Comments on: Focus, Infect And Grow http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/ Entrepreneurship, marketing, personal devlelopment Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:38:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: michelle http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5916 michelle Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:11:56 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5916 Sitting here feeling glum and despondent about my lack of employment and increasingly dire financial situation and I read this blog post. Attitude is everything! Now I shall go focus, over a cup of tea, on what is good and positive and beautiful about the here and now. I shall say my thanks and call upon The Spirit of Enthusiasm for one more push to find "the job that's right for me". Thank you mi Sitting here feeling glum and despondent about my lack of employment and increasingly dire financial situation and I read this blog post.

Attitude is everything!

Now I shall go focus, over a cup of tea, on what is good and positive and beautiful about the here and now. I shall say my thanks and call upon The Spirit of Enthusiasm for one more push to find “the job that’s right for me”.

Thank you

mi

]]> By: Justin http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5882 Justin Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:54:54 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5882 Your posts are always so insightful and inspiring. You're right; no good can come from thinking of failure all the time, but it is important to acknowledge that it can happen, so you can think of ways to avoid it. As for infectious emotions, I think I read something about that awhile back, but I haven't thought of the principle in awhile. I'll have to remember it. Your posts are always so insightful and inspiring. You’re right; no good can come from thinking of failure all the time, but it is important to acknowledge that it can happen, so you can think of ways to avoid it. As for infectious emotions, I think I read something about that awhile back, but I haven’t thought of the principle in awhile. I’ll have to remember it.

]]> By: Laurie http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5874 Laurie Sat, 01 Nov 2008 03:11:01 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5874 With my business that I recently started I never thought about failing. I have only considered success. The reason why is that I think that the idea of the business was a gift from God so then why would it fail? I have also strategically targeted the need in the school systems here in Texas. I am teaching with my program what their kids score the worst in on state testing. So again, how would I fail? :O) With my business that I recently started I never thought about failing. I have only considered success. The reason why is that I think that the idea of the business was a gift from God so then why would it fail? I have also strategically targeted the need in the school systems here in Texas. I am teaching with my program what their kids score the worst in on state testing. So again, how would I fail? :O)

]]> By: Rachael http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5854 Rachael Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:23:40 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5854 Hey this is so true! I am coming though a time of crisis in my personal and professional life. I have finally stopped focusing on everything that has gone wrong and am looking to the future with great hope and anticipation. I now consider these past months as a steep learning curve, and recognize I am now wiser, stronger and far more compassionate. I feel happier, and I am drawn to positive people, mindsets and websites like yours Jonathan. Thanks! Hey this is so true!
I am coming though a time of crisis in my personal and professional life. I have finally stopped focusing on everything that has gone wrong and am looking to the future with great hope and anticipation. I now consider these past months as a steep learning curve, and recognize I am now wiser, stronger and far more compassionate.
I feel happier, and I am drawn to positive people, mindsets and websites like yours Jonathan.
Thanks!

]]> By: Jonathan Fields http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5853 Jonathan Fields Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:57:59 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5853 @ Ken - Thanks for your comment. No doubt, there are some lawyers who are able to make the shift in mindset. And, those are the ones we tend to remember, see more publicly (and who want to be known). I am actually a convert from securities lawyer to entrepreneur, myself. And, no doubt, for those who can evolve from a "what can go wrong" to a "what can go right" mindset, the analytical training, work experience and ethic are big assets, strike that, huge assets. But, of the many lawyers I've known, gone to school with, spoken with, interviewed and observed, it's a really tough shift to make, especially after years of practice. So tough, in fact, that so many lawyers I've known who have dreams of entrepreneurship have ended up talking themselves out of what were often viable business ideas by focusing only on the potential risks and magnitude of the potential losses, should things go wrong. Also, your observations about how many lawyers "make horrible entrepreneurs when it comes to building and running their practices" is spot on. But, we can't carve out the private practice of law from the realm of entrepreneurship. It is very much an entrepreneurial venture. So, my opening line was equally applicable to any entrepreneurial endeavor, even the pursuit of a private practice or "solo-preneurial" venture. What really fascinates me is how many lawyers have been scared away from entrepreneurship, in part, because of this phenomenon. I have no idea how you'd get honest data on that question, though. Interesting topic to explore in more detail... :) @ Ken – Thanks for your comment. No doubt, there are some lawyers who are able to make the shift in mindset. And, those are the ones we tend to remember, see more publicly (and who want to be known).

I am actually a convert from securities lawyer to entrepreneur, myself. And, no doubt, for those who can evolve from a “what can go wrong” to a “what can go right” mindset, the analytical training, work experience and ethic are big assets, strike that, huge assets.

But, of the many lawyers I’ve known, gone to school with, spoken with, interviewed and observed, it’s a really tough shift to make, especially after years of practice. So tough, in fact, that so many lawyers I’ve known who have dreams of entrepreneurship have ended up talking themselves out of what were often viable business ideas by focusing only on the potential risks and magnitude of the potential losses, should things go wrong.

Also, your observations about how many lawyers “make horrible entrepreneurs when it comes to building and running their practices” is spot on. But, we can’t carve out the private practice of law from the realm of entrepreneurship. It is very much an entrepreneurial venture. So, my opening line was equally applicable to any entrepreneurial endeavor, even the pursuit of a private practice or “solo-preneurial” venture.

What really fascinates me is how many lawyers have been scared away from entrepreneurship, in part, because of this phenomenon. I have no idea how you’d get honest data on that question, though. Interesting topic to explore in more detail… :)

]]> By: Ken http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5852 Ken Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:22:00 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5852 Jonathan- It is my experience (nothing statistically to back it up) that your first sentence is completely incorrect. Most of the lawyers that I know who have left the law to start a business have done well. It's just that lawyers make horrible entrepreneurs when it comes to building and running their practices. Tough to create, sell, market and manage the product when you are the product. Just as an example. Ran into a former colleague several years ago at a diner. After practicing law for about 5 years he got fed up and started a business with only one customer and with no assets other than his pick up truck. By the time I saw him at the diner (eight years after he started the business) he came over to chat. I still remember his comment " You know Ken. I have over 300 employees, I'm negotiating to buy out a competitor of the same size. I run a multi million dollar business,and....every single morning I go into the office thinking.... this is a thousand times easier than practicing law". I know it's just one person's story but I'll always remember that conversation. Jonathan-

It is my experience (nothing statistically to back it up) that your first sentence is completely incorrect. Most of the lawyers that I know who have left the law to start a business have done well. It’s just that lawyers make horrible entrepreneurs when it comes to building and running their practices. Tough to create, sell, market and manage the product when you are the product.

Just as an example. Ran into a former colleague several years ago at a diner. After practicing law for about 5 years he got fed up and started a business with only one customer and with no assets other than his pick up truck. By the time I saw him at the diner (eight years after he started the business) he came over to chat. I still remember his comment ” You know Ken. I have over 300 employees, I’m negotiating to buy out a competitor of the same size. I run a multi million dollar business,and….every single morning I go into the office thinking…. this is a thousand times easier than practicing law”.

I know it’s just one person’s story but I’ll always remember that conversation.

]]> By: Dean http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5851 Dean Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:59:59 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5851 @ Jonathan re Gita etc take II ... It is a challenge no matter how you look at it. Perhaps from a different philosopher, Ringo Starr: "It don't come easy." @ Jonathan re Gita etc take II … It is a challenge no matter how you look at it. Perhaps from a different philosopher, Ringo Starr: “It don’t come easy.”

]]> By: Jonathan Fields http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5850 Jonathan Fields Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:02:20 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5850 @ evecleveland - Thanks for the kind words, but we all sounding smart and being smart, hmmmm, not always the same. ;-) @ Dean - I like that way of looking at at. But, the whole desire thing is still challenge for me, because, reality is, very few people can sustain a concerted effort without working toward a desired outcome. And, that'd even be true if the desire is simply to be doing what you're doing in the present moment. Uh, oh, head starting to spin. Thanks for giving me something to think about! @ evecleveland – Thanks for the kind words, but we all sounding smart and being smart, hmmmm, not always the same. ;-)

@ Dean – I like that way of looking at at. But, the whole desire thing is still challenge for me, because, reality is, very few people can sustain a concerted effort without working toward a desired outcome. And, that’d even be true if the desire is simply to be doing what you’re doing in the present moment. Uh, oh, head starting to spin. Thanks for giving me something to think about!

]]> By: Dean http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5848 Dean Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:54:19 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5848 @ Jonathan re Gita ... I am with you and the way I have worked around it and that I think fits in with your topic is that you plan as needed, you get jazzed up about what you have going on, you work on the doing/the actions and ... then as the last step and this to me is the release, you let your actions and excitement carry the intent you are working toward all the while not letting getting something, some result overwhelm your efforts, your action. That is to say the focus is on the action not the result. Perhaps not a useful way to think about it for others but helps me get the focus just about right. @ Jonathan re Gita … I am with you and the way I have worked around it and that I think fits in with your topic is that you plan as needed, you get jazzed up about what you have going on, you work on the doing/the actions and … then as the last step and this to me is the release, you let your actions and excitement carry the intent you are working toward all the while not letting getting something, some result overwhelm your efforts, your action. That is to say the focus is on the action not the result. Perhaps not a useful way to think about it for others but helps me get the focus just about right.

]]> By: evecleveland http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/focus-infect-and-grow/#comment-5847 evecleveland Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:36:02 +0000 http://jonathanfields.com/blog/?p=845#comment-5847 Hey! You sound so smart, I'm going to have to read that 3 times to let it soak in. Eve Hey!
You sound so smart, I’m going to have to read that 3 times to let it soak in.
Eve

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