Some Myths Are Meant To Be Busted

Growing up in a Chinese Filipino mixed environment introduced me to many beliefs and culture that continues to color my life until today. There is really nothing wrong with tradition and culture. They set our way of living and being based how we were raised, what our perception of life is and how we believe everything should be. Is it right or wrong? Not entirely. Is it helpful? At some point, is it a limitation? It can be.

Many people seems to follow sets of rules and condition before they dive into something big in their life, whether that be moving to another place, buying a new house or a car, starting their own business, getting married and so many other things. Now, guidelines are good, especially if they allow you to see things logically and in alignment with your intention, but if you make decisions based on these beliefs, superstitions and myths, then that may be the reason why things aren’t going well with you yet.

When people ask me, what do I do to make myself lucky? How can I get away from misfortune? What practices and beliefs should I believe in or not? When is the best time for me to start a business? Honestly, there is nothing you can do to add luck in your life, for luck is just a matter of belief. I know most people would disagree with me, but do hear me out first.

For instance, August is believed to be a ghost month. It is said that this month is when spirits roam the earth and may inflict harm or misfortune to anyone who lets them in their homes and businesses. Whether they really do, is beyond my knowledge, but I do know that it may or may not affect you depending on what you allow. In my opinion, there are no lucky or unlucky months, just months when you worked harder and months when you slacked off. Now, there is nothing wrong with slacking off though, do it if it is in alignment with your goals in life. But, I know some people who are even rushing to finish their store so that they can open this August. I go to the malls and the number of people that comes in and out are practically the same as all the other months, except maybe for December. Stores are opening and closing here and there, not because of luck, but because of lack of system, improper management and wrong business partners. Sometimes, because we fear these beliefs to be real, it affects our decision and perception. The more bad things we think about happening, the more they really do happen. People don’t say, I am not going to buy my shampoo or my vitamins or eat some food because it is August. They will still buy and those stores who are open and will open, whether in August or any other month, will get customers, if they are selling the right products.

Some people believe that they are never lucky in starting their own business because whatever they started ends in failure or bankruptcy. My take on that is, in every failure, what have you learned? Did you do something to improve your business systems, your leadership, or your money management skills? Have you attended any seminar, seek out mentors, read books before you started your next investment? It is not a question of luck, but rather a question of willingness to learn, grow and expand. I failed a lot of times, the only difference is that I was willing to keep on learning.

Though I truly agree that not all business are the same and some industry are more promising than others, the underlying concept of success in business does not fall on luck but rather on five important factors:

Who is your market? Every business has one. If your market only covers a small percentage of the population, let’s say that corner of your village, or your group of friends, then you are not creating a big business for yourself. Choose an industry that covers a big market share and you will have a much bigger chance of success.

What do you offer? If what you offer is the same kind of product that the other guy on the next street is offering then you are in for failure. Competition my friend is good, but wouldn’t it be great to have none? Don’t offer what you want, offer them what they are looking for. If you offer the best, people will go look for you, no matter how unlucky you believe you are.

Who is your partner? It does not always mean that sole proprietorship is bad. What I mean is, who are you working with? Who are your suppliers, the people involved in your business, these are very critical factors that adds to the success of one’s endeavor. Choose a reliable and stable partner that can assist you along the way. Do your research, be smart, and not just rely on other people’s opinion.

Are you earning? This is quite critical. Balance between good quality and good pricing is key. It is not always about who is the cheapest, but rather who offers the most value. Also, consider your operational expenses. People often dream of having a big office, this kind of business or this kind of set up, but end up losing a lot of money because their capital is going to areas which are less important. There is nothing wrong with a big office but can you afford it in the beginning? Honestly though, even if it is a virtual office, as long as you can deliver, it is way better than renting a big office that is getting a big chunk on your operational expenses. Think like an entrepreneur. It is not about luck, but we all know that the less expenses you have, the more money you make.

What is your timing? I’ve always believe in the Chinese proverb that the best time to plant a tree is yesterday, the next best time is today. So when is the next best time to open a business? Today. What are you waiting for? You can never really lose in anything. There are only two probable ending in all that you start. One, you will be successful. Two, you will have a road block, you will learn something significant, and then you will be a stronger person. What have you got to lose?

My invitation to you right now is to never let any of the myths and superstition that you know stop you from getting to the life that you want. Use them to push you forward and never to limit you. You deserve to succeed. Start now. Grow yourself. Learn more. Take action. Bust those myths. Experience life as it should be. I am excited for your success and I’ll see you in all the beaches of the world. 

—————————————————— 

You may contact Armando “Butz” Bartolome for questions and more information.

By email: [email protected]

FB Page: Armando Bartolome

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franguru/ 

Website: