Adopting the Legendary Boxer’s Personal Philosophy Can Turn You into a Champion of Business
All of the buzz surrounding the recent high stakes Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao welterweight title fight got me thinking about boxing’s heyday in the 1960s and ’70s, as well as of (in my view) the greatest prize fighter of all time – Muhammad Ali
Yes, of course, Ali was a physically gifted athlete. But, then again, most successful professional fighters will fall into that category. That’s not rare or unusual.
However, it was his amazingly positive psychological philosophy of life and ego strength, which when coupled with his physical skills dramatically impacted his success in the ring and made him the unique champion he was.
And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the mental toughness Ali possessed is the same psychological mindset shared by many successful businesspeople.
Although most casual observers would attribute his success strictly to his athletic prowess, these external physical aspects are merely what were obvious to the eyes. In fact, the underlying causes of his many accomplishments were not outwardly visible at all.
Ali was – and remains – magnificently unique, and you, as a laundry owner, can learn from him. Adopting Ali’s attitude, style and philosophy of life very likely could increase your chances of becoming a champion in your marketplace. After all, you have a building full of washers and dryers, which is analogous to Ali possessing great physical skills. But, aside from that, the man was psychologically gifted – and you can be, too.
With that in mind, here are five of my all-time favorite “Ali-isms”for you to ponder and, hopefully, to incorporate into your own psychic economy:
“People who view the world the same at 50 as they did at 20 have wasted 30 years of their lives.”
Lesson: When operating your self-service laundry, keep your mind flexible to change with regard to how you manage your business, view the industry, perceive your customers and deal with your attendants. Flexibility and adaptability as a function of time is what helped make Ali the champion he was.
“It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”
Lesson: Never lose sight of the big picture, nor focus too heavily upon minor business distractions and irritations. In other words, don’t trip over pennies on your way to dollars.
“It’s not bragging if you can back it up.”
Lesson: Be careful when crafting your advertising copy. Don’t promise more than you can deliver. In fact, always exceed customer expectations, like Ali did in one of his famous pre-fight predictions:
“The competition is getting scared,
They’re running out of room,
It’s just a matter of time,
Before I lower the boom.”
He meant it and could certainly back it up.
“Don’t count the days; make the days count.”
Lesson: When operating your self-service laundry, it’s not necessarily the amount of time you devote that is significant – it’s what you accomplish with the time that really matters. So, make that time count and find ways to be more effective and productive.
“The fight is lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road – long before I dance under those lights.”
Lesson: Use every opportunity to learn more about your business when you’re not at your store. Search the internet, visit the library and sign up for webinars, as well as attending industry trade shows, distributor open houses, service schools and other educational events.
Do whatever it takes behind the scenes to become highly knowledgeable about the industry, marketing, laundry equipment and customer buying behavior so that, when you are actually managing your laundry, you have a large bank of accumulated knowledge to draw upon.
Years ago, I watched an interview with Ali. Although he covered many topics, what touched me most – and has remained with me – was the following statement:
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina. They have to be a little faster. They have to have the skill and the will, but the will must be stronger than the skill.”
Perhaps if you train your business mind like Ali trained for a title bout, you’ll be able to back up the following Ali-esque boast:
My laundry’s got the speed,
It’s got the endurance,
When the competition sees it,
They’re gonna need some insurance…
My laundry’s outstanding,
The competition is getting frantic,
I checked them on radar,
They’re somewhere over the Atlantic…
#PlanetLaundry #Article #BusinessManagement #TheBusinessMind #Public
