Dear Danette,
I know that everyone was not meant to have a lot of money, but I can't get ahead at all. Whenever I get some money something pops up and the money's gone. It's like everyone else is benefiting from my hard work. - Linda
Dear Linda,
Firstly, I don't agree with you that everyone was not meant to have a lot of money. I think people have exactly what they currently believe they can have. Secondly, there is immense power in making the decision to have more than enough income to meet the expenses of living and caring for the people in our lives. Solomon, the ancient, wise King of Israel, gives us the answer simply in the book of Proverbs thousands of years ago when he says: "A sluggard's appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." Linda, I am not calling you a sluggard. The sluggard and the diligent are two extremes and Solomon is showing us the result that each one receives at their level of functioning. Most people fall somewhere between the two, but the woman entrepreneur must make it her business to position herself at the level and in the company of the diligent.
Our level of diligence will determine our level of abundance. The wise king uses a definitive word in this proverb. "...The desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." Notice how he used the word "FULLY"? This means that the peaceful satisfaction of having more than enough to cover your budget, save, and share without panic, is not only possible, but is automatic for the person who applies the diligence principle. How about that! According to Solomon we can say that our level of diligence will determine our level of abundance.
Linda, the question then becomes, where can I apply more diligence? The good, the bad the ugly When you look at its definition diligence is careful and persistent work or effort. Do your own evaluation based on this definition. When you work, are you paying careful attention? Or have you just gotten into some routines, and find yourself performing them mindlessly? Is the quality of your work with clients improving? When we are careful we receive more insight and can make the finer distinctions that others miss. It helps us to provide more accurate delivery of our products and services and our clients get better results.
The women who are at the top in their areas have applied this principle. As a result they have taken product or service leadership. But be sure that when they stop paying close attention, another product or service will sneak up and replace theirs. If this is not your approach to your work in the world, you are really not exercising the diligence required to avoid financial shortage. Now, if you feel like throwing your hands in the air as you think about all the stuff you're already doing (building a business, raising a family and juggling the unexpected twists and turns that women deal with on a daily basis) you can take comfort that applying the diligence principle will actually bring you relief. It's all about fine-tuning; which is focusing on the few things that deliver the best results. When you apply diligence first to the necessary few, the tasks that are unnecessary become apparent and fall away.
Diligence is not abuse It's not staying up till ungodly hours burning the candle on both ends until you collapse and can't function. It's not "cracking down" on your team by raising your voice (so they know you're serious) or insisting your customers "act right." Instead, it's about putting the processes in place for the important things to run smoothly and help you to keep a close eye on what's happening. Then disciplining yourself and your team to follow and fine tune the process.
Take a look around within your life. Are your finances organized? Do you know when each bill is due? Are you keeping your vehicles well-maintained so you avoid the unexpected breakdown and expense? Look in your business. Are you paying your commitments on time and avoiding late fees? Are you treating your team fairly or in a way that keeps them motivated, giving better ideas and performing efficiently for the business? Are you losing clients or are they asking for refunds? Where is the slack? I don't want you to sink into feeling judged or overwhelmed by this.
We all have areas where we are sluggish and that can be improved, so the key is to find those areas and tighten up. Not the usual suspects When we talk about getting a handle on our finances we already know there are multiple tools like spreadsheets for budgeting and tracking expenses readily available online. Keeping good financial records whether personal or in business is basic. But to improve your finances and consequently your life I would like you to apply careful and persistent attention to your habits. Our habits create our life, and when we form great habits we create a great life. So develop the habit of diligence then carefully and persistently create your life of abundance. To your unbridled success! o Danette Alexandra Malcolm, MSc., is the creator of www.KickTheCubicleHabit.com where she helps Women Entrepreneurs and Solopreneurs to launch and grow their coaching, consulting and service based businesses before leaving their corporate jobs.
To get answers to your start-up questions, simply go to www.alexandraimage.com/ask-away-wednesday and submit your questions there. The question that will help the most people will be selected and the answer provided for everyone to benefit.
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