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POINT TOWARDS UNION STATION
by Chris Bradford

It was a cold winter night some time ago when my then fiancé, Brande, and I wanted to visit Union Station in St. Louis, MO. She was from Lawrence, Kansas, and I was from Atlanta, Georgia. So, neither one of us knew how to get where we wanted to go, but we knew where we wanted to be.

We exited the interstate at Union Street, making the logical assumption that Union Station would obviously be on Union Street, right? Wrong. There was no Union Station on Union Street.

We were riding through a run down section of town, trying to figure out how to get where we wanted to go, when she suggested that I stop and ask for directions. As a man, I took a little offense to this... but after driving around for what seemed forever and a day, I decided to give in, but with a twist. 

Driving down the road until I saw a group of the locals standing on the sidewalk, I pulled up on the sidewalk, let down my widow, and hollered "Hey!". The group of locals turned around and looked at me. Noticing I had their complete attention I hollered "Point toward Union Station!". To which, they all turned and pointed in similar directions.

Brande asked "Why didn't you ask for directions?" I explained that if I was to ask for directions they would have directed down unfamiliar streets with unfamiliar names, telling me to turn this way or that, and in the end, I would end up lost again, and probably never make it to Union Station before they closed. This way, I know I am headed in the right direction, but I don't have to get bogged down in the details. 

Every now and again, I will stop and ask of those familiar with the territory to point toward Union Station. By doing this, I would know that I was headed in the right direction and would keep moving, without having to spend the time writing down strange directions, or studying some map. We may not be going in the most direct path, however, I knew that if I was to check with those familiar with the territory often enough, I would end up at Union Station.

How does this apply to your business?

Too often, a business owner will spend weeks, months, even years, sitting under a shade tree studying the map that he thinks will lead him to his final destination. He knows what his goals are, and where he wants to be in life, and is trying to plan the perfect route to get there with the least amount of trouble. He ponders over the map, calculates distances and times, references the highway speeds, number of stops for fuel and bathroom breaks. He even plans how often he will check the air pressure in his tires. 

It is not good enough to know where he is going; he has to have the complete route planned to the smallest detail before he can overcome his fear of making a mistake. He makes the most elaborate of plans, and when he is finally ready to crank the car up and get on the road, he realizes it is too late, and Union Station will be closed by the time he gets there.

The businessman, instead of making detail plans, would have been much better off if he had gotten out from under the shade tree, cranked his car, and began his journey, stopping every now and again to ask directions and to make minor corrections. By taking positive action and getting himself on the road, he would have eventually made his goal. But by waiting trying to make the perfect plan, he let his goals pass him by.

Are you this business man? Are you spending all your time on planning and not acting? Don't misunderstand me. A good business plan is a very smart move, but even more important is the act of moving so long as it is toward your goal. 

Do not get sidetracked sitting under the shade tree reading a map. If you find you know where you want to be and don't know your exact route to get there, crank the car and get on the road headed in the best direction you know. But, just be sure to pull up on the sidewalk every now and again and ask those familiar with the territory to . . . 

POINT TOWARD UNION STATION!

© 2001-2003 by Chris Bradford - chris@homegrownmarketing.com Chris and Brande Bradford are entrepreneurs involved with marketing, consulting, and both electronic and print publishing. For more information about Chris and Brande, visit their web site at www.HomeGrownMarketing.com.

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