“Hey, I was just checking the calendar, and it turns out Christmas falls on the 25th again this year!”
- Ralph Cramm, a wildly successful and grumpy pro from whom I learned a great deal in the 80’s
It’s 7:40 AM CST as I write this post, and already I’ve had two people say, “Well, nothing is going to happen between now and the first of the year…” That’s not a reason for them to coast. It’s an excuse. Back in the day, Ralph would have none of that. In this day, neither should we.
Business is a competitive field, and whenever a competitor uses an excuse, they create an opportunity (and, perhaps, an obligation) for us to act – a reason to differentiate.
The reason Christmas falls on the 25th of December is up for some debate, and there is no definitive source. Ralph’s point was that it’s no surprise. (I checked, Independence Day is on July 4th again, too!)
Business might lull around a holiday because some use it as an excuse. Procrastination is alive and well in American commerce. When we turn that coin over, we’ll see that “tails” is the reality that many of our Clients, prospective Clients, and networking partners have time on their hands and maybe some open space in their brains. It’s a perfect time of year to deliver value, present ideas, and plant seeds (figuratively speaking – agriculturally, it’s a crappy time to plant actual seeds in Iowa) for things that might make a difference.
When faced with an excuse, find a reason. When presented with a reason, find a way to act. When acting, find a way to make it about the other party. A difference will be made!
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