EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS I LEARNED FROM OUR DOG!

 

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EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS I LEARNED FROM OUR DOG!

When I found our now 7 1/2 year-old Cna’ani (Canaan dog) named “Halva” (all of the pics in the article are her) abandoned on the side of the road at the tender age of two weeks, I had an inkling of the affection, companionship and loyalty that she would provide. After all, I grew up with dogs. And friendliness and sociability? There was never any doubt: from day one, it was obvious she would be a joyful addition to the family. Little could I have known, however, the lessons she would teach me about life itself, and more importantly, for the purposes of this article about the “dog-eat-dog” (forgive the pun) world of business and freelancing, and how to succeed! If your dog is anxious and barks nervously, CBD dog products may help manage her anxiety levels, visit Is It Vivid for more information about CBD dog products.. CBD dog products can alleviate anxiety by interacting with the dog’s naturally-occurring endocannabinoid system, facilitating the production of serotonin signals, effectively managing mood.

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1)      NETWORK! A funny thing about dogs, they lack the self-consciousness of their human counterparts. Whereas a person might be shy, self-conscious and hesitant to reach out both socially and vocationally, a dog is more than willing to take a chance happily, unabashedly and with no fear whatsoever of rejection. She seems to know that creating that next bond could be right around the next corner. As businesspeople, we must reach out and create a network for ourselves. Whether in person, thru a blog, or thru the use of web-based networking sites, we must connect with others. Set up a network with other professionals and send each other referrals. Discuss new ideas. Brainstorm together. Form partnerships. It works! There is strength in numbers.

2)      DON’T LET SETBACKS (I hate the word “failure”) GET YOU DOWN!  When it comes to making a business contact (which Halva seems to think of in terms of a smile) or whether it comes down to a “business-hire” (which she sees in a stranger stopping to pet her) she never internalizes failure. She knows that not everyone is a “dog-person.” She persists and perseveres. She knows that sooner or later she will come across a stranger on one of our walks who will stop and pet her! As human beings, it is likewise essential to brush off setbacks with a healthy dose of optimism. Everything will not end perfectly. Unfortunately, mistakes will happen…we are, after all, human beings. We will not land every client we hope to. Not everyone will like our approach, not everyone will find our style to their liking, but with determination and focus, we can meet with success. Every once in a while we will fall down; the strength is in brushing ourselves off and getting back up.

3)      PERIODICALLY GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. All dogs, including ours, goes through stages, especially when they are puppies, in which certain corrections and refinements are necessary. As a youngster, Halva would chew furniture, tear up important papers and playfully jump on guests as they came into our home. By taking cues from mom and dad, she realized that these behaviors were socially unacceptable and counterproductive, and changed her ways. As workers, we must periodically assess our direction, go through a period of introspection, return to the same proverbial drawing board and take stock of where we are. When a certain business direction or approach is not working, it is incumbent upon us to direct our energy to finding more effective, efficient and goal-directed ways. Summing this one up: If you see that something is not working, “Don’t chase your tail!”

4)      ENJOY THE REWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHICH YOU ACHIEVE! For Halva, whether it is a brand new bone brought home from the pet store or a new toy to chew on, she savors the moment, she holds her head high and a new sense of pride is reborn within her! Not so long ago, she awoke in the middle of the night barking loudly, behavior which is uncharacteristic of her. Both my wife and I awoke asking ourselves what was going on. It was only in the morning when we found traces of a burglar who had attempted to break in, that we realized it was most likely the barking which had “dissuaded” him from doing so. We had a party for Halva that day complete with cake and ice-cream. In business, we must do the same. While it is not healthy to internalize setbacks and rejection, it IS healthy to internalize success! Wear success on your sleeve so-to-speak! Let others know about your business successes! How? Ask a satisfied client to write a letter of recommendation. Ask the client for a testimonial which you can upload to your website. Ask the client whether you can use a particular piece in your portfolio for all to see! Celebrate a success with dinner or a night out. Just got a paycheck after a job well-done? Buy yourself something nice!

5)      DREAM! It’s a funny thing about dogs: they dream. Sometimes we watch Halva when she is asleep. She barks, she smiles she wags her tail. And sometimes while lying on her side, she will begin to run in her sleep while staying stationary on the bed. What is she thinking of I ask myself? Is she blissfully running through a field, chasing another dog? Both as human beings, and as freelancers and/or business-owners, we must dream. Whether awake or asleep, we must visualize success, the next client, our next marketing idea or the next skill-set we can add to our repertoire. The visualization and the dream is the first step, the next step is exploring the ways to bring the dream to fruition and make it a reality! A dog might find running in place a nice dream, but for humans, running in place can be an extraordinary waste of energy. Channel the dream and channel the energy which it inspires. In the face of competition, we must be creative. I rank this expression as one of my least-liked, but “Think outside of the box!” When we stop dreaming of ways to achieve success in business, we risk becoming stagnant, losing our edge and getting lost in the crowd. And with such a large crowd of competitors out there, with so many other places for clients to take their business, we must go to great lengths to set ourselves apart from the crowd. 

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Sometimes valuable lessons come from the most unexpected places…

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“Be ready for the rain”

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“Smile”

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“Get plenty of rest…and dream!”

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Dear Reader,

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My name is Yonatan Maisel, I am a professional content-writer and published author. It is my hope that you enjoyed this article and/or found the contents to be useful or thought-provoking. If so, you are cordially invited to read on.

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To read how a simple business-blog can transform and breathe new life into your business: http://jobshuk.com/yoni67/blog/2009/11/17/the-greatest-way-to-advertise-your-business-and-it-s-free/

Wishing you business success,

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Yonatan