When you examine your present life and business is there a theme that emerges or a reality which you have experienced in the past that seems to be repeating? Why does that happen?

The present economic cycle has repeated itself in some degree over your life a number of times. Your business may be seeking a way to step out of the cycle yet for some reason you are approaching solutions in a similar manner as in the past. Yes, product, marketing, service may shift with the times yet why are the repeated cycles continuing?

You may find the discussion below somewhat intriguing and possibly a simple solution or answer to the questions stated above.

There are may brilliant executives, consultants, leaders, human beings running,managing and working in the business environment today. I have noticed that when times are tough certain thought patterns emerge. These patterns are similar in many ways to the ones I have heard over the last 38 years during tough times. Great ideas and yet soon forgotten or put aside when the economy recovers, and it will. Business as usual returns also. What happens which causes tough economic times in business to repeat itself? I am sure you have read, listened and watched brilliant people explain the reasons and process.

I would like to invite you to consider another explanation which is very simple and also deep in the dynamics which may result. I read an interesting book recently by a W. Wattles written in the early 1900's. It was titled "The Science of Getting Rich". A precursor to Napoleon Hill's work and other great thinkers. The basic concepts really made sense. Mr Wattles was a patent clerk in Australia and had very little formal education yet had a natural genius about how the "Universe" may work. One of Mr Wattles distinctions which he felt created a possible shift in the economic climate had to do with a specific focus or approach to business. Do we approach our planning, goals and outcomes with Competition in mind or Creativity?

According the Mr Wattles, businesses and individual striving is mostly focused on competition. Consider the results of a directed focus on competition. In general our attention and thought energy is about beating the competition, getting more market share, becoming a leader among our competitors.We unconsciously identify ourselves in a commodity product and sales position. Price is king. How much energy remains to concentrate on service and customer value?

Consider a focus on creativity and not competition. What is it that captures our thought energy? Being creative in our business and how we show up and are perceived by our customers may shift because we may begin to ask ourselves how else can we service ourselves and our customer's needs. When creativity is our focus our identity is service minded and value added. Creativity generates consultive and value outcomes.

There is much more business and individual opportunity and success available when value is offered instead of price. Our customers seek a valued partner, someone that can be trusted  to help find new opportunities.When you offer more Usage Value than what is being purchased with Money Value you will become a repeated and trusted service and product provider.

A Competitive focus equals a commodity mentality and lack thinking. Creative focus equals trust and a higher usage value. Who would you rather have as a partner ?