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From humble beginnings selling eggs laid on his Grandma’s farm, to eventually selling a start-up business he developed for over a billion and a half US dollars, Keith Cunningham is an entrepreneur of considerable substance… A man it could be argued who has (just about) done it all.
Keith has spent over 30 years, buying, developing, and selling off businesses. Today, he continues to hold on to a portfolio of several businesses favouring those that are traditional, and impervious from technological threat. “"I don't like (those type of) businesses where there’s (the possibility of) some 19 year old internet wiz, sitting in a garage in Palo Alto, California …(thinking up ways) about how to wipe out my business.”
Widely acclaimed as a strong influence on Robert Kiyosaki and content in Rich Dad Poor Dad, Keith Cunningham is highly provocative about mainstream business thinking; especially on the subject of working ON the business!
At all times however, Keith Cunningham displays the heart and conviction that has clearly made him a highly sought after business educator, all over the world and believes we are in control of our destiny and he encourages us to live the life we dream!
Cunningham believes that some very smart people who have come up with 100s of tricks to help us achieve our goals and fulfil our dreams. He thinks there are two primary reasons we quit working on our goals.
The first is the erroneous belief that it must look a certain way by a certain time, otherwise, we think it´s not working or not worth it. We think that if we go on this diet and start working out every day, then within a matter of just a few days we will be seeing results and that the process will be getting easier. When we don´t see the instantaneous results we want, our brain helps us make the decision to quit by rationalising that this is just not worth it.
Unfortunately, the root of most, if not all of our problems, Cunningham says is our need for instant gratification and when we don´t see instantaneous results, we tend to get discouraged and quit. "When you stop to think about it, the world is not designed to give us instantaneous feedback - either good or bad. You don´t get lung cancer after just one puff. You don´t gain 30 pounds after eating just one chocolate bar, or even one chocolate bar a day for 3 weeks. The results in your life so far, both the good results and the ones you would like to see changed (the ones you made your New Year´s resolutions about), happened as a result of continuous, daily actions. You did not go out and create the problems you now have overnight. And, you will not solve these problems over night, either."
Ordinary things, consistently done, produce extraordinary results!
 Remember, Cause and Effect? Whenever the cause is missing, so is the effect. So, whatever it is you want in your life, check to see if the Cause is in place to produce the desired Effect. If it is, then it is just a matter of time and consistent, daily activity until you see the Effects in your life.
Remember, Cause and Effect are not closely linked by time.
The second big reason people struggle with achieving their goals, Cunningham says, is we all tend to fall in love with the Effect and not the Cause. Everyone would love to be rich and skinny and in a wonderful relationship. Those are all Effects - and they are easy to fall in love with. The secret is to fall in love with the Cause. Do you know one successful person who gets up in the morning and does what they hate? Rather, every successful person loves what they do. They may not have started out loving it, and maybe every single little thing about what they´re doing is not their most favorite thing in the world, but big picture, they love what they´re doing.
Re-look at your goals and resolutions from the viewpoint of Cause and Effect. Are you slowing down because you are not seeing instantaneous results? Are you waking up in the morning dreading doing the things that will produce the results you want? If so, ask yourself these questions:
- Do I believe I can make this goal come true?
- Do I believe it is worth the effort?
- How can I enjoy the things I will have to do today in order to move closer to
my goal?
- How would the person I want to be do the thing I am about to do?
Remember what General MacArthur said: "Age wrinkles your skin. Quitting wrinkles your soul!"
A commitment you make to yourself should be no less sacred than a commitment you make to others!
Source: Keith Cunningham (Keys to the Vault) and is interviewed by Patrick Lumbroso for the Small Business Mentor Club
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