning the basic
practices that help to control and clean the ego, such as
prayers, chants, movements, fasting, etc.
In your business, when you are learning something new,
there is a lot of terrain to cover. Foundational nuts and
bolts knowledge, and learning basic practices that help
your business to thrive, and not run rampant in all
directions, scattering your energy and efforts.
The second stage of growth:The world of light.
There comes a time in the spiritual life of the murid when
the nuts and bolts are in place, and the heart has been
emptied enough to be able to contain the light and knowing
of the Divine Presence.
And, in your business, when it is solid enough to stand on
its own two feet, when it is a thriving creature, there
comes a time when it can also contain a deeper presence.
You don't exactly break the rules of business, but you play
with them and around them, like jazz plays with the musical
scales.
You always have to honor your foundational roots, but the
fluidity of the light invigorates the whole with a Presence
that goes beyond formula.
For one: groups.For the second: solitude.
After several years of working with hundreds of business
owners, I've found that for the vast majority of people,
the first stage is best done in a group. The feedback from
many different people, the companionship of others in a
similar place, the foundational nature of the knowledge
being learned all adds to the momentum of the group and
each individual within the group.
In any pilgrimage, you can only be accompanied so far. In
the spiritual journey there comes a time when you must
travel mostly alone. There is a profound surrender that is
needed and you can't take refuge with companions, but
simply work intimately with a very knowledgeable guide.
Similarly, in your business, there will come a time to work
with a mentor, a coach, someone who can guide you. Since
you're trying to create a thriving business, and not
necessarily going for enlightenment, you don't have to wait
forever before you are ready for this stage.
It will come, sooner than you think. But, how can you tell
which stage you are in, if it will be more helpful to be in
a group or working one-on-one?
Ahhh... grasshopper. Let me share what I know. :)
Keys to being a business student
Don't let experience blind you.
If you are ambitious, a quick learner, or if you've had a
lot of experience with other subjects, you may be tempted
to jump directly into graduate-level learning by hiring an
expensive coach, or taking some advanced, comprehensive,
in-depth class. Don't do this.
If you don't know enough about the subject, whether it's
marketing, financial management, or website construction,
to feel confident teaching a beginner's class, then allow
yourself the freedom of being the beginner.
In this case, you are going to be better off reading books
and articles, listening to audio, attending teleclasses and
talks. Get as much information as you can. Learn the
terrain before you commit yourself too deeply.
Don't go it alone.
Form a study group for yourself. I've long been an advocate
of mastermind groups, and this is a perfect example of how
a no-cost peer study group can help you practice,
implement, and work with what you are learning at the
beginner level.
Learning requires knowledgeable feedback.
One of the dangers of learning on your own is that it's
easy to take on a misunderstanding early in the process,
and then build all of your later learning on that
misunderstanding. Not a very stable foundation.
You can avoid this by augmenting your peer-supported
learning through taking courses and joining forums where
people you respect and can learn from are available. This
will help give you crucial guidance as you put together
what you need to learn.
Bumping your head against a ceiling?
Hey, the terrain is feeling familiar. You know the ins and
outs of your business, and you are getting some consistent
results. Now, your choices expand.
If you enjoy working in groups, you can continue by taking
advanced small-group courses. But, the time is probably
drawing near when you could really use a mentor, a coach, a
guide.
Someone who can connect with you personally, and challenge
you beyond your complacencies. Who gets to know you well
enough to point out blind spots. Who can help you with the
profound transformation that comes when you expand into
your greatness while supporting a deeper surrender into
your humility.
Remember the first world of education where your business
can find stability with the nuts and bolts. And then you
can proceed into the second world of light, where you can
find guidance to move into the humility of your business'
greatness.
Mark Silver: Is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your
Business: How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your
Heart, Heal the World, and Still Add to Your Bottom Line.
He has helped hundreds of small business owners around the
globe succeed in business without lousing their hearts. Get
three free chapters of the book online: http://www.heartofbusiness.com.
