<p> Volume 4, Issue 5 May 1994 </p><p>Roadblocks 12 Impediments To Achievement </p><p> resources you do have. "yes", some say "they wrote the big Have you ever noticed that some Jesus said, "For which of you, things down", but most say "no, people are successful at nearly when he wants to build a tower, they worked and learned as they everything they put their hand to? does not first sit down and went". Have you ever noticed that some calculate the cost, to see if he has I'm not surprised. Entrepreneurs people fail over and over? enough to complete it? Otherwise are idea people. They get an idea I know a couple of people who when he has laid the foundation, and they dive right in. They don't have a "gold thumb" for business. and is not able to finish, all who have time to put their ideas down They are exceptionally bright, well- observe it begin to ridicule him, on paper, to plan for the growth of t reasoned people. But most of the saying, "This man began to build heir b usi ness es. W hen t he y successful people I know are and was not able to succeed it is often because their plodders. They work and fail, work finish."" (Luke 14:28-30 NAS) energy and determination carries and fail, but eventually they find them through difficulties. ROADBLOCK #2: TIME success. There isn't an engineer alive who A verse in Ecclesiastes (10:10) Whether you have a "gold thumb" would build a new plant without p e r t a i n s t o t h e n o n -p l a n n i n g or you are a plodder, if you are an thinking of when the plant needed entrepreneur; "If the ax is dull and i achiever chances are that you plan, to be open, and work backwards in t s e d g e u ns h a r p e n e d , mo r e prepare, and implement well. When time thinking about the work strength is needed but skill will b r you fail chances are it is because of needed and time required to i n g s u c c e s s " . If y o u s t a r t one of the twelve roadblocks listed complete each phase of the work. chopping wood before you sharpen below. Knowing them, confronting This kind of project management is your ax, you can still chop wood, them, and building around them common among engineers but but it will take a lot more work, it will increase your chance for sadly, is lacking in many of our will take longer than expected, and success. other corporate disciplines. the results might not meet your expectations. If you don't give yourself plenty of ROADBLOCK #1: MONEY It is amazing to me the number of time to complete each task along ROADBLOCK #4: FAILURE TO businesses that fail due to under- c with extra time for the inevitable FOCUS a p i t a l i za t i o n . T h i s i s n o t a snags and delays you will be Put this newsletter directly in front problem exclusive to the small frustrated with missed deadlines. of your face touching your nose. businessman. Any number of big Now move it away slowly. See h o ROADBLOCK #3: FAILURE TO divisions of large, well-respected w it c o me s i n to f o c us ? PLAN companies launch products all the Sometimes when we start a project Every week in the local newspaper time without enough capital to we get so immersed in the details there is a feature highlighting a l reinforce their marketing, or match of the job that we lose focus on the oc a l s t a r t -u p bu s i ne s s . O ne the spending they know will come reason for the project, the vision. question they ask these from competitors. Failure to have This happened to Martha as she entrepreneurs is, "Did you write a enough money to get a product to prepared dinner for Jesus, "But business plan? A few answer market, and hang on until it is Martha was distracted by all the successful wastes the money and preparations that had to be made. and you have to start somewhere! ROADBLOCK #8: OVER-CONTROL She came to him and asked, "Lord, Some managers have a terrible don't you care that my sister has ROADBLOCK #6: PESSIMISM time delegating. They like to think left me to do the work by myself? If you think a job can not be done, of themselves as good delegators, Tell her to help me!"" (Luke you're right. No one ever thinking a strong motivators who encourage 10:40). thing impossible accomplished the their people to grow. But the truth impossible. There's a story about an Staying focused into today's ever- is they try to control every aspect assistant to Edison who confronted of every job their employees are changing business climate takes the genius with the fact effort. Make sure that working on. Dr. James Belasco that they had tried and as p tly, "Procras the tination lead e by er o not is the you p dist enemy stay l ract of focu e ing accomp sed w the lishmen and h m t. We help a tend the t to peop i procr le t astin arou i ate nd s most you t with to h work stay e that focu y we sed a do as r not well. e enjoy You w , or can o do help r not your k fee empl i l oyee n skil s g led stay t en focus o ou ed w gh by a to setti r ng a d good s exa , mple a your n self, d by l remi a ndin s g faile i des employe t be was painting, elepha didn't cri serving d n bes es e impossi as judge especiall nt one exist. over v his couldn't r ble just for the y bite at The 10,0 e con make m a few entire woodwo a time, "scientist 00 n trol their years nation. rk, s" of the lin times ti g own g ago. He spent especiall day to o nat decision o When day after y the thought mak n ure s. The a my day parts them to e a s in reason? l grandm settling that be light w his He had . other petty show, impossib bo bulb. e trained was disputes because le. ok, Edis t them to born among I'm Fli on a rely on the the afraid ROADBL ght OCK #7: repli k him, Wright that I Of OVER- ed e rather brother won't do C that f Th than on s were a good O they o e their still enough N now r Bu own ROA # tinkerin p e o p l e . job. F knew g ffal good DBL 5 g and M o s e s ' OCK f a t h e r -i There is I 10,0 r o. judgmen most of P n -l a w , D 00 a He t. The the a Greek R Jethro E thing n ref company electric proverb O said, N s that t ers 's applian C "You that C woul e to volume a ces that R and E d not d hi n d p r o we use goes, A these work t ms f i t s s o every "The S people W h er e and o elf a r e d day beginnin T pr o cr as were d as wh e n h g is the I t i n at i o there a bei e half of N n s t o ps fore y ng empower every a muc w " ed his A action." project h e aut workers. T Getting before it close r h or I started is Moses can start, r to e i t O often the over- findi t ar i had a N most confiden ng a h a n" similar difficult Procrasti ce can way o a enjoy, bedroom part of problem. nation is kill a that u nd the or do that are any job. He project woul g w enemy not feel still If you've of any time d h on skilled waiting been a c c o m after you work t der enough for a putting p l i s h start. . t i n to finish off a big me n t . The o g comple coat of project Man wh W e t e n te. paint. try over- y of y d t o There a I've been breaking confiden the his procrasti r e s o procrasti it down t with side c nate me m o nating into manager projects most u l d i n for two refuses that do h l managea not help o with gs i n years. I ble parts. to listen r t n work m y don't Rememb to e h g that we daught really er, you reason a e - do not er's like eat an and refuses advice" who leader own failure to see (Prov. come to decisi often you will you the 12:15). only ons. sabotage reality of wear need to s the b a yourselv learn to R O A D est inte situation. es out. select B L O nd ed e CK # 9: "Do you The capable, mpl oye F E AR see a work is trustwort e or man too hy O F entrepre F neur. wise in heavy people A What do his own for you; and train I you risk eyes? you them to L by There is cannot do U trying? more handle importa You will hope for it nt R a fool alone." E either work succeed than for So he making Fear of or him" suggeste their (Prov. d that 26:12). Moses The appoint capable, over- trustwor confident thy manager judges over is soon tens, humbled fifties, . hundred Proverbs s, and reminds thousan us to ds and; listen to that he advice teach from them the others decrees rather and than laws, doing and things show our own them the way, way to "The live and way of a the fool duties seems they right to were to him, but perform a wise (Exodus man 18). listens to As a fail. But one thing is sure, if you do distribution chances are he will instead for a way that it can be not try you have failed. succeed. If not, he is doomed to done. They are determined not to Consider professional sports. A failure. fail. They are driven to succeed. baseball player who steps up to the ROADBLOCK #11: POOR plate and hits the ball one out of NE INAL HOUGHT EXECUTION O F T three times earns millions of Any job worth doing is worth doing God called to Moses from the dollars a year. But he has failed well. Paul writes to the Colossians, burning bush and said, "I have seen 70% of the time! A basketball "Whatever you do, work at it with the misery of my people...I have player who gets a basket 50% of all your heart, as working for the heard them cry out...I am concerned the time is an all-star, yet he has Lord, not for men" (Col. 3:23). for their suffering...So I have come failed 50% of the time. Do you down to rescue them...So now go, I think these failures keep these There are a million am sending you to players from trying? Not at all! details in most work Pharaoh to bring the and attention to details The wil d "W writer of hat Proverbs l oft is it said, "for that en though a s righteous ma e man falls ke seven the p times, he d i f a rises fe r r again..." e a (Prov. nc t 24:16). e b e In e t s Ecclesias we achi en tes it eve says, suc ces rs "There fro is no one s on earth and m who fail tho ure se . that An try, O- fail, rin and g quit cos tin ? g les s tha n a dol lar fail ed an Israelites says ness too. D t rea required able to quality, or out of Th r ssur , They et h to be touch cost Egypt en t er e s ( "Wh may be c e hi m successf every control. the . mi E o ust ome r na b y ul. An aspect But they sayi x ex am I s er vi c tio e engineer of his are there. that e, ng designs a busines Attend to . cu M n. n o I T that new s them se sho d He compute directly before 3 s h . ) s e uld e will r and and the they blow go be up in your . sta s d starts a compan to T with new y face. e does c R P G h him. company flounde si RO A D B what is o e h o i The . He rs. If he right all d r L O C K st s n doesn't sees the the time e #12: LAC and bi Mos know problem K O F ll t es much a b and i R io o says o u t ma r hires s E n s , k e t i n g , people S s e "Wh f i n a n c e who w O o e at if , o r underst h L f the distributi and a V d Israe on but marketi a E ol t lites his ng, </p><p> la s don't product finance t e belie is so , and What is it rs h that never ti and p ve good he makes a i me? figures separates mistake" me y the a achievers n " consume (Eccl. an o lives r from 7:20 g God rs will d u of a those that G reas beat a it r elev t try, fail, N t sure path to c en p e and quit? ) s his door. e l e op hr s Resolve. . him For a r a le o Determin agai while he t s whe u ation. n is right. So what a t n t g The and While i . he s h desire to have give the n hut see a you got to s company l tle thing finances, product s is small to lose? y Chal p through his Don't let l e to the c determin the fear w enge end. This if ation of i r is what i pulls him failure l blew c separates through keep you l up. R O A D B S area of an L O C K # difficulti from Ther planning achiever trying. If n e are 1 0: I M P es, but as R O P E R An is from a o the you fail O- S importa considera non- it will t ring company K nt but tion of achiever. not be s in grows he I often the skills There are your b your is no L overloo that will as many first e busi longer L ked be excuses for i please nstructi failure as ons for send there are what someone people to say else to do who fail; to the it." "I didn't people. Finally have Moses God gets enough again annoyed capital", says, with "I didn't "What Moses think the if the and competit people agrees to ion don't let his would believe brother be so me?" Aaron do stiff", So God the "People gave talking. just Moses We can didn't signs to "what if" understa give to nd the the ourselves benefits people to death of my so that and product" they never . The list would get goes on believe anything and on. . Moses accompli The then shed. But achiever says, God's doesn't "O work is accept Lord, I too excuses have importan for why never t to a thing been ignore. can not eloquen Let's be done t." God stop but reassur offering looks es him excuses again and start saying making that he ourselves will available give to do His him the work words trusting to say. that He Moses will finally provide says, for us; "O Lord, </p>