Every summer as a child when I would want to take a break from the Texas heat, I would plant myself in front of the television with the hope of finding some sort of athletic competition. Surprisingly, my favorite event to watch wasn’t baseball; it was the Tour de France – especially the individual time trials up Alpe d’Huez which the broadcasters termed, “the Hill of Truth.” Rather than race against one another as in other parts of the race, each cyclist would compete alone against the clock as they rode up the steep mountain, facing the most difficult stage in solitude. While only one stage of a 21-part race, many times the eventual winner separates himself on the ride up Alpe d’Huez.
In business – and it doesn’t matter what business – there are many individual hills of truth that must be faced, if not conquered, to succeed. However, many prefer to avoid those hills of truth and are content to simply hope that they will find an easier way to success. Facing a truth that has been avoided for months or even years is not easy, but there comes a point where it must be addressed or business growth will stagnate. Here are the four most common hills of truth in business that must be climbed to propel growth and achieve goals:
Hill of Truth 1: Your Problems Are Your Own – The reason your business isn’t growing is you – period. It’s not the fault of the economy, the government, tariffs, your salespeople, where you live, millennials, the internet, the competition, or your clients. When you blame external factors for why your business isn’t succeeding, it’s easy to believe you can’t do anything about them. Essentially, you are giving yourself an obvious excuse to not do anything at all to improve your situation. The truth is that it’s up to you to solve your problems.
Hill of Truth 2: There Are No Shortcuts – Too many people seek an immediate and easy way to become successful. Chasing the ever-elusive quick buck instead of investing efforts into honest, hard work is a surefire path to frustration. The only guaranteed pathway to success is consistent, hard work.
Hill of Truth 3: Wishing Won’t Accomplish Your Goals – Hoping that someday you’ll land a huge client that will change the scope of your business isn’t reality. When you avoid reality, you limit yourself from taking the necessary steps that you can actually take accomplish a goal. Instead of wishing, it’s far better to focus on what actions can be taken every day to bring you closer to achieving your objectives.
Hill of Truth 4: You Are Owed Nothing – The reality is that potential clients aren’t naturally going to choose to work with you because you are “awesome,” “creative,” or “experienced.” This feeling of entitlement only sets you up for a mountain of disappointment. When you don’t get what you feel you “deserve,” you’ll convince yourself that it’s the fault of some outside force (see hill of truth #1). Clients will work with you when you prove your value through actions, not before.
Whether you are trying to separate yourself from a cycling pack in pursuit of the elusive yellow jersey or seeking to stand out in a competitive business environment, any hill of truth is both scary and daunting to face. However, once you climb and conquer a hill of truth, the more grounded in reality you will be giving you the power to adapt, change, grow, and, ultimately, move your business forward.
Bill is president of PromoCorner, the leading digital marketing service provider to the promotional products industry, and has over 18 years working in executive leadership positions at leading promotional products distributorships. A featured speaker at numerous industry events, a serial creator of content marketing, president of the Regional Association Council (RAC) board, and PromoKitchen chef, Bill has extensive experience coaching sales teams, creating successful marketing campaigns, and developing branding that resonates with a target audience. He can be reached at bill@PromoCorner.com.