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Get Outside

Written by: Jim Bouchard

Article Overview: It’s springtime, get outside. I mean this literally...

Get Outside

Get Outside

It’s springtime, get outside. I mean this literally.

First, it’s good for your body, mind and spirit. If you’ve spent most of your winter indoors staring at a computer screen or locked in your conference room, it’s time to soak in the warm power of the sun. (Be sure to wear suitable SPF protection!).

Taking a walk in the sun renews your spirit and energy. Your brain operates more efficiently when it’s well oxygenated. The sun is a source of vitamin D, essential for healthy bones and immune system. When you’re healthy you’re more productive; simple!

Not enough time? It only takes two 15 minute exposures to the sun every week without sunscreen. Take care not to subject yourself to prolonged exposures without sunscreen and to be blunt, if you’re bald like me wear a hat!

I also mean “get outside” figuratively.

Network with some people outside of your normal business activity. Find someone either downstream or upstream from your job and take him to lunch. Find out how other entrepreneurs perceive your business. Perception may not always be accurate, but it’s always true! Perception is always reality whether we want to admit it or not. It’s very hard to see where you are from where you are. Step outside and see yourself from the perspective of your customers, your vendors and people who have nothing to do with your business.

Ask questions that will help you develop an outside perspective. This technique is particularly useful when you’re talking to people you’re not currently doing business with. I ask these questions:

 How big do you think my business is?
 How many employees do you think I have?
 How much do you think I charge for my services?

This is not a formal survey; I’m having a conversation usually over lunch or coffee. The more relaxed my guest is, the more candid and useful the information I receive. I’ve used this information to examine pricing, to create pricing packages, develop new services, design marketing and even to create new book projects.

My entire Dynamic Components of Personal Power book and speaking business developed out of a series of such conversations. Many of my adult martial arts students are executives, managers, professionals and entrepreneurs. In casual conversations they started to tell me they were using the philosophies I was teaching them in martial arts for their professional and personal success. From these “casual” conversations I launched my speaking business and wrote my first book.

All this from getting outside! I stepped outside what was, at that time my current paradigm and business model. I stepped outside my comfort zone. I stepped outside my perceptions of who I was and what I had to offer to the world.

I also made sure that while writing my book and creating this new business; I literally got outside and into the sun!

So, take 15 minutes today, get up and get outside!

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Article Tags: body mind and spirit, brain, business activity, coffee, computer screen, design marketing, doing business, formal survey, healthy bones, immune system, mind and spirit, minute exposures, perspective, power of the sun, source of vitamin d, spf protection, springtime, taking a walk in the sun, true perception, walk in the sun



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