Reset your thinking; grow your business

John Naisbitt's new book Mind Set! is a must-read for small business owners (see Required Reading.)  He presents 11 'mindsets' that will help you understand how future trends can impact your business today.  If you understand how to view trends, you will be able to maximize opportunties. 

This is not an esoteric exercise.  If you are too focused on the limitations of today's marketplace, you will not be poised to seize opportunities as they present themselves.  His mindset is stated as, 'you don't get results by solving problems, but by exploiting opportunities.'   He recounts several stories of business people who saw an opportunity and took it as opposed to following a set plan with no deviations.  Louis Pasteur is quoted as saying, "Change favors the prepared mind. I was ready."

This is a key notion for business owners who stubbornly cling to their ideas and don't invite change.  Try to listen and keep your mind open to new opportunities.  When a problem presents itself, instead of trying to fight it, think of it as a chance to do something new.  Let me know if you have a great example you can share with us.