Posted on: 28 November, 2007
Author: Laurie Hayes
With the advance of technology and the growing self-help movement, you would think life couldnt be easier. Unfortunately, for some, it only serves to add to the challenges of life and business. The good news is those challenges can be overcome -- with a little bit of understanding. Technology and the Internet have been the greatest gifts to the business world, however, they have also created enormous struggle and loss when not approached properly. And the self-help movement (moreover the Law of Attraction phenomenon) is also empowering people to live their best lives and pursue their dreams, while for others it's leaving them paralyzed and lost. How are these two powerful elements that are supposed to be helping actually hurting us? Many start-up entrepreneurs feel it's absolutely necessary to have a top notch, high performance web site with all the bells and whistles. They spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours writing and re-writing copy, designing then re-designing, adding, changing, deleting and sifting through hundreds of photos looking for the perfect graphics. It almost becomes an obsession, like many an artist has over the creation of a masterpiece -- sleepless nights thinking about how it can be made better and better, molded and refined. What happens, however, is the entrepreneur becomes so consumed with creating the perfect site, she has forgotten the most critical element to her business success -- relationships. Even the most successful Internet-based business owners understand that true business success comes from networking face-to-face, attending live workshops, and inviting people they meet out for coffee. Most joint ventures are formed only after business owners meet in person because there is still no connection stronger than up-close-and-personal. The same goes for attracting clients and customers. They need to see you, hear you, shake your hand and know you're the real deal. It's important you have a professional, functional website with strong copy, yes, yet it's also important to understand that your web site is only ONE marketing tool of many in your toolbox. To over-invest in its creation while denying yourself personal interaction with others will slow down your business start-up and could put you in the position of struggling to find clients and customers so you can pay off the debt you created. Attend networking events on a regular basis. Get into your community and start to mingle with your target market. The Law of Attraction phenomenon has also created a similar type of challenge in that some of its students fail to recognize that action is required. To read hundreds of self-help books, listen to personal growth programs and watch The Secret sixty-five times without applying the teachings will not change anything. It's easy to get caught up in the good feelings and hope for a better life and business, but partner those good feelings and hope with action and only then will change begin to take place. If you don't like the situation you find yourself in, understand that your past actions and habits have brought you to where you are at this moment. To change your future, you must change your actions and habits. To change your actions and habits you must change your thoughts and beliefs. To say you can't change the way you're doing something because you've always done it a certain way guarantees you will not create change. You will get more of what you're already getting. The great teachers who are sharing their wisdom with you are giving you the tools to build your desired future. They cannot, however, build it for you. That is YOUR job. Take the tools you are receiving and BUILD. Combine your desires and expectations with ACTION and only then will change begin. 2007 © Laurie Hayes - The HBB Source Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com Laurie Hayes, founder of The HBB Source, and creator of The Complete 12-Step Guide To Starting A Home-Based Business, helps entrepreneurs build loyal client relationships and attract more quality referrals. Get her free ezine packed with helpful resources at http://www.thehbbsource.com and learn how to build your business through referrals at http://www.hbbsourcecards.com