The Four Cornerstones of Success

Success in any field — including small business (especially small business!) — is built on four cornerstones. If any of them is missing, the entire structure will topple over, sooner or later. It’s inevitable. It's not a case of IF it will fail but WHEN. All it takes is time.

1. Vision

You need a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Vision is the first essential attribute of true leadership. It’s also the last, because it becomes the final reality of the process. (Beware, though… a flawed vision, based on ignoranceear of loss, laziness, gullibility or greed, will cause you to do the wrong things for the wrong reasons.)

True vision is a correct perspective on a potential reality — a future that doesn’t yet exist for you. In small business, most peoples’ visions are based on other peoples’ present realities, such as successful competitors or mentors.

2. Time

No matter how much leverage you apply, you can’t eliminate the need to invest timespecially in the initial business building stages of your business.

Sure, if you work intelligently you can ultimately sever all connection between the time you invest and the money you earn. But that’s a consequence or result of success. It doesn’t cause it. Don’t confuse the two.

3. Effort

Just as indispensable as time when it comes to building a successful enterprise. Once again, you can leverage your efforts until you finally break all connection between your effort and your earnings. But, like time, that’s a consequence of success, not a cause.

4. Discipline

Without self-discipline you’ll never invest the time and effort required to realise your vision. And without your clear and compelling vision to motivate and guide you, you’ll never have the discipline you need to achieve success.

It’s so simple, common-sense and logical that you'd think it would be obvious to anyone. But it’s not, or so many people in small business wouldn’t waste so much of their time and effort in the undisciplined quest for activity, rather than achievement. They think that if they're busy, they're profitable!

So what does it all mean when it comes to evaluating opportunities in small business?

It means that you now possess the Secret Keys that can unlock the truth about any business opportunity... but only if you can recognise them and know how to use them.