Stay underwater

Some good coaching advice during emotional times: stay underwater.

I don’t follow baseball that much, but this grand slam was big news earlier this week.  David Bote was called up to the Cubs from the minor league to fill in for an injured player and, with one pitch away from losing the game, nailed this one out of the park with the bases loaded.

The Chicago Tribune reports that: “Bote said a Cubs coach approached him after the game with this advice: Stay underwater. ‘Don’t come up to the surface until the season’s over,’ Bote said. ‘It’s a big game, sure, but it’s one game. Don’t let what’s happening outside affect what you’re trying to do. Keep grinding.'”

For me, I celebrate the victories, pause at the setbacks, but ultimately remind myself to continue to focus on the fundamentals.  The fundamentals–learning about our clients and their needs, finding ways to help them meet those needs, finding the pricing sweet spot, getting the message out, and watching costs–are all what count to having a financially successful business.  That’s how we stay underwater and become better business players.