BUSINESS TIPS - Rising to the Occasion - Part 1

BUSINESS TIPS – Rising to the Occasion – Part 1


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC April 2010

As small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs we all understand and are often touched by the adversity around us. From political unrest and uncertainty to financial and economic recessions and troubles. These are indeed, very trying times but also very exciting times.

Here’s the thing though – at some point in our lives, trouble will visit with us. Even during the best of times, trouble comes to visit. Trouble has many faces and many forms – trouble can visit in the form of an illness, or a fire or business ruin or financial challenges. Whatever form trouble takes, it will visit. The challenge of course is how we deal with trouble.

Many of us not only deal with every day challenges or the small irritations that life throws at us, but also have to do with some of the big things too.

Strangely enough though, it is the way that we deal with the small irritations in life that will usually determine the way that we will deal with the big things in life.

Disasters are big and in their hugeness, it is difficult to ignore them – they aren’t going to go away and you cannot hide them under the carpet or in the cupboard. They are ‘in your face’ and you have to deal with them.

The real test though, for me anyway, is how to deal with the everyday little issues. Those constant daily irritations that buzz around our heads like an army of mosquitoes?

Issues such as (but not limited to) getting enough rest or looking after our health or even spending quality time with our families and loved ones. These issues are not the dramatic disaster kind and they don’t appear to be urgent, yet many of us ignore them hoping that they will go away. For example neglecting your wife/husband and family won’t have any major effect in the short term. The long term effects though could be divorce and/or estrangement. How sad is that? In this particular example, it’s the small , daily, irritating mozzie that has grown into a tsunami that is causing the major problems.

People who are successful or who are high achievers, always expect challenges, in fact many of them welcome challenges because it’s in the dealing with the problem that they get to stretch their minds and their problem solving skills. You will also find that most of these people, whilst they are realists – are also optimistic about life. They believe in themselves and understand their strengths and they are determined to put the changes in place. They are determined to meet head on. They are also aware of the fact that as their success grows, so too will the number and size of their troubles. Most importantly too is that they usually have a great sense of humour and know how to laugh at themselves as well as at life.

Next week we will have a look at some indicators on ‘how to’ solve your troubles before they become disasters.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za