You and I share an addiction to information. I know you are an addict because you are reading this electronic newsletter. I know you search for and read things on the web all of the time. I know that your head feels like it will explode if you have to process one more idea, learn one more key function on your latest electronic gadget or try to recall one more username and password.

A very complex world has been created for us to play in. Anything we want to know more about is available any time, any day.

1. When your curiosity gets to you, Google it.
2. Looking for an edge for your business, research the competition.
3. Scan the world for the latest innovations in your industries.

The information is available like never before and it gets more plentiful every day. Technology removes barriers to the access to information and accelerates communication at mind numbing rates.

While technology has become our inspiration for ideas, it has also become our ball and chain. In business, we are prisoners of the universe of information provided to us. The sea of options to choose from in business creates a complex matrix in which we try to live.

Options like:

1. Create more products to sell.
2. Vertically integrate services.
3. Go after new markets.
4. Find buyers and sell losing lines of products.
5. Buy out competitors.
6. Spend money on the latest technology.

Choices, choices, choices. Everything on the business smorgasbord table looks so good and my plate is so small.

Shall I take a little of each?

Business owners often choose the default option of a spoonful of each and heap their plates full in hope that they won’t miss out on any opportunity. Similar to a pig’s breakfast, the business has this and that and nothing spectacular about it.

The counter approach is to choose a less complicated way of doing business. That means to figure what you do best and do just that.

Simplify your business to doing what you do well and focus on that service or product.

1. BestBuy doesn’t sell carpet.
2. Jet Blue doesn’t rent cars.
3. Starbucks doesn’t sell laptops.

Each of those companies could make a case for adding and complicating their businesses with other products, but they don’t.

Simplify and Focus.

A simple mantra for complex times.

Focus on success by learning to control the dollars- a skill that can help you have the business you have always wanted!! This is just one of the eight strategies I can teach you to achieve that goal. Would you like to know more? click here

"Humanity can be quite cold to those whose eyes see the world differently." -- Eric A. Burns

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." -- Albert Einstein

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." -- Arthur C. Clarke

I thought it was just me and my fellow baby boomer generation that was overloaded with keeping up with the complexities of technology. Will replaced his lost iPod with a physically smaller but feature rich improved iPod. After he showed it to me, I told him that it was a fantastic piece of technology, but for Dad, the agony of learning how to operate it outweighed the benefit of tunes of choice.

Will conceded that at the age of 16, he was already tired of figuring out how to work the bells and whistles and pull the ropes on every new toy, too.

I’ll substitute the simplicity of my favorite radio station for the complexity of feeding and maintaining an iPod. Instead, my focus will center on a good book.

Thanks for reading. Please forward this newsletter to anyone that you think might enjoy it. The subscriber list continues to grow thanks to your efforts.

Newsletter topic ideas and comments are always welcome. Send me an e-note.

Life is short, ride hard.

Doug

I also write a weekly electronic newsletter for Professional Horsemen. If you are interested in the business world of horsemen, or have friends in the horse business,take a peek. I am spurring others on to help me promote this newsletter.