September 28, 2011 The Devastating Power Of Realistic Thinking
How often have you said to yourself that you have to be realistic in setting goals?
Have you ever stopped to consider the meaning behind your words?
The word “realistic” means that you are basing your future on things that have happened in the past. Being realistic is about thinking about what has been and using that as the foundation for future development.
What if the Wright brothers had been realistic? I wouldn’t be sitting on a plane coming home from Switzerland.
What would have happened if Henry Ford had been realistic? He would have built a better horse-drawn carriage instead of the Model T.
What if Steve Jobs had been realistic? You would be carrying around better portable CD players instead of an iPod.
How often have you told your clients to be realistic in their expectations?
If your clients only expected what they’d always gotten from some other supplier, you’d have no way to differentiate yourself and you’d never stretch to be better. Everyone would race to the bottom instead of the top.
What if the Ritz Carlton asked clients to be realistic? Every hotel you wanted to stay at on vacation would be only as good as a cheap motel.
What if Walt Disney asked his clients to realistic? The Magic Kingdom would be just another lame amusement park.
If your company is focusing on benchmarks, industry standards, competitive analysis or past performance you might be stuck in realistic thinking. Who cares what others in your industry are doing? Just because they are doing it, doesn’t mean it is right. Who cares what you’ve done in the past. The world is evolving. Is your company?
Realistic is the most devastating word you can use in your business if you want to be great. Let everyone else be realistic, banish the concept from your mind, and leave your competition in the dust.
If you’re tired of being realistic and you’re ready to lead instead of follow, leave me a comment to find out how to take the first step.
- 4 comments
- Posted under Goal Achievement, Inspiration
Permalink # Laurel Nicolosi said
I am game! I love finding misspellings and I found yours in your most recent newsletter – actually it’s a typo – .
I don’t see anything else that is misspelled…so give me a challenge someday! 
t ypos
I love your article here by the way – did I think I’d have a thriving tutoring business last April 2010 when I started? Nope – but I kept at it and now I do – and that’s now my “new” reality!
Laurel Nicolosi
http://www.carytutor.com
Permalink # Laurel Nicolosi said
I found one more – this one inadvertent (I believe) – SPECIAL INTRODUCTRY OFFER! (on the NC page).
Let me know if I won your little contest
Permalink # porter said
Hey there! I’m game, too. LOVE to find missing words ans spelling mistakes. So here is the first one: “What if made a contest with the….” You forgot the “I”, as in What if I made a contest with the….
Permalink # Patty said
You left out the word( to) in the message As you go about your week and are faced with hundreds of little tiny things you can do (to) improve your business (or avoid disaster) do them now.