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Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Don’t Fly Like a Chicken

Don’t Fly Like a Chicken

By

Eric M. Twiggs


"Eagles don't take flight lessons from chickens." C.L.Brown


A boy who found an eagle’s egg put it into the nest of a chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the eagle, thinking he was a chicken, did what chickens did. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat.

He flew no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that’s how chickens were supposed to fly.

One day, he saw a magnificent bird soaring in the sky, high above the mountains. Hanging on the powerful wind currents, it soared with scarcely a beat of its golden wings. “I wish I could fly like that!” said the eagle to his neighbor.

"That’s the mighty eagle—the king of all birds,” the neighbor clucked back. “But don’t give it a second thought. You could never be like him.”

So the eagle never gave it another thought and it died thinking it was a chicken.

You were meant to soar as a shop owner.  The fact that you had the guts to step out on faith and start your own business, proves my point!  Not everyone has the courage to fly as an entrepreneur. Accepting less than your true value is the equivalent of embracing a chicken mentality.  Have you ever……   

  •       Tolerated poor performers because"there isn't anybody better out there?"
  •        Installed customer supplied parts?
  •        Discounted your parts and service out of the fear of losing customers?
  •        Failed to gradually increase your labor rate like your coach suggested?
  •        Put your customers on in house "payment plans" where you don't collect payment?


If you answered yes to one or more of my questions, you are flying like a chicken. The good news is that I have the solution that will help you to fly like the eagle you were born to be.  There is a power source that you can plug into that makes all the difference.

The Power of Association
.
It is impossible to become great in isolation. There is power in association.   If you aspire to become world class at anything, it requires spending time around other like minded people,and having a qualified instructor to point out your blind spots.

Your associations are critical because people that are on the same path as you bring a different perspective and can provide you with a greater level of encouragement. 

For example, if you told one of your golfing buddies that you had a goal to win a PGA Golf tournament, he would probably laugh, and try to talk you out of it.  If you shared this same goal with Jack Nicklaus, he wouldn’t laugh because he has been where you’re trying to go, and knows what's possible. 

Taking industry related classes, participating in a 20 group, and attending  annual conferences, gives you a chance to associate with shop owners that have been where you are trying to go.   You also get feedback from qualified instructors who will let you know when you're thinking like a chicken! 

The story that I opened with would have ended differently if the eaglet would have surrounded himself with other like-minded birds.

Attending the classes,  conferences, and 20 group meetings, will give you the best chance to leverage the power of association and soar like an eagle!


Sincerely,

Eric M. Twiggs



PS. I have 5 strategies to help you get the most from your associations.    Email me at etwiggs@autotraining.net and I will send them to you.  

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