“The critical ingredient to success is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now . . . not tomorrow . . . not next week . . . but today.
The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.”
Nolan Bushnell (Founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese)
Mary was taking an afternoon nap on New Year’s Eve before the late-night festivities. After she woke up, she confided to Max, her husband, “I just dreamed that you gave me a diamond ring for a New Year’s present. What do you think it all means?” “You’ll know tonight,” answered Max smiling broadly.
At the final stroke of the New Year clock Max approached Mary and handed her a small silver-wrapped package. Delighted and excited she opened it quickly. Unfortunately, the box did not contain a sparkling ring . . . but a book entitled: “The Meaning of Dreams.”
Frankly Speaking
New Year celebrations promise the possibility of dreams. In Japan, the first dream of the New Year is believed to set the tone for the kind of year one will experience. Hatsuyume is the Japanese word used to denote this first dream. Traditionally, the contents of the dream would foretell the success of the dreamer in the ensuing year. Japanese often pass the last night of the year without sleep. Thus the hatsuyume is often the dream seen the first night of January.
Instead of a diamond ring, however, it is considered to be particularly good luck to dream of Mount Fuji, a hawk, and an eggplant. One theory regarding the origins of this particular lucky combination suggests that Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest mountain, the hawk is a clever and strong bird, and the word for eggplant suggests achieving something great. Hatsuyume is no laughing matter as it provides the expectation that the year to come will bring greater joy, success, and prosperity.
Effective educational leaders are dreamers. However their success comes from being doers and not merely dreamers of future realities. They realize that entrepreneurial dreams, like New Year resolutions, must be linked to an appropriate strategy, without which, possibilities are doomed to fail. Statistically, nearly 90% of all 2012 business dreams will not succeed. While there are many different paths to realization, the following are the three most common causes of business failure.
Lack of Expertise – Seventy-one percent (71%) of new businesses fail because of poor planning and a lack of specialized knowledge. For dreams to become reality, appropriate training and detailed business planning are, therefore, indispensable.
Poor Management – The second biggest reason small business fail is poor or inexperienced management. Dreamers are frequently characterized by a lack relevant business and management expertise in areas such as finance, purchasing, selling, production, and hiring and managing employees. Doers, on the other hand work with mentors and leadership coaches.
Capital Deficiency – The final mistake that many business dreamers make is severely underestimate what it will take to start up and continue to run their new venture. Business success, however, requires adequate startup cash and ongoing cash flow.
OINOS leaders will utilize the initial days and weeks of the 2012 New Year to assess the condition of their respective hatsuyume. They will do so, however, by expertly linking images of mountain peaks goals, clever marketing wings, and eggplant rich profits and results with strategic realities. They will continue a life-long developmental process of personal discipline, professional knowledge, and financial prudence!
Dr. Frank Marangos is CEO and Founder of OINOS Educational Consulting. He received a Doctors Degree in Adult Education (Ed.D.) from NOVA Southeastern University (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) and a Doctorate in Ministry and Childhood Education (D.Min.) from Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX). He is also a Certified Charitable Estate Planner (FCEP).
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