Your Pie. My Pie. We All Have Our Own Pie!

This past week I had the pleasure of meeting a woman that I can only describe as amazing. Her name is Rosy Jalifi and she runs the Small Business Development Center for the City of Austin. This unbelievable resource is specifically designed to help "develop and empower small businesses in order to strengthen their business capability and survivability." The program in and of itself is an unbelievable resource and something I am proud as an Austinite and an entrepreneur to see our city dollars being spent on.

I always pride myself on the incredible people that I am fortunate to come in contact with. Rosy, having only just met, is someone that is already on my all-star list. I have found that people always come into our lives at a time when we most need them and generally with a message or a lesson we need to hear. My recent lunch with Rosy was a prime example of this point.

As Rosy and I broke bread (well me with Migas and she with soup), we exchanged our mutual passion for entrepreneurship and small business success. As the conversation flew it was like we were old friends as we shared our personal and professional tales. One thing led to another before long Rosy was recalling one of the best lessons she had learned from one of her first bosses. It concerned "Pie." That's right Pie!

Rosy told me how she and her boss had talked about other people's success and whether another person's success took from your success. He equated it to individual pies. Just because someone's pie get's bigger doesn't mean that it happens because it is coming from your pie.

I thought to myself what an amazing analogy.

As I say, lessons come from those who touch us in life. This particular lesson comes as a perfect time for me personally as I truly needed it. Someone who is close to me has their own pie and the success that they are enjoying now is to be admired, not envied.

As Rosy told me, my pie may still need baking.

Thanks for the lesson Rosy!

Check out SBDC's site and see the great Ripples that Rosy and her staff are creating! They are creating a major Ripple Effect!

Ripple On My Friends!

Steve Harper
www.ripplecentral.com

Pushing Through The Pain

This morning I got up to go do my usual run. I didn't really want to go as I was warm and snug in my bed and the thought of getting up and running just wasn't appealing. Never-the-less I persuaded my sub-conscious to get motivated and since I hadn't slept all that well during the night, I didn't really need to toss and turn for an hour more. My head was a swirl with a number of things I had pressing on my mind and a run generally helps me sort through my thoughts. About 3/4 of mile in I was feeling really glad that I had decided to run as things were becoming cleared and more focused. Then out of now where a rock I didn't see, appeared and decided to ATTACK ME!

One minute I was concentrating on how to move forward on a particular project and the next....an awkward step and a shot pain through my left ankle....BLAM! Just like that down on the curb writhing in pain. A severe sprain no doubt!

I cautiously stepped up on it and it hurt. It was all warm and tingly like sprains tend to be (I have had a jillion of them) and my thoughts immediately turned negative.

"Oh great! A full day ahead and me with a bum ankle. This is just great!"

"See this would have never happened if I had stayed in bed!"

"If I hadn't been concentrating on this stupid problem I would have easily seen that rock!"

You get the picture.

As I began to hobble back in the direction of my house I stopped. My ankle hurt and it was uncomfortable but either way I looked at it, I couldn't do much about it. The pain was easily manageable and actually wasn't pain at all. Minor discomfort at best and the further I walked the better it got. I thought....hmmm easy way to get out of exercise I could blame the ankle! I stopped again and thought to myself that would be a cop out even though it was clearly the path of least resistance. Was I going to let this injury which at first seemed big but now was rather small, control my outcome and ultimately the start of my day? I mean after all....I was already out there. If I could walk why couldn't I run?

I started a light jog. Discomfort at first and then less and less noticeable. I finished my three miles in about the same time it would take my typically and my ankle felt great. Now five hours later....my ankle is fine, I feel great and I am glad I pushed through. I feel better all the way around; mentally and physically.

It got me wondering...how many events happen to us that at first look major but then turn out to be minor or non-events altogether? Especially after we get a little time or distance from them. How many times do we face that first shot of pain and call it a day? The first little sign of resistance and we allow those circumstances to control our outcome.

When I look at how my day might have been in comparison to what it is I realize that sometimes we have to push through the pain in order to gain the positive results we really desire. My ankle, my issues, my problems though at times are painful, are generally not as major as I make them out to be. I think pushing through the pain even though it might seem uncomfortable at the time helps steel us mentally and physically and certainly has a whole lot more benefits than the alternative.

They say there no pain, no gain. I have to say I agree with that!

Ripple On My Friends!!!!

Steve Harper
www.ripplecentral.com