How to Say Yes and Figure It Out Later

When opportunity comes along just say YES and figure it out later.?You’ve heard that expression, right??It’s attributed to Richard Branson, but I think it is something every successful entrepreneur, solo-preneur or fanatic instinctively does.

By fanatic – I was referring to being a fan of something.?Someone who is passionate about a cause is a Fanatic, or just FAN.?Whatever your passion is – whether it is football, skiing, wine tasting, cooking, travelling, socialising or (in my case) writing – when someone gives you an opportunity you say yes.?And you figure it out later.

So in early 2022, if you had been with me, you would have seen me sitting at my computer, creating a Landing Page for a client.?A message pinged into my messenger and I should have ignored it (it is just SO easy to get distracted isn’t it?) but I didn’t – I glanced at it to see who it was and whether it looked urgent.

It was a message from Sammy Blindell, a very good friend of mine, who?asked me if I wanted to write a chapter of a book she was putting together as a joint effort, a collaboration of people in her ‘tribe’.?

The book was going to make a difference to small business owners – entrepreneurs – by inspiring them during these difficult times, that you can achieve whatever you want despite the external circumstances.?

And it was also going to make a difference to at risk children, by the donation of all profits to Charity.

The book was to be called, ‘The Law of Brand Attraction’.

Now if I am honest – I didn’t get the bit about the entrepreneurs OR the children.?I had a To Do list of about 30 things that had to be completed by Friday (and this was Wednesday) and I didn’t have time to read the whole message.?But you always see the things you are passionate about – and what I saw was ‘do you want to write a chapter of a new book…’ and my answer was an immediate YES.

Frankly, I am glad I didn’t really pick up on the rest of the message at that point – particularly the bit about getting the book written, edited, designed, uploaded to Amazon and marketed in 10 days.?If I had read that and had any time at all to think about it, I may have said no.?

Actually, to be honest, I still would have said YES, because writing is my thing.?I love it.?I have written 3 books and collaborated on 2, and aim to have at least 20 books written in the next 10 years.?So, I WOULD still have said yes, but I would have worried about that commitment for the next 3 days.?I didn’t – I mentally told myself I would write the chapter at the weekend and I put it out of my head until then.?

It wasn’t until Sunday morning that I actually realised the deadline for submission was Sunday night.?However, with all the “last minutitis” skills developed at school and used to reasonably good effect during A levels and University – I thought about it for a couple of hours (otherwise called procrastination) and then sat down to write at 2pm.?

By 3.30 it was done.?Clearly my subconscious had been thinking about it for 5 days and my conscious for a day and a half – so it was all there waiting to pour out.?

Sammy messaged me later that day – and she pointed out something pretty important that was missing in my chapter……..ME.?I was, as is my usual modus operandi, trying to cram as much advice and help into my chapter as I could.?Sammy pointed out something that I always tell my clients.

People need to know, like and trust YOU, before they will listen to you, or buy from you for that matter. Even if they are just ‘buying’ an idea.?

Which brings me to an interesting aside.?

What are YOU doing at the moment so that your tribe knows you are still around??What messages are you putting out there that will build the know, like and trust??

Because business owners still need to buy stuff and they are going to buy it from people they know, like and trust.?Not someone who is seen to be cashing in on the current situation, who is only interested in them if they have money in their wallets.

If you want to join me to discuss what you can be doing now – then join me on my next LinkedIn Leverage event - where I share some valuable tips for business owners on how to get the most out of LinkedIn. These are held roughly every 2 weeks and are live with me. And you can find the next one on this link https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/howtointerview/recent-activity/events/

Anyway – back to the story.?

The book went off to be edited on Monday, the book cover was designed, all images created, all edits finally done and the whole thing was uploaded to Amazon available for pre-sale for a couple of days.?On Thursday when the book launched something outstandingly amazing happened.?

The book went to Number 1 best seller in some very challenging categories – small business – and in several countries over the next 24 - 48 hours – UK, USA, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and – Japan!!?

Now, not only is that the quickest I have ever seen a book conceived, birthed and at the number one slot, but it is also the quickest I have seen a new ‘business family’ put together and working together.?Every author of the book put their heart and soul into it and there are some amazing lessons in there which we hope will inspire any small business owner who is struggling right now.?

If we can do this – 22 people – most of whom had not had a book published before – in only 10 days – what can YOU do despite the odds??And the reason why we are so happy about it – is not just because we challenged ourselves out of our comfort zones and created something amazing.?And it’s not just because we aim to inspire 1 million vulnerable and at risk small business owners.?It is also because all the profits of the book are – a children’s charity which supports vulnerable and at risk children.?

And could there be a more needed cause to support right now??Small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy.?And children are all of our futures.

Please consider buying a copy on Kindle or hard copy – HERE.

Let me leave you with this thought – when you say YES (to your passion) and figure it out later, you will find a way to move mountains.?So - Just say YES!?

Until soon

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Carole Fossey

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