What I got most from Whitney Houston’s music was hope and inspiration. She had a way of singing each song to make you believe that anything was possible and in that possibility you could change the world through love, talent and determination.
As an entrepreneur, it is my goal to inspire the same in the lives of those I touch when I speak, through my workshops and of course my clients. As I celebrate the life and legacy of Whitney Houston, I’d like to share four (4) business building principles that she has taught us. I believe that our lives and businesses are congruent so while it may appear that all of the questions are personal in nature, their answers are essential to growth in other areas of your life. So be open and complete the assessment I suggest
1. Believe in your talent. Before you can be viewed as a star that illuminates the lives of others, you have to believe that you have what it takes to make a difference in the lives of others. You must hone your talent, use it consistently and look for opportunities to enhance it. Entrepreneurs are people who use their innate gifts and talents to solve problems for other people and it is in belief that they build companies that globalize our economy. When you have belief in your talent, you won’t apologize for it; instead you will use it to help others in any way you can through your service. What I always loved about Whitney is that she knew that her talent was designed to solve problems for other people (in the form of creating more happiness and fulfillment) and she focused on using her talent in a way that would not allow anyone she came into contact with to forget that they too were loved and special.
Inspect the Incredible:
- What is my talent?
- What would it take for me to fully believe in my talent?
- Who do I have access to that can help me employ this strategy to boost my business building success?
- To operate fully in my talent, what would I need to eliminate? Why would eliminating it be valuable?
2. Be Yourself. Everyone else is already taken. By being yourself, you inspire authenticity and your clients will be moved to invest in you when they feel that knowing, liking and trusting you is easy, necessary and the only choice if they want to solve the problems that you offer a solution to. Whitney was always herself…she had flaws but she embraced them and found a way in strength to keep progressing. In your own business, you will make mistakes and if you’re lucky, those mistakes will serve as valuable feedback so that you can continue to grow your business.
Inspect the Incredible:
- What is the contribution that I was born to make?
- How close am I to making it?
- What do I need to do/modify/change to achieve it?
- What is the best thing about being myself?
3. Create authentic relationships with others. When you take the time to get clear on who you are to serve with your gifts and talents, it is easy to create relationships that support those you are to serve. While I have never met her, I have only read positive accounts from people who spent time with her. These accounts discuss her grace and desire to always make others feel special. True servants recognize the significance of this and use it to grow their businesses by building clients for life. Whitney’s fans were always her fans because in everything there was an authenticity that made her human, which meant her fans could pray for her and encourage her when needed as well as celebrate her successes with her as well.
Inspect the Incredible:
- Can I honestly say that I am fully authentic?
- What would it take for me to be more authentic?
- Am I prepared to do that?
- What is the worst thing that would happen if I was more authentic?
4. Never give up. I believe that the reason you can’t give up is because your next level breakthrough is just beyond the point of defeat. So, it is when you take one more step, create one more product, and call one more prospect that you meet victory. We all have personal setbacks and as Willie Jolley’s book suggests, “a setback is a set up for a comeback.” By watching her life, we can observe many examples of how to keep moving even in adversity. Entrepreneurship is a journey and often not one devoid of struggle but if you focus on the three preceding business building strategies, you will align your vision with enough clarity to slow down if you must but a determination to never give up.
Inspect the Incredible:
- How can I use my latest setback to come back stronger in my life and business?
- Who do I have in my circle of influence that can help me to recover from a setback and set up a plan to prevent it from stopping me?
- What can I do differently the next time to minimize the need to repeat critical mistakes along my journey?
Her life was purposeful. In addition to some amazing music, she gave us inspiration for our lives and businesses. She taught us how to love ourselves and serve others and for that I am extremely grateful. Thank you Whitney Houston for inspiring me to always reach for the moon.
©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients” visit https://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com
