I heard a surprising statistic this week. Ninety percent of businesses in America fail. I was shocked at first and then I remembered the recent statistic saying that nearly eighty percent of books fail in the marketplace. Now that statistic began to make sense. When you decide to publish a book, you are entering a fiercely competitive business with a product.
Some of those products and their producers aren’t quite ready for commerce. Authors typically consider publishing just a natural transition. They treat publishing like an extension of their writing.
It’s likely that other people entering into various businesses make the same mistake. They bring with them a desire, maybe a product and a few ideas, but little business savvy. They try to enter into the world of business without enough information, knowledge and the right kind of skills. Authors, for example, remain in writing/creative mode when they should adopt a business mindset.
We can’t all be high-powered businessmen and women. We don’t all have the drive and the aptitude. But the ordinary author (hobbyist, inventor, idea-person) who is high on passion and serious about learning, can succeed in business to the degree that he or she desires. It all starts with a viable product (great idea), knowledge and hard work.
Most adults eventually realize that nothing comes from nothing. In other words, dreams don’t just occur, they must be embraced, nurtured and sought-after. It is our personal responsibility to foster our ideas, our dreams, our books projects, and this means stepping outside our comfort zones to make things happen.
Are things happening in your life? Do you have a book in mind or in your hand? Are you happy with the way things are going? If not, examine how you are pursuing your dream—with your arms folded across your chest and your chin set, defying the universe to bring you success? Or are you reaching out, seeking opportunities to learn and to grow and expressing gratitude for each small gift?