Are You A Positive Paula Or A Negative Nancy?

As I get older I am really learning to believe in the power of thinking positively more than ever before. I see more people who believe they can do things… in fact, doing them. While the people who say they can’t do things… don’t seem to do anything. Many of us don’t even realize we are doing it. Maybe because it’s the end of the year and it is a time to reflect, I look around at both old and new friends and all of the different businesses I have contact with over the course of a year. I realize there are certain people I really want to associate with and those are the people who haven’t given up, are looking for ways to make things work and just have that can-do attitude.

Someone who has known me for a long time reminded me last week of what I had accomplished from my early days of working with my mother in a 900 square foot dress shop in a suburban downtown location. He said that it seems like I am a far cry with what my life is today. I thought about all of the places where I have spoken professionally across the United States and around the world. I have written 15 books and have had my articles published in more countries than I can name. So what, who cares? In writing this I am feeling awkward because it sounds as if I am bragging and full of myself. Anyone who does know me, knows that is the farthest thing from who I am. I am saying this because I rarely look backwards. I am constantly looking for ways of making things better and I look at the world which holds infinite possibilities.

There are more opportunities today than ever before for the independent and small business person. Sure, there are a thousand reasons why a business will fail but all it takes is one idea to make it stand out and differentiate itself from its competition.

This past year has been a challenging and difficult year for many while a wonderful year for many as well. Is there a common denominator? Perhaps there is. Maybe it is more a common personality trait that is constantly looking for ways to make something work. Oh sure, knowing what doesn’t work may help you to eliminate paths not to journey down. Does that negative talk help you to find the path that has that gem of an idea to put you on a path to make it work?

Last week I worked at a wonderful bridal business in Plano, TX that is helping to recreate the wedding industry with the use of only one word. They don’t have salespeople, sales associates, sales coordinators, or even use the word consultant the way many bridal shops will. They use the word “stylist” to refer to members of their staff who help to style the entire wedding. It’s as if they are brand managers who are controlling every aspect of the brand. After all, every brand has a personality and everything a company does must reinforce that personality. An example would be you will never see Ozzy Osbourne endorsing a Betty Crocker product. It just doesn’t go together.

Every wedding has a personality as well. The wedding stylist is working to control that personality in every aspect of the wedding from invitations to the look of all involved in the wedding and the look and feel of where the wedding is held and what kind of experience the guests will experience. By looking at themselves as stylists, it opens the door to so many possibilities. It increases the level of service and the connection between the bride and the business and the stylist. The stylist becomes a valuable resource as opposed to a salesperson trying to earn a bigger commission.

The wedding industry has been challenging, to say the least, over the past few years due to pricing and competitive reasons and has seen many stores close. And every one of those stores will probably tell you the reasons why it closed. Maybe it is because they didn’t have enough reasons why customers would find a path to their doors instead of looking for reasons why the business wouldn’t work.

This is just one small example of making an old concept re-invented and re-vitalized. The world is changing because of the new inventions that are changing our lives. We can change our world by looking for and changing the way we do what we do. Instead of telling us the reasons why something won’t work, let’s look for those reasons that will make 2012 the greatest year you have ever had. I am committed to make 2012 that kind of year for me. We have more innovative ways of making your lives better and more profitable than any other year. Get ready for the excitement and the fun.

I look forward to sharing these ideas in the weeks ahead. Happy Holidays and remember, 2012 will be filled with great opportunities.