As you know I am constantly trying to educate myself. That means I often go on courses. Some are good. Some are bad. And some are just awful.
Most people think a course is bad because the subject is boring. I can tell you it has nothing to do with the subject. Accounting is boring and grey. Yet, as many of you who have been on one of my webinars know, it can be explained in a way that is not boring.
I usually go on a course or seminar and work on one principal. I just need to learn one thing that I can use in my business to make it better.
So, a few weeks back whilst on a course the presenter mentioned something, and light bulbs were blowing all over the place in my head. This was the equivalent of an EMP charge blowing all electrical equipment to Timbuktu.
The presenter said that if we want to do something we have to make it our identity.
Now I know what you are thinking. What the heck does that mean?
Well, let me explain by example. You want to lose weight and become healthy. This is a goal for most people. Yet very few manage to achieve it. Why?
That’s because although there is a goal – (lose weight, be healthy) and a system (I need to eat less and exercise more) we as humans rarely follow through.
And that is because we do not have an identity around this. The identity we should have is ‘I am a healthy and fit person’. That’s all well, but just telling yourself you are fit and healthy does not work if you are well, unfit and unhealthy. It’s a false affirmation and your brain knows it. It is also the reason most affirmations will fail unless there is real belief.
But what if we changed the identity to ‘I am becoming a fit and healthy person’ and then asking constantly ‘what does a fit and healthy person do?’
So next time there is mountainous food on the table the question/ statement should be ‘what would a fit and healthy person do right now?’ or ‘a truly fit and healthy person would not overindulge and as my ID is to be a fit and healthy person I will not overeat.’
In other words, ‘walking the talk’ and constantly asking the question what a person who has already achieved what you want to achieve would do or think.
This then got me thinking even more.
If we can relate this to personal things, can we use it in business? I think you can.
I often tell clients that the business they think they are in, is not the business they are in. Let me give you an example. We recently undertook a business planning meeting with one of our clients. They place and provide security guards. They also provide cleaners to commercial customers. If asked it would be logical to say they are a security and cleaning business. But are they?
We worked out that in fact they are experts at matching skilled manpower which uses innovative technology to customer needs.
The problem was they never saw themselves like that apart maybe from the owner. Because she did that day in day out it was part of her identity but not the business identity.
What if the whole business saw itself that way even if they did not feel they were? Is it possible that over time they would slowly start believing and allow it to become part of their identity too?
I believe you can. And that is how corporate identities are created. It starts from a personal identity which spreads and becomes a corporate or business identity. And if you live and breathe it, you become it.
So, I ask what is your corporate identity? Is it the identity you want? And if it’s not, what identity would you like to your business to have?
Identity of your business is step 3 of our 9 steps to more time, more money and more wealth. If you would like to know more email Hitesh@wowadvisors.com.au or Ros at ros@wowadvisors.com.au or call 07 3161 9548.