Something Bill Cosby could teach you about being successful.
Bill Cosby said it best when he said:
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
I'm a people pleaser.... that's just what I am. And I've struggled with it my whole life. I go out of my way to make sure that EVERYONE is as happy as I can make them.
And I have a feeling that a lot of newbies (and even some veterans) are the same way. I also have a hunch that it probably holds them back like it does me....
Here's the bottom line folks. You're never going to please everyone. There will ALWAYS be someone that doesn't like what you do, one of your products, you personally, whatever... so STOP trying to please everyone!
I submit that instead, you simply try and please someone. Just a single person. Find that one person (or make them up) that is your perfect client/buyer/prospect/etc. and do everything you can do to make that person happy.
I might not even be talking about a real person here... I might be talking about an imagined person, a figurative representation of your perfect client.
Here's my thinking on this:
If you do everything you can to please just that ONE single person (whether real or not) you will without a doubt, please other people too... and those people that you happen to please will be right in line with your values and what you have to offer... They will LOVE your stuff, they will VALUE your opinion, they will PRAISE what you do, and they will TELL people about you...
All the rest of those who you don't please are probably not your target market anyway... so screw em!
I know I'm going to get a whole bunch of flak about "The customer is always right" and all that crap, but that's not what this is about. YES, keep your customers happy. Yes, tend to their needs. But also know when to fire them.
I just fired a client today that was one of the biggest pains in the ass EVER! He was responsible for about 24% of my monthly income. But he was also responsible for about 80% of my monthly stress/client upkeep. He was the highest maintenance client I've ever seen, and worse... he was cheap.
The point is, those people will DEMOLISH your productivity/quality of life.... and isn't the whole reason we do this whole entrepreneur thing because we want to work Where we want, When we want, on What we want, and with Whom we want?
Just some food for thought.
I can't tell you how much stress just came off my back today. And even though I lost about 25% of my monthly income, I'll have MORE than enough time now that I'm not dealing with his BS to replace him with clients that are a whole lot better aligned with my philosophies.
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
I'm a people pleaser.... that's just what I am. And I've struggled with it my whole life. I go out of my way to make sure that EVERYONE is as happy as I can make them.
And I have a feeling that a lot of newbies (and even some veterans) are the same way. I also have a hunch that it probably holds them back like it does me....
Here's the bottom line folks. You're never going to please everyone. There will ALWAYS be someone that doesn't like what you do, one of your products, you personally, whatever... so STOP trying to please everyone!
I submit that instead, you simply try and please someone. Just a single person. Find that one person (or make them up) that is your perfect client/buyer/prospect/etc. and do everything you can do to make that person happy.
I might not even be talking about a real person here... I might be talking about an imagined person, a figurative representation of your perfect client.
Here's my thinking on this:
If you do everything you can to please just that ONE single person (whether real or not) you will without a doubt, please other people too... and those people that you happen to please will be right in line with your values and what you have to offer... They will LOVE your stuff, they will VALUE your opinion, they will PRAISE what you do, and they will TELL people about you...
All the rest of those who you don't please are probably not your target market anyway... so screw em!
I know I'm going to get a whole bunch of flak about "The customer is always right" and all that crap, but that's not what this is about. YES, keep your customers happy. Yes, tend to their needs. But also know when to fire them.
I just fired a client today that was one of the biggest pains in the ass EVER! He was responsible for about 24% of my monthly income. But he was also responsible for about 80% of my monthly stress/client upkeep. He was the highest maintenance client I've ever seen, and worse... he was cheap.
The point is, those people will DEMOLISH your productivity/quality of life.... and isn't the whole reason we do this whole entrepreneur thing because we want to work Where we want, When we want, on What we want, and with Whom we want?
Just some food for thought.
I can't tell you how much stress just came off my back today. And even though I lost about 25% of my monthly income, I'll have MORE than enough time now that I'm not dealing with his BS to replace him with clients that are a whole lot better aligned with my philosophies.