A Headless Chicken or A Hawk?

As a small boy, about six or seven, I had the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks of my summer vacation, visiting my Grandfather's small rural farm. Now up until then I had spent all of my young life in the urban setting of a modern Southern California city.  I looked forward to learning more about my Grandparents.

Their 'old country' lifestyle and 'old world' ways had always seemed a bit odd to me.

It was on my second or third afternoon there that I was asked to help get some chicken for dinner. "Sure!" I said, with visions of a car ride to the 'Kentucky Colonel' for a quick pick-up at the drive through.  Instead, Grandfather walked slowly to a dark corner of the back porch grabbed his old, well used chopping ax and a sharpening stone.  "Come along boy," he said in his broken English and off we went to the barnyard chicken coop.  I felt proud, not only of my new 'Captain America' boots but that I also knew there the coop was, for that very morning I had carefully collected freshly laid real chicken eggs with the help of Grandmother and her apron.

A lifelong lesson was about to unfold before my very young innocent eyes.

A headless chicken will run around, wildly in all directions.  No rhyme or reason.  Just a lot of aimless energy, in a maddening panic!  Now I'm guessing that in the chicken's head (if he still had one), he thinks he is making great progress, but to who knows where?  Somehow, he and we mistake all that wild, mindless activity for being alive and doing our job well.

Now all the while, I observed, up above gliding effortlessly on the days prevailing currents of opportunity, a hawk.  A legendary hunter. He is in control, knowing his place, knowing his plan, his goal, his strategy and target.  All with seemingly little effort, he is ready to execute at just the right moment, with total confidence in the successful ultimate outcome of his hunt. No wasted motion at all.  Attila the Hun, was so impressed with the hawk's strength and skill, that he had one adorning his battle helmet.

I am not any kind of Business Growth Strategist, Business Planning specialist, Life Coach or Time Management expert. No, I'm just that small boy who in his fantasy world of 'Captain America' boots was taught about the real world of survival. A lesson that has served me well in the growth my business as a Real Estate entrepreneur.

As we begin a new year I ask, "Are you a headless chicken or a hawk?"  Take a big step back.  Sort of hawk's perspective of your business.  With your head on good and tight, eyes focused straight ahead, take a long look.  Are you working "mindlessly", spending a lot of "aimless energy".  Are you going in all directions, without a clear definition of who you are? who is your customer? or what and where is your target market?

A lot of well indented spent energy (and money) does not always equal success or even progress.

Check, before Grandfather takes a slow walk, ax in hand to your chicken coop.

Are you about to become a headless chicken? Don't be!

There is too much good help and support available with your fellow Biznik entrepreneurs.  A lot of them, my experience has shown, are more than willing and ready to help you get your hawk's battle helmet ready for the year ahead.