How to Tap into the Power of the Unexpected – 3 Business Killing Assumptions That Have to Go

Unlike a lot of people these days, I’ve never been too thrilled with all the talk about the so-called Law of Attraction. And no, I didn’t get all hyped up over The Secret either.

Here’s the thing: I was raised to believe you work hard to get what you want and if you’ve done your homework, you’ll be rewarded with success.

But if you’re in business for yourself, you’ve probably already figured out things don’t always work out that way. For example, have you ever watched other people in your niche zooming ahead of you, without seemingly any effort at all, while you struggle just to keep your head above water?

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This is especially hard to take when you know in your heart you are giving your business your best effort and that your products and services are great…sometimes even better than the people who are getting all the acclaim!

You may start asking yourself, “What’s wrong with me? What’s going on here? Are these people tapping into some mysterious power that I’m not aware of?”

Over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two about business success, both from talking with my coaching clients and in my own business as well.

And I have to say, that while I’m still not a die-hard Law of Attraction fan, I am open to the idea of unseen forces. After all, the Universe is a vast place and scientists are discovering forces every day that just a few years ago, no one knew existed.

One of these unseen forces at work is what the famous psychiatrist Carl Jung called the power of synchronicity…the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear to be significantly related but have no apparent causal connection…

you know, things like thinking strongly of a friend or loved one and having the phone ring at that very moment with the person on the line, or thinking that you need to develop a skill in a certain area of your business and getting an email that day with an offer for the perfect program or product you need.

But all the synchronistic events in the world won’t make a difference for you if you are not open to the unexpected. So how do you know if you are open or closed to the unexpected in your life?

Here are three business-killing assumptions, that unless changed, can cripple your ability to tap into the power of the unexpected:

Assumption Number One – I already know that. Yes, as an entrepreneur, you’ve probably taken your share of courses and programs and already have many business information products and books lining your shelves. So it’s really tempting, when you hear a coach or mentor give you some advice, to automatically dismiss it with the thought, “I already know that.”

But here’s what you may be missing: Having information is not the same thing as truly knowing something. Only by putting that information into action can you truly own it and deeply internalize it into your own experience. Only then do you know it.

Assumption Number Two – That’s too simple. OK, you’re listening and aren’t saying to yourself you know already know that, but when you hear the feedback or advice, you say to yourself, “That can’t be the solution. That’s too simple!”

I learned in my two decades of medical practice as a PA that the simplest diagnosis was most often the correct one. As students, we were often told, “When you hear hoof beats, think of horses, not zebras!”

Here’s an example: One of my clients wanted to make more money immediately in her business. She already had a way of generating leads and a steady flow of clients coming in but she was just not generating the revenue she desired. My advice: “Raise your fees!” After talking over her immediate response of “That’s too simple!” she went on to implement my suggestion and her revenue doubled.

Assumption Number Three – That doesn’t have anything to do with my business. Part of being open to the unexpected is to understand there are business lessons literally everywhere. If you have your eyes open, you can learn some amazing things every time you step out your door.

For example, this morning I went into Starbucks to get my favorite summertime drink, a Venti black iced tea, no water, no classic, with extra ice and I ordered the drink from the woman behind the counter with exactly those words.

She looked at me and smiled, as I had used the exact language the person taking the order yells out to the barista so she knows what drink to make.

I realized that before Starbucks came on the scene, there was no such thing as Tall, Grande or Venti drink sizes. Starbucks, by inventing new names for its drinks, gives the customer a feeling of ordering something exclusive and special.

Immediately, I began to think of ways I can give my customers and clients that feeling of “specialness” and exclusivity.

So take a look at your own business-killing assumptions and replace them with being open to the unexpected. Put those unseen forces to work for you!