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If you’re facing a revenue shortfall or another version of failing to meet expectations, and if you’re feeling the pressure that comes with it, this grounding advice could be helpful.
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
The words are those of Arthur Ashe, winner of three tennis Grand Slam singles titles, and the first Black player selected for the US Davis Cup team.
He grew up in segregated Virginia, yet despite a seemingly huge lack of opportunity, he became a Wimbledon champion and tennis legend.
When results are falling short, and the gap between your forecast and reality is widening, these words matter.
You don’t need perfect conditions to turn things around, and you probably don’t have them anyway.
You need to work with what you have and build from there.
When you look closely at what you have, you may find unexpected opportunities as well as things that need fixing.
There are benefits to be had in both, and your operation will be stronger when you fix or fine-tune elements that could perform better or remove those that, upon close inspection or review, are seen not to work or be redundant.
February’s issue of The Quietly Good Newsletter presents a ten-point action plan for dealing with sales shortfalls.
If that’s a problem you’re facing,
It will help you restart from where you are.
It will also show you how to use what you have to turn things around.
You can order a copy via this link.