Starting a business or any enterprise will involve taking a risk, pushing forward, perhaps even failing. Are there any guarantees? Only one.
The thing that was in Moses' hand was used to do the impossible when dedicated to God.
You and I know there are very few guarantees in life and especially in starting a business, writing a book, developing a ministry, building a website, establishing a relationship, well anything that is worth undertaking. There is, however, one guarantee: if you never start, you will never succeed.
The first six imperatives to starting a business or anything for that matter are pretty standard, according to Seth Godin. You can read lots of books abut these. They are: to be aware, educated, connected, consistent, build a assets and be productive. The seventh, though, is where the rubber meets the road because you can do put into place all six imperatives and still fail.
“The seventh imperative is frightening and thus easy to overlook or ignore,” says Godin in Poke the Box. “The seventh imperative is to have the guts and the heart and the passion to ship.”
For individuals stuck in the what ifs of life, Godin asks a simple question and comes up with a simple answer. “When can you start? Soon is not as good as now.”
God asked Moses what is in your hand? His answer simple enough: “A rod.” When he followed God’s instructions and threw it down, it became something more; something dangerous. The next instruction took Moses clear out of his comfort zone into the area of risk, failure, even to the point of pain and death. God told him to pick up the rod that had become a writhing, dangerous snake…by the tail. Not really a smart move if one is thinking with his head.
God taught Moses a valuable lesson. Whatever is in your hand can give you a deadly bite or propel you forward by realizing the power of what you have hold of. The power will be made known on when you take initiative. If you fail to take a risk, you will stay stuck. You’ll never realize that you hold the power of God in your bare hand: the power to part the impassable sea of obstacles when lifted to the God of the universe.
What is it that seems impossible? What does your brain say you can’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t do? Do that. Follow God even if it seems ridiculous, impossible, undoable.
What do you need to “ship” your vision? What do you have in your hand? Maybe you have finances, connections to those who can help, the intellect to move you forward, physical equipment like computers and software, a good reputation?
Maybe what you have in your hand doesn’t seem like anything at all: just your good name, just a lot of people you know, just the ability to type and use a computer, just an established business that can keep you afloat while you pursue a dream, just the intelligence to learn something new.
The land of justs and what ifs are next-door neighbors to success. The key, though, is plain old guts. You and I have to have the desire. We have to have “the ability and the guts to say yes,” as Godin puts it.
I have a friend in India. She can post something on her facebook wall. I can respond to her and in a second (if she is on line) she can respond to me. It seems to happen faster than someone sitting in the room with me. It blows my mind, literally. I don’t, can’t possibly understand how it happens. Yet it does.
That’s the beauty and the difficulty of the age in which we live. The world is updating at the speed of light. Whatever I do, I must do now. Tomorrow is too late. Tomorrow there will be something new, different. Tomorrow someone will accomplish my dream, my vision, the thing I thought I had a sealed promise from God about. But I waited, and the second passed. The dream became someone else’s: someone willing to take a chance.
Change is happening constantly. I can choose to be defeated or jump in feet first, head over heels and keep swimming out into the deep water where anything is possible.
How do you start a business? Take a risk. To never try is to always fail. If you try and things don’t work out as you imagined, you haven’t failed. You have just learned another way that doesn’t work. Scratch that off the list. You are one step closer to the solution.
No tip-dipping testing of the water. There’s not time for that.
“When can you start? Soon is not as good as now.”
Related articles
- RIGHTSIZING YOUR PASSION by Seth Godin (robertfinkelstein.wordpress.com)
- Gerd Leonhard: Seth Godin on 2012: 2 must-watch videos. The industrial age is over. Take risks. (mediafuturist.com)
Teresa Shields Parker is a Christian weight loss author, coach, podcaster, and speaker, who has lost 250 pounds and kept it off since 2013. Her books include: “Reconnecting Jayne: Her Sister’s Support,” “Rebuilding Jayne: Her Father’s Protection,” “Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Stopped Trying to Earn God’s Favor,” “Sweet Grace Study Guide,” “Sweet Victory: Winning the Battle,” “Sweet Surrender: Breaking Strongholds,” “Sweet Journey to Transformation: Practical Steps to Lose Weight and Live Healthy”, “Sweet Freedom: Losing Weight and Keeping It Off With God’s Help,” “Sweet Freedom Study Guide,” “Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation,” “Sweet Hunger: Developing an Appetite for God,” and “Sweet Excuses: Stop Lying to Yourself & Start Losing Weight.” She also offers Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy and VIP intensive coaching. Don’t miss her weekly podcast, Sweet Grace for Your Journey, where she shares tips from her personal journey of losing weight and discovering healthy living. Contact her at [email protected].