Author and motivational speaker Brendon Burchard has often shared a story about the nature of business. In nature, Burchard says, bees and flowers each have their respective needs. Bees make their living from the flowers by gathering nectar and turning it into honey. Flowers require the bees for pollination to grow. In the nature of most businesses, we are the bees buzzing around with excitement from flower to flower to get what we need (clients). Since there are only a limited amount of “flowers,” bees consume an incredible amount of energy traveling long distances to satisfy their wishes. During their travels, the bees regularly find other bees competing for the same nectar, causing them to work harder to get what they require. Eventually, the bees’ wings get too tired to continue the fight for nectar, resulting in their demise.
In all of this buzzing excitement, the flower remains still while laughing at the enthusiastic bees. The flower is smart. It understands that it produces such a great “product” (nectar) that it attracts the bees. The flower stays grounded and uses all its time and resources to keep producing newer, sweeter services (nectar). The bees cannot resist the value of the flower, and the buzzing excitement starts all over again. The flower is pollinated and multiplies throughout the fields. The flower’s only concern is how to appeal to the bees. If the flowers do this, the bees will continue to seek them out.
I hope that you connect with the moral of the above narrative. For example, if we do not give, we do not get! Additionally, businesses must accept that we must implement a business strategy that produces exceptional value to our clients (bees), so they seek us out and return repeatedly. Regrettably, far too many companies focus too much on making money than they do about creating exceptional value. I refer to these folks as takers and not givers.
I work under the premise that to attract money is not to think about money. When we stop being self-centered and direct our heart and focus on the needs of others, good things should happen to us. When one believes enthusiastically in serving the needs of others without compromising principles and values for a few extra bucks, money typically follows.
Working only for money is seldom a successful game plan. As Burchard proclaimed in his inspirational book, The Millionaire Messenger, “If people spent as much time worrying about how to make a difference as they do about how they could make money, then they would soon find themselves rich beyond belief.” I believe with utmost conviction that if we work under the premise of genuinely enjoying giving, offering constant unparalleled value, dedicating ourselves to excellence and activities that express honesty and trustworthiness, substantial rewards will present themselves somehow someday.
Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” In the final analysis, the next time we want something from someone else, let’s think more about being a flower instead of a bee!
Harry Pappas Jr. CFP®
Managing Director-Investments
Master of Science Degree Personal Financial PlanningCertified Estate & Trust Specialist ™
Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™Pappas Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors
818 North Highway A1A, Ste 200
Ponte Vedra, Florida 32082
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harry.pappas@wellsfargoadvisors.com
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