Do you know when an airplane uses the most fuel?  Unequivocally, it’s during take-off.  It takes a LOT of energy to get something so large moving at a pace that allows it to leave the earth.

Can I offer this image as a reminder to those of you who work in businesses with any kind of sales cycle (a period of time from first contact / conversation to the point when a decision is made)?

It takes a huge amount of energy to create momentum and growth in a business, particularly after an extended period of inactivity.  And in most businesses, you don’t get immediate results rewarding your efforts.  It can be grueling to continue making efforts without any signs of growth to celebrate…but it is a part of the process.

Most people make efforts for several weeks, maybe after an event or burst of inspiration or at the start of a new year, then they give up way too soon.  By the time the results finally start rolling in, they face yet another lag because they stopped doing the things that make a difference yet again.  And this cycle repeats over and over and over…

Here’s another truth – it doesn’t take nearly as much fuel to keep a plane flying once it’s in the air.

The same is true of business.  If you are inconsistent with your daily efforts, you will face the overwhelming task of “getting the plane off the ground” again and again.  This is exhausting.

However, if you are consistent with the small, seemingly insignificant daily action steps that create growth, the amount of energy it takes to continue to grow the business is substantially less.  Small daily touches go a long way once you’ve created momentum.

Right now, I’m guessing some of you burst into the new year determined to create some powerful new results…and the efforts you’ve made so far haven’t given you the results you expected…yet.  Can I encourage you to keep going?

Tiny steps.  Every day.  You are just about off the ground!