THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESS

The 80-20 rule teaches us that 20 percent of our efforts will produce 80

Percent of our success, while 80 percent of our efforts will produce only 20 Percent of our success. But which 20 percent of our effort finds its way to the success column?

As an artist/entrepreneur, I push myself through a daily regiment of making contacts with clients, researching potential clients, following-up my clients and chasing down invoices from my clients. Along the way I unclog a glitch On my computer, rediscover a new one; worry about scheduling time to research and fix it, and consider new programs that might help me avoid these problems in the future.

My art: the educational products, the video poetry pieces; the travel books and essays, my novel languishing in a dusty computer file. All my art takes a back seat to the business of my business. I find myself in social settings discussing the finer points of business minutia, drooling on about the effort/success ratio.

I remind myself, to put in place a daily reminder of all the things I know about my business and how, if I recite them regularly I’ll be able to remember them and get more accomplished. I redoubled my efforts to work throughout the day, Into the late early morning. I email offers to hundreds of clients, send out cards, Make-up new data bases. I sleep exhausted. I wake weary. Days go by, I wait.

I do follow-up calls. I wait. Two weeks go by…. I wait. I’m addicted to the Business of business!

And then, after the months have compressed into the weeks I get an avalanche Of emails, letters, checks and kudos that smother my desk, crying out for me to respond to them yesterday. The 80% of frustrating, demoralizing, Depressing energy I’ve been chastising myself over suddenly blossoms into the 20 percent rewards of gratifying generosity given by my friends and passed on from my enemies.