| OK, let's talk about the World Cup. If anyone got up | | | | chances... if you don't implement some aggressive |
| early on Monday morning to watch the match | | | | strategies... and if you are always thinking about |
| between Australia and Germany, you no doubt walked | | | | defence... Somehow the enemy manages to slip |
| away disappointed with the end result. But full credit to | | | | through your defence and all of a sudden you are |
| the German team - they really were brilliant and | | | | heading for a loss which kicks you out of the |
| obviously the deserving winners. Today I am not here | | | | tournament. By the same token, in business you might |
| to talk about Italy and Australia - I am here to talk | | | | lose a client or an ad might stop working. You might |
| about something I heard in the game between Greece | | | | lose a staff member. Many things can go wrong. In |
| and Korea. | | | | fact, we shouldn't be surprised when they do... |
| Now my wife is Greek, so even though she shows | | | | Even though we should at the same time be focusing |
| very little interest in the soccer, I thought it was my | | | | on what we want and thinking positive. You need to |
| duty to also watch the last half of that game. | | | | stay ahead of the game. Here's how it works... "Every |
| Unfortunately, Greece lost 2-0. And here's what's | | | | morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must |
| interesting: at half-time I was listening to the | | | | run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every |
| commentators and they said something which I found | | | | morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the |
| interesting... | | | | slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't |
| "Korea is playing to win whereas Greece is playing to | | | | matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle: when the |
| not lose" And that's a fine distinction, isn't it? After all, | | | | sun comes up, you'd better be running" |
| how many of us play the game of business just to | | | | So take a moment right now to decide to stay ahead |
| stay in business... just to survive? It's easy to fall into | | | | of the game... and play in your business with an |
| the trap of thinking small rather than thinking big. It's | | | | attacking game plan. Interestingly enough, in Keith |
| easy to think of break even rather than how you are | | | | McFarland's book, The Breakthrough Company about |
| going to build an empire. It's easy to avoid risk rather | | | | how everyday companies become extraordinary |
| than take calculated risks which allow you to take your | | | | performers he says this is one of the most important |
| business to the next level. But what happens when we | | | | aspects to breaking through to the next level: Being |
| do that? It's really quite simple. | | | | willing to take calculated risks. Anyway, time to start |
| Think of it like a soccer game. If you don't take your | | | | running. |