"There's a time to belt up!"

Hello

I wondered if perhaps I might be losing weight as the leather belt I often wear seemed to be a little bit loose.

And so...

Having thought about it for some weeks I decided I really did need to find a bradawl and create a new hole further along the belt line.

Perhaps...

I was just procrastinating but for some reason I simply didn't get round to it and every time I buckled up the belt I thought about creating the new hole.

Suddenly...

Early one morning I decided that I really did need to do something about this and removed the belt and took a good look at it.  It was then that I realised that the other end of the belt could be removed from the buckle, shortened and then reconnected by means of a hinge with sharp teeth.

So-I found a pair of sharp scissors, cut 1 inch of the belt; reconnected it, re-threaded it and did it up again with some satisfaction knowing it now fitted properly.

And what's even better...

I realised that the world had again (doesn't it do this so often!) brought me yet another interesting experience which would enable me to come up with creative solutions to some of the problems that life throws in mine and no doubt your direction.

You see...

I'd been thinking about my "belt" problem in totally the wrong way.  And if I hadn't been careful or hadn’t procrastinated I would've ended up punching a hole into my smart leather belt that I simply didn't need.  Instead: I turned the problem, or in this case the belt, on its head (back to front) and found a different way to create the solution I desired.

And so thinking...

There must be some other way in which I can use this idea - I started to make some notes.

I wonder if you can use any of these thoughts in your life or in your business?

For example:

When you and I are looking to increase our profits very often we can concentrate our thoughts effort and money on increasing sales and turnover and yet... another way to create more profits is to turn the belt around and reduce costs!

Here's another example:

If we're considering how our sales force can make more sales then using the same "belt logic" we could perhaps give them more help in their administrative tasks and by so doing increase the amount of time they can actually spend with clients or customers selling products and services.

And yet another example:

As you know I am really keen on the idea that "action is the key" as life has proved there is little substitute for doing things!  However... if you and I spent a little more time on understanding our purpose; establishing our goals and then working out a plan to achieve those goals then-no doubt-we would be far more effective when we actually came to take those actions.

And yet another example:

One of the ways I've used in many years to come up with creative solutions and I've been reminded of it by my experiences with my belt is to change round any question I might ask about what I want to achieve and instead of asking "how I can do something?"  I asked myself "how I cannot do something?" so instead of saying "how can I be more successful?"  I asked myself "how can I be less successful?"

You see how this works don't you?

And so:

As you go through today and the days that follow today perhaps each time you too buckle up your belt you'll be reminded of this idea and when tackling any problem having come at it head on-you'll pause, and think of the problem back to front and see what your marvellous internal genius can come up with in answer to a focused question.

Will you try this idea?

You will!  Oh good!

Go on then 

Peter Thomson

Editor and Belting Publisher

tgiMondays