I have a neat little story for you that captures the essence of what managing the cash flow of your business is all about.
The story comes from a book by Portia Nelson called “There's a Hole in My Sidewalk”. The author of this story was asked to write a summary of her life. And it had to fit on one page and be no more than five chapters long.
While you read this story, I want you to take a minute and get a vivid picture in your mind of what she is describing. I want you to see this story in your mind as the story of her life unfolds.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS
Chapter 1
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost . . . I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.
Chapter 2
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in . . . it’s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
Chapter 4
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter 5
I walk down another street.
That’s the story of her life!
And it also describes the essence of what managing your cash flow is all about. And really what managing the financial side of your business is all about.
You can do a poor job of it and let it hold you back and pull you down and make it harder to be successful in business. Lots of people let the financial side of their business become the hole in their sidewalk.
The result is the business becomes more difficult to manage than it needs to be.
Time to Walk Down Another Street
The alternative is to be smart about financial management, keep it simple, and walk down another street altogether when it comes to taking control of your cash flow.
Think for just a minute about all the blood, sweat, tears, dreams and MONEY you’ve invested in your business.
You owe it to yourself, and all the people who are depending on you, to be smart about how you manage the financial side of your business.
Note: My Freedom From Student Loans Blog is up now. Check it out if you or your children will be going to college or if you (or a loved one) have student loans. It’s there to help you.