Effort Vs. Results

By Leon Brickey
Posted Sunday, August 29, 2004

As an ezine publisher I get a lot of emails from my subscribers asking me questions about starting and marketing a successful small or home based business. A common statement/question I hear
from my subscribers is: "Leon, I'm working hard and putting lots of effort into my business, but I'm not seeing any significant results yet. Why am I not getting any results from my efforts?" My heart goes out to these well meaning, hard working people and my reply is something like this: "You ARE getting results. Anything you do will yield an end result. Anytime you put forth an effort to build your business, you will ALWAYS get a result."

I stand by that statement. For example, why do you read articles, e-books, offline books, etc. about building a successful small or home based business?... To learn how to get POSITIVE results in YOUR business of course. Everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, you do will produce a result. It may not be the desired result, but it will yield a result.

Here is an example: Let's say you and some friends decide to play a game of darts. Does this require effort? Of course it does. Everytime it's your turn to throw, you are going to get a result. You may hit the bulls eye, you may hit a 25 point square, you may hit a 10 point square, or you may miss the dart board entirely and get zero points. Regardless of the outcome, you will get a
result EVERY TIME you throw. What if you decide that you don't want to throw when it comes around to your turn next time? Will that also yield a result? Yes it will. The result is you will score zero points on that round, and you may even lose the game.

It's important that I make you understand this point: "Everything you do will get will ALWAYS produce a result!"

The person who goes to school, puts forth a serious effort, and studies hard gets results. The person who refuses to go to school and puts forth no effort also gets results.

The employee who decides to put forth their best effort everyday on their job gets results. The employee who refuses to work while on the job also gets results.

Right?...

-Effort is defined as a voluntary exertion to perform a specified action; a strenuous attempt.

-Result is defined as a consequence of one's efforts; effect; outcome.

These simple definitions proove that when you put forth any effort you get a result.

When folks start their own business they expect nothing but POSITIVE results. When positive results aren't achieved within the first 30 days often times these folks get nervous or frustated, or even worse, THEY QUIT.

Anytime you hear someone say thet're getting "no reults," it usually means they're getting no POSITIVE results. But they ARE getting results.

Negative results are hard for us to take. We don't like it when we don't get the results we desire. Quite often negative results occur when we try to complicate a simple task, or when we don't
have a good understanding of it. But even more often the negative results are because we are doing nothing, or very little anyway... This is when you are SURE to fail.

If you advertise your business, and get out and share it with other people, is that putting an effort into your business? It sure is!

When people buy your products and services, like them, and become resellers in your organization, is that a result? It sure is!

It's the kind of result you are wanting to get too. A positive result!

Now, what if you spend less than 10 hrs. per week on you business, spent no money on advertising, and talked to nobody about it, is that an effort? It sure is!

With an effort like this you will be lucky to see more than a "trickle" of cashflow from your business. To be honest, your business would probably struggle for a while, then you would
either get frustrated and quit, or be forced to quit due to a lack of finances required to maintain the business.

That's NOT the kind of result you are wanting to get. It's a NEGATIVE result.

It's quite obvious that POSITIVE results pay you much better than NEGATIVE results. :-)

Imagine you were working your business very hard, giving your best effort every day, and because of that you were seeing a LOT of positive results. Your organization would be growing, sales would be increasing, and your income would be skyrocketing! In fact, within 3 to 5 years you may even be making more per month with your own business, than you were making per YEAR with your old job. How would THAT make you feel?

It would be pretty awesome wouldn't it?...

What you need to remember from this article is that - EVERYTHING you do in life and in your business will produce a result. The result could be immediate, or delayed. The result may be
positive, or negative. We LEARN more from our negative results, but our positive results pay us much better. Working your business aggressively, and doing your best every day will pay you a lot more money than putting forth a "half-hearted" effort, and expecting luck to work in your favor.

Thanks,
Leon Brickey
mailto:webmaster@appalachianmarketing.com

About the Author
Leon Brickey is webmaster/owner of Appalachian Online Marketing at (http://www.appalachianmarketing.com). Find everything you need to turn your struggling business into an explosive moneymaker! Subscribe to Absolute Internet Marketing Resources Ezine containing the most current, up to date online marketing resources on the planet. One of the top ezines on the net. FREE! mailto:ezine-subscribe@appalachianmarketing.com?subject=art
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