About 15 years ago I joined a coed softball team with my wife. The idea was that it was a recreational team and while still competitive, it was more for the “fun of spending time with my wife and friends.” However, I’m pretty competitive and still wanted to win.
The problem is my mind thought I was a young and fit 20-year-old athlete. But, in reality, my body was much slower and more prone to injury than when I was in my prime. My wife used to tease me while I was at the plate and yell out “the farther you hit it the slower you can run.” Ohh, she’s hilarious.
I remember this one at bat very well. I hit a solid shot just over shortstop’s head and it went to center field. I exited the batter’s box and immediately ran towards first base. As it neared first base, I glanced at where the ball was in the field and my mind said “turn that single into a double” so I rounded the base and dug in as hard as I could.
Remember what I said a minute ago about my mind and how it thinks I’m younger than what I really am? My mind betrayed me and my body let my mind know it was wrong. About halfway to second the center fielder had already sent the ball in and the infielder was waiting to tag me out at second. But, it was not necessary as I pulled a hamstring and was rolling around in pain between first and second base.
Needless to say, I had to go to the doctor and received a thorough tongue lashing from him as he reminded me of my age and my limited abilities. He also recommended that I go to physical therapy and gave me some exercises to do so that I could eventually get back on the field and finish the season.
Did I listen to my doctor? No! My attitude was I didn’t need any stinking physical therapy… I just need to stretch better, improve my physical well-being, eat some salad and not the fries and I’ll be able to turn that single into a double next time. That attitude and mindset didn’t work out and I was in pain for the entire season.
About five years later I took my family on a nice ski trip to Red River, New Mexico. Those mountains were absolutely beautiful and the town was so quaint and the skiing was fantastic. But again, my mind played tricks on me and convinced me that I could do some of the harder runs to keep up with my teenage sons.
Once again my body was forced to reminded me that my mind was nuts. About halfway through the day while I was trying to show off in front of my boys that I could keep up, I slipped and fell on a mogul and landed on my shoulder.
I heard that awful sound of a crack and thought I had broken my shoulder. Fortunately, it was not broken. I could not ski the rest of the trip and when we returned back to our home, I went to the doctor. I received the unpleasant news that I had a torn rotator cuff. O joy!
He advised that I should get surgery. This meant that my arm would be out of commission for up to four to six months depending on the severity of the tear and the physical therapy needed to fix the injury.
I explained to my doctor that I was not interested in surgery and like my other doctors in the past, he shook his head and advised that I at least go to physical therapy. I decided to take him up on the offer and went to therapy for what seemed like an eternity… exactly three weeks after my injury I just quit going to physical therapy…bad move!
Physical therapy was hard, inconvenient and often painful. My physical therapist was not like the physical therapist you see in the movies. He was not some good-looking movie actor who made you feel special and brought you some fizzy water and fun snacks and just massaged your shoulder. He was tough! He was mean!
Okay, he really wasn’t mean. He was simply pushing me as I was stubborn. I got pretty tired of that regimen so I stopped. Now all these years later I still have pain in my shoulder from time to time all because I didn’t follow through on my physical therapy.
These two examples show how stubborn I can be at times when I don’t want to do something that seems difficult or inconvenient. It shows that accidents happen and follow-up is needed in order to repair or heal parts of the body that are temporarily hurt.
If only I would have listened to my doctor, I would not be in the situation I am now with unnecessarily sore body parts even when I do the most minimal exercise. It’s all because of my lack of follow-up.
So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked! It literally has everything to do with this business if one wants to be successful. Let me explain.
I’ve done everything that I need to do up to this point. I’ve followed the plan. I set up my business. I have my own asset (which is this blog). I make calls. I take calls. I participate in training. There are a group of individuals who motivate me and encourage me to do my best. I have set up a Facebook lead ad account where I generate between 3 and 6 new people on my list every day.
I have been set up for success and I am excited about it. However, if I just sit around and just think that things are going to happen just because, there’s a good chance that all that work will be for nothing.
It’s like me stepping up to the plate in my softball league. I have to swing the bat in order to get a hit. After I get hit, I have to judge just how far I can go (more specifically how far my body will let me go). If I do make a mistake and get hurt, I have to follow-up to make sure that my body heals correctly in order for me to be successful again.
Same thing with my ski trip. What I should have done is evaluated the situation before I got hurt (admitting that trying to keep up with my kids was a bad idea). When I did get hurt, I should have followed through so that all these years later I would not have this occasional pain.
At this very moment in my business I need to focus on two things to follow-up and follow through on to move to the next level:
- I need to make sure that I am in the right mindset and continue to receive the training in order to continue to progress.
- I need to follow-up with the people on my list so that they can get to know, like and trust me. Right now, the people on my list are strangers and I hope to make them colleagues, customers and who knows, maybe even friends.
If I do not follow-up with my training and my email list all the work that I have done will fall apart. Following up is hard just like physical therapy. It takes a lot of work and can be perceived as painful. It takes a lot of pushing to get through and do the things that I really don’t want to do.
This is where mindset comes in play. I need to understand that if I follow-up on what I’ve started good things will happen.
So, that’s what I’m doing. I am continuing to write this blog and document my journey. I’m continuing to listen to training every week and sometimes multiple times a week from people who are a lot more successful and have been doing this a lot longer than me. And, I have started writing an email sequence to reach out to those on my list so that they can see that I’m the real deal and I am following a real plan to be successful.
If those on my list see my journey, they may see the hope that leads to success. As I follow-up I can now see that I need to follow-forward. What does that mean? Well, it’s something that I made up.
Others may have used this phrase before but I’ve never heard it used. To me follow-forward means following the plan but not stopping there.
It means looking ahead and looking forward. It means trying to anticipate my needs and the needs of those around me whether they are my colleagues or my future customers.
It means adding value and looking forward to ways that I can add value and eventually enrich others with my experience.
It means looking way ahead and visualizing my future success and what my success will mean to me and my family.
That’s what follow-forward means to me!
Are you in a situation where you know you need to follow-up on an important task that is key to making your dreams come true in your personal and professional life? For me I know that I need to follow-up and follow-forward as I progress in this business and become successful.
And maybe one day, when I step up to the plate in my business, I will hit a home run and I can jog comfortably around those bases and enjoy the life I visualized. I am hoping the same for you and I’m rooting for you!
“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” — Tony Robbins
“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” — Vincent Van Gogh
And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:
Why did the skeleton go to physical therapy? Because it felt a little out of joint!
What did the muscle say to the physical therapist? “I’m feeling a little stretched today!”
Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!
**If you are curious about this process and wish to know more about an affiliate marketing business, please subscribe to my newsletter here to learn more. And please continue following my blog. My hope is not only to create the freedom I so long for but pass on what I have learned to others who have similar aspirations.
Ouch!! Your examples of stubbornness are well taken! Looking back on my own life reveals similar patterns. You offer a good exercise here to do to strengthen the odds for individual success. Understanding underlying patterns is important to uncover layers of defenses and self sabotage. Eeeek! Keep on keeping on!!
HI Kate – Yes, some lessons are very painful and sometimes very necessary. I hope it’s that I grow from each lesson and hope to lessen the pain as I mature and as I think ahead not just the right now. Mindfulness and mindset are key in order for me to accomplish the things that I need to get done. As you mentioned, I do hope to strengthen the odds of my success with a lot of hard work come a little bit of look and a whole lot of grit. Thanks for your visit and have a great week!
Hi Ernie, as always, I really enjoyed reading your post. It’s amazing how our minds can still feel young and invincible while our bodies might not always keep up. Your experiences highlight how important follow-up and follow-through are, both in sports and in business. I totally agree that mindset can make a huge difference, not just in hitting business goals but in personal growth, too.
Thanks for sharing your journey and the helpful insights. And I have to say, your dad jokes were a great touch—definitely made me smile!
Here’s to hitting that home run with your business!
Hi Allison! I just love it when I see you have commented on one of my posts because you are always so supportive and always seem to get my point. I really do wish my body was as invincible as my mind thinks it is. I suppose that is healthy at times because I do have a positive outlook on life and a positive outlook on what I am capable of physically. However, the body just does not cooperate as we get older, huh? Thank you for your continued visits to my little blog and for your valuable and insightful comments! Have a fantastic week!
Ernie, I know that rotator cuff pain too well. There was no surgery involved but I did go for the physical therapy that included massage, accupuncture and a ton of exercises to do each week. The situation eventually improved and I was back to my old self.
As per usual you do a great job of laying out the parallels between your life experience and running an online business.
And I like your coining the term “follow-forward”. It’s a great move to anticipate the needs of those around you – and in doing so – enriching others with your experience.
Cheers to enjoying the life we visualize!
Hi Bob, I hope you are doing well and I truly appreciate you visiting my blog and making comments. It seems that paralleling my life and business helps me understand both a little bit more and to me that is valuable. I do appreciate the patience of those who have to hear my life stories in order to get to the point. Ha ha ha! I do try to visualize my success and, in my visualization, I try to come up with steps that I need to produce that success. That is the challenge and that is where I need to follow up and follow forward. Have a great week, my friend!
Hi Ernie,
This was great the way you connect your personal experiences from softball and skiing to the importance of follow-up in business. Your idea of “follow-forward” is especially inspiring, it’s a great reminder to not only stay consistent but also think ahead. Your friendly tone and humor make the message easy to connect with. This post is a reminder for me to stay on track and keep moving forward. Great job!
Meredith
Hi Meredith – Thank you very much for your visit and for your very nice comments. Fortunately, I have a lot of life experiences that I can use to parallel with my business. Following up is something that all of us can do better and follow forward is something that I need to focus on to compliment following up on tasks or items. I hope and trust you will have a fantastic week!
Ernie,
I always appreciate the humor in your posts. Espcecially the Da jokes at the end. You are both engaging and motivational.
Keep it up
Scott
Hi Scott – Thank you for your visit and for your comments. Yes, sometimes humor is what gets us through the day. Hope you have a great week!
Hi Ernie! I love the stories in your post. I can relate to your stubbornness! I’m at the point where I need to follow up with my subscribers day in and day out, and I am not! It’s a bit of willful. Oh, I don’t really need to do that, do I? Of course, I do! Oh, I’d love to say I don’t understand the need, but really it’s uncomfortable and I’m stubbornly not facing learning a new skill. Eek! Your post is very helpful to me! No more excuses, Nakina! LOL!
Thanks, Ernie!
Nakina
Hi Nakina – You and I must share the same skill set of stubbornness. It is hard to follow up and hard not to decide to do something else especially when it seems easier or more comfortable. I’m glad we’re both in a position where we recognize it and I hope that we both take action in the right direction. Thank you for your visit to my blog, your comments and I wish you a fantastic and productive week!
What a great read! I always love reading your blogs and I love the idea of you and your wife joining a team together. Your concept of “follow-forward” is such a fresh and inspiring way to think about pushing ahead while staying focused on what matters most. Keep up the awesome work, and thanks for sharing your journey—it’s motivating and very relatable. Here’s to hitting that home run both on and off the field!
p.s- When I see your blogs, I always go to the end first to read your jokes and then go back to the start to read about your journey with a smile.
Hi Sarah – I am so glad you find my jokes funny and they bring a smile to your face. I’m not sure if everybody, especially my wife, feels the same way as she has to live with them every day and all day. Ha ha ha! Staying focused and pushing hard towards the end goal is the challenge. It is very easy to get detoured into doing something else especially if that’s something else seems easier. As I was once told a long time ago, if it were easy to be successful everyone would do it and be successful. Have a great week, my friend!
Hi Ernie!
Great post and yes, we get to a point in our lives that our mind and body don’t seem to be in sync! LOL!
Found myself definitely in need to “listen” a little more – perfect example: this week-end I went to help my little sister move; well the mind was telling me: “you can move that fridge, stove, washer and dryer” but the body was saying “sorry bud…but you’ll feel the pain tomorrow”.
What I finally decided to do was teach my grown nephews how to move these without hurting themselves; something I learnt quite a few years ago when working for a moving company.
Same goes with what we now have learnt already about Affiliate Marketing: time to put that knowledge to use for others!
Wishing you all the best – and.. start listening to what the mind says — your body will love you even more for it! LOL!
Hi Marc – I can totally relate! Especially the part about moving. I really don’t like to move whether it’s myself or anybody else but I’m always willing to help. Because I always want to get it out of the way as quickly as possible, I tend to overdo it which can be prone to getting over tired and worse, get injured. I like your idea of teaching others how to move so that I may not have to do it as much and can pass on the work to them. That’s not to say that I want to be lazy. It’s just that I want to show others how to do something that I may not be able physically to do any more. Ohh, who am I kidding I just don’t want to move. Ha ha ha! Have a great week for the progress and some fun!
Hi Ernie, Yes, hind-sight is a wonderful thing. If only I’d done this, if only I’d done that, I wouldn’t be in this situation now. If only we could turn back the clock and put it right. Well, we can’t change the past and have to live with what we’ve got today and make the best of it. Hopefully, also teach our kids and grandkids not to make the same mistakes that we made. Thank you for writing such an honest and open story; always a pleasure to read and full of great advice. Stay well, my friend.
Hi Andy – yes, hindsight! If we can use it to motivate us and learn from it, we may not make those same mistakes. And you were right, if we can teach those that follow us whether it’s children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces or whomever we may be able to pass on value. Thanks for your visit to my blog and for your comments, as always. Great week, my friend!
Wow, Ernie, I can so relate to what you’re saying. There have been many times I have been to the doctor, especially in the last 10 years, when I’ve heard him say, “Vanessa, you’ve got to slow down. You just can’t do the things you used to do anymore.” These are words I really don’t want to hear because that means I’m getting older, and I don’t want to get older. I am as stubborn as anyone, fighting a losing battle. I need to start embracing my body and my mind for the stage of life I am in. Just like affiliate marketing…I had to stop moving from one shiny object to the next and embrace the one concept about myself that I couldn’t admit. I have been the problem and didn’t see it. I’ve learned so much just in the year I’ve been in this group, and I’ve realized that you never stop learning. But you have to get out of your way, too. I’m getting there slowly but surely. Great post, Ernie. I always love your analogies.
HI Vanessa – Getting old really stinks. I really wanted to use a much harsher word, but I want to make this a family friendly blog post ha ha ha! I’m so glad you stopped moving from one shiny object to another and are cured of that syndrome. It is so tempting and distracting to think that we can find the next best thing and possibly that thing is right in front of us. I appreciate your comments and your visit to my blog post and I wish you a fantastic week!
I think everyone can relate to your body feeling one way while your mind feels like another! Love the story telling. I always take away so much from your message.
Hi Lauren – It is so incredibly great to hear from you and I hope you and your family are doing fantastic! Yes, the mind can play tricks on your body and make you think it can do things it really has no business doing any more. However, if I’m completely honest, it’s totally my fault. If I kept myself in a little bit better shape, maybe consumed healthier food and moved around a little bit and might be able to keep up a little more with what my mind has in mind. It’s great to hear from you and thank you for visiting my blog!