Most business owners see a gap between what they intend and where they really are.

You may have an intention to have a certain culture and live by certain values.

You may have an intention to follow a certain higher mission.

You may have an intention to implement a new vision and achieve certain goals.

This is all fine.

The gap between intention and reality creates movement; hopefully towards your ideal state. The larger the gap, the more movement (or change) required.

The Problems Start When…

The problems start when you sell the intent and not the reality.

You sell the intent to your customers but that is not what you deliver.

You sell the intent to your employees, but they see a different reality, with no movement towards the intent.

You sell the intent to yourself and can no longer see that you are no longer real.

How can you sell something you don't believe in yourself?

The days of building a successful business selling on selling a large gap between what you tell the world you do and what you actually do are numbered. You can't spend your way to success by marketing alone. Your customers will call you out publicly on that gap. It is already happening.

Be Authentic Yourself

I've written hundreds of post over the last few years. I've stated my latest thinking on a number of business, development and personal topics.

I have the intent to live and work to these ideals. I have a lot of work ahead of me. As I learn more, my intent shifts. I expect to be learning and striving the rest of my life.

I am not there; I am on a journey.

Match Your Business With Your Authentic Self

Our business mission is to "Help people achieve their full potential; including living a fulfilling life."

The wording was chosen carefully.

  • Help: Not make; people have to want help and specifically, our brand of help. We just have to help, not create the achievement.
  • People: Not everyone (though that would be nice); we are talking like minded people.
  • Full Potential: I believe this is tied your your inherent talents and passion; if either talent or passion are not there you won't likely achieve your full potential.
  • Living a Fulfilling Life: Not balanced life. Balance implies a judgement on how important each aspect is. Everyone is different. If you are happy, following your passion and using talents you are likely to find more fulfillment. You decide what fulfilling means.

Do you reach your full potential at age 22 and then coast the rest of your life? Does winning a gold medal at the Olympics mean you've reached your full potential and the rest of your life is meaningless?

No.

Achieving your full potential starts today and goes for the rest of your life.

This is where I am taking our business (and myself).

We are not there either; we are on a journey as a company.

My goal is to create movement and change by attempting to reduce the gap between intent and reality. That starts with understanding and measuring the gap. To do that you need to be honest and authentic, with yourself and the rest of the world.

I hope to make the world a little better by doing this.

It is a journey because the intent and reality are themselves moving.