Recommend a book all you like; I haven’t got time to read it

There are those businesses that know what should be done but don’t know how to do it, there are those who don’t know what to do but give it a go, and there are those who think they know what and how it should be done but get sidetracked.

Fact is, when thinking about starting a business, or even when running a current business and talking things through with a business coach everything seems so easy, almost textbook-like – the reality is that it's far from that and there is no real way to keep a business on the tracks without being totally business-minded and focused – almost ruthless.

Of course depending on the type of business, what’s involved in its operation differs greatly, but in a majority of cases, the one big ingredient which every business needs is time.

We all look to attend networking meetings, all of which take time, we try and utilise social media all of which takes time, and we try to strategise our business by reading business and coaching books - again this takes time.

Fact is if we had enough time to find more time all of our businesses would be brilliant and we’d all be millionaires – well that’s what all the books would have us believe.

Unless you operate on a totally different planet - there now nearly always seems to be as a “must-read” book for business coming out, or a “best seller” in business. Which is all well and good but when exactly are you supposed to get time to read all these books, when are you able to connect to the issues of your business and their solutions through the medium of reading.

Surely like anything, reading a book is down to interpretation, down to what you’re understanding of a particular section may be and how if the mood takes you’d implement changes within your business. With that in mind is it then the case that it’s the book that helped your business, or would it be your own interpretation and common sense.

Many local business people seem to put great emphasis on reading books on success, on problem-solving, on becoming a millionaire – and as a result, many when speaking at meetings and seminars seem to be a great oracle on business operation.

Surely being an oracle on business should emulate from business experience and not from reading book after book after book….!

If you were to read 10 separate books by ten separate authors on building a successful business marketing strategy for £1,000 there are those who say it could be done, others will say it can’t be done and some will even say it can be done for FREE………who or what do you believe?

The point is that it’s all too easy to get sucked into “ I have a problem” so do I need to read a book effectively looking to operate your business like a textbook, knowing full well that never will this ever be the case – but still book after book will make its way to your desk, then into your briefcase.

The more books which you come across, the more which get recommended to you the more time you will not have to read them, and if you do means that even more time you will not be spent on your business.

As with a lot of things, everything is good in moderation, often books do not provide answers they provide options or alternatives – in business the only thing which provides answers is experience.

Of course, reading business help books will help you connect to business solution alternatives, but you must always remember to be connected to your business first and to stay connected to its operation.

Once time has gone, it’s gone - so ensure that such time is spent on focusing and keeping hold of your business, as your business will only sit on a shelf when it’s dormant; a book can always sit on a shelf.