I had to laugh as I was reading the book “Rework“, by Fried and Hansson, because I felt like I was reading about all of my clients! I work with perfectionists. In fact, this is why my book is entitled “JUST JUMP“!
I thought I’d share a few perspectives of this book that hit me as I read it. This is an extremely easy book to read, and I recommend it to anyone starting a business, but I think health professionals will particularly get good value out of some of their suggestions.
I have to admit that I didn’t agree with everything, but most of it was pretty right-on. What I didn’t agree with was the planning. The argument around writing or not writing business plans is probably as old as paper, itself. However, the reason I feel that some business plan is essential, and why I include a chapter on a 3-page business plan in my own book, is so that new business owners can identify their vision, goals and objectives. I’ve found that otherwise they just start their business, but without any sense of direction. Yes, I DO believe you have to JUST JUMP, but in order for it to be successful, you also have to do some planning.
So let’s look at a few of the pearls:
* Jump into your idea now. The longer you wait, the less likely you’ll do it. Be ok with learning as you go, or else you may never go!
* Narrow it down to the essentials. What do you really have to offer. Bottom-line it. Keep it simple.
* There are particular questions to help the reader really narrow down what problems they solve, is it useful and is it worth it? In many areas I felt I was reading my own words in JUST JUMP!
* This is a pearl and I’ll probably use this term (acknowledged, of course): “Communication Addition” I bet I don’t need to explain it, but how many hours have YOU spent on email, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, today??? CLOSE IT DOWN if you want to accomplish anything! Sound familiar??
* Along the lines of time management, this was also good: If you are tired, you are more likely to waste time doing something you don’t need to be doing, because you lack the motivation to do what you should be doing. Are you tired?
* I am a list-keeper, and I also do usually prioritize them after I write them down. So I tried the authors’ suggestion of just putting the most important things at the top. LOL: Sort of works!
* This is me: Let your customers outgrow you! Do you know what that means? If not, read the book, grin!
* Pour yourself into your product. This made so much sense! When you’re motivated and pumped up, it just flows and is great! If you’re not in that mode, go onto something else.
* To go along nicely with the above point, act quickly when you’re inspired, because it won’t last. It ‘expires’!
* Hire only when it hurts. This will be a good tip for so many of my own clients who are at that stage of wondering if it is time, yet.
Bottom line: Jump in and check out the waters!
When you look back at your life, what do you want to see? No one ever looks back at life and says “Oh, I wish I hadn’t gone after that dream!” And it’s not like you can have a ‘do-over’ in life. So, again, jump in. As I say, “JUST JUMP.”
Margie