3rd Hand of Business, but it's the 2nd

I kind of feel like Beethoven in his composition of his Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major. Yes, the former was the third piano piece he composed but was the 1st piece he published. He wrote his first concerto, but it didn't get published. He then wrote a second piano concerto and didn't release it until after Piano Concerto No 3. So his third was his first, and his second did become his second, but his first never was. All that to say it's all mixed up.

I write all that to say, that to get the full meaning of 2nd Hand of Business, we need to jump ahead and discuss the 3rd Hand. If you are wondering where is the 1st Hand of Business in this discussion, then you will need to go my previous article. You can find it here: 1st Hand of Business

A reminder of the wisdom saying that we are using as a premise to this article is; A fool folds his hands that lead to ruin, better to live one hand with tranquility, then two hands grasping after the wind.

Hands numero three of business is on the clock.

Can we agree that each person learns in different ways? Your primary method could be visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. We do learn from each of the manners at some level, but I think the kinesthetic learner has the advantage with this imagery that the writer is trying to convey.

Can you do me a favor? Reach both of your hands out in front of you with your palms facing the ceiling. Then, roll your fingers up and close your hands. You should have two fists. Do you have it?

Now, I want you to start squeezing your fists tighter and tighter. Hold it for about 10 seconds, and as you are holding it, I want you to become vividly aware of the tension that builds up in the rest of your body.

Did you feel it? How would you describe it?

I did this exercise with an audience I speaking to about leadership and asked them to describe their feelings. They responded with stressful, agitated, tense, and irritated to mention a few. I even had one lady yell out, "it made my heart hurt."

Right!

This is the hand imagery that our wisdom teacher is painting for us today. What are your hands trying to hold? Wind.

How's that going for you?

"So Honey, how was work today, what did you do?" "Oh, it was okay. Just did the usual, tried to hold onto the wind."

We kind of chuckle at the absurdity of such a scenario playing out, but how close are you to it being a reality? When you start to break down what you did and why you did specific actions throughout a workday, it can be as if you trying to hold onto the wind.

It comes down to what lasts and what is fleeting.

It was Andrew Carnegie who once said, "Take away my people, but leave my factories and soon grass will grow on the factory floors…

Andrew Carnegie understood that to the outside world, all of his numerous factories signified his immense wealth. To those peering in it would only make sense that he would protect those buildings and machinery and "wind" so it would continue to produce. But that wasn't Carnegie's mindset; he knew that a building or machine and even someone's status could disappear in a flash.

What's your wind? Is there something that you are holding on to at all costs, thinking it's the golden ticket to resolve all of your problems. If somehow you aren't able to grasp wind, what then?

Flashback to the feeling that you had when you clenched your fists a few moments ago. If all you do it continually try to manipulate and coerce the "wind" and think that you finally have it, do you get to enjoy it?

No!

Once you ever so slightly open your fists, then wind rushes out. You know that could happen, so you continue to clench as hard as you can, to not lose whatever you have inside your hands. You only clenched your fists for ten seconds and "your heart hurt." Imagine the type of life if you continue to hold on with both hands and do it day after day after day.

Carnegie gives us a glimpse of what to hold if we are going to hold onto something. The second part of his statement from above goes, "…Take away my factories, but leave my people and soon we will have a new and better factory."

This end of the quote opens us to our last hand of business which we will come back to next week. Until then, take an assessment of those things in your business that are "the wind" and that self-awareness will start to prepare you for the 2nd Hand of Business next week. Talk to you soon!

Doug Kliewer is a best selling author and founder of The Hero Maker Group. Most conscientious business leaders complicate their message to prospects. The Hero Maker Group coaches a 3-part blueprint that makes your story be seen and heard so your impact and revenues grow. His Hero Maker Showcase is designed to help authors and aspiring authors create presentations and marketing videos that get their story into the hands of the right reader. Go visit HeroMakerGroup.com to learn how you can get seen and heard by your audience.