I do a bit of semi-regular fasting when it comes to my diet. I actually enjoy the process, and it makes be feel better physically.
Funny thing is, our bodies are actually designed for it. Early man who painted on cave walls and fled T-Rex’s pursuits didn’t actually sit down to eat three squares per day with a daily vitamin.
In fact, one of the reasons obesity rates are increasing is because the body is not designed to consume the food we shove into it on a multiple-times daily basis.
No, they ate when they killed something. Or when someone in the clan actually foraged for some plants, berries, or nuts. And it might be days, or even weeks, in between the ingestion of food.
In my daily observations of people in business, I think there is a real need to inject a spirit of fasting into our daily business regimen.
What do I mean?
There are no routines in business. There are no normal days. And yes every day, expectations, technology, and environments change.
To see someone surprised by a business or market outcome, to me, is someone NOT prepared or suited to do modern business.
Chaos is the new normal.
This manifests itself in two ways: One, something significant may change, a market might crash for instance, and you’ll need to spend time to recalibrate to adjust to the “new” reality.
And two, it might be weeks (or more) between serious movement on a deal. And in fact, for me, my deals seem to pop in bunches. And I can go a while without real movement.
This used to freak me out. Now, I expect it. And prepare mentally for it. Now, I almost wouldn’t have it any other way.
Look, all business, and all markets, are different. Or as they say, your mileage may vary. But the point is, nothing is regular any more.
Constant change is the new normal.
This goes for you salesmen out there. You will not see a regular weekly close rate of business. Or that phenomena will be rare.
More importantly, in my opinion, this message is for management: To expect your team to move opportunities with regular, clockwork precision…is not realistic.
And to expect otherwise is not being honest with the realities of modern business.
Yes, you need to organize knowing that it might be weeks between big kills. That’s the way of it. That’s how it works.
Yeah, you’ll feast when the kills comes. Celebrate (and organize) towards those. For expecting otherwise is not realistic.
A little fasting never hurt anyone. In fact, that’s in your DNA. Time to revel in that…