Obligation and Opportunity

You paid your taxes. An obligation.

You sent the check in for your rent payment. An obligation.

You paid your team members. An obligation.

You have many obligations in business every single day.

Morally or legally bound is the definition.

It’s basically, things that must get done.

Obligations should not come as a surprise.

You should know when taxes are due and how much they are, you should know how much you owe your team and when the rent is due and how much it is.

What can come as a surprise is an opportunity. For many it is not a surprise, when you are open to opportunity, and you believe like I do, that opportunity is everywhere.  

You were asked to speak at a big event. An opportunity.

You were referred to a new client and have a presentation to create. An opportunity.

You were asked to teach a course at a local college. An opportunity.

When obligations are taken care of because you know and understand your numbers and your business plan, there is room for the opportunities to come to you.

And when they do, you can embrace them with confidence and ease.

If payments are up to date, you know travel is not a problem.

If your team is in place and paid, you know they are there to support you as you take on that new client.

If your schedule is organized and you are planning ahead, you know if you can teach that college course on an ongoing basis.

The lesson here is do what you must do so you can do what you want to do.

If you lead a corporate sales team and someone comes in to do consulting, can you tell them your numbers and explain how the team is working or not working together in a succinct  and accurate manner?

If you can’t answer right away, it’s time to review your current business processes.

Look at your numbers weekly, your team schedules, your own schedule, upcoming events, marketing plans, sales plans, etc.

Obligations are always there and opportunities are there as long as you let them in.

Don’t let the big event or the big client get lost because the ‘to do’ was too much to do.