Q: “How do you eat an elephant?”
A: “One bite at a time.”
I’ve loved that joke since I was a little kid. I’ve also loved to bring it up to my adult friends and colleagues who suffer from the inability to start a project because they can’t see how they’ll ever get all the work done. Most people are easily daunted by the sheer enormity of the final product or outcome and, as a result, never even start.
I vividly remember when we started Reman U. I was explaining the idea of the weekly articles, the ezine, the importance of consistency, the notion that for some time period we would be writing to very few subscribers (“Hello? Is this thing on?”), and the rule that we would never advertise anything for ETE REMAN. This was to be a value message, an educational and inspirational gift to our industry. Somebody at the table looked at me and asked, “OK, how long do we do this for?”
“Forever,” I said.
We didn’t start out writing 200 articles. We didn’t write 200 articles in a week. We wrote one article a week for 200 weeks. That’s doable for anyone.
So where’s your first article?
Where’s the first chapter in your book?
Where’s the first chapter in your new business?
Where’s the first chapter in your new life?
There are two ideas that keep popping up in my head as I write this, and I want to share them with you in hopes that they will help you to do something about that dream you’ve had for years, or that you’ll finally get started on that big project you’ve been wanting to do, or that you’ll ask that girl to marry you, or that you’ll go back to school, or open your new shop, or apply for that new job.
The first comes from a poster I have hanging above my desk at the moment that reads, “Begin anywhere – your passion will guide you.”
The other is a Chinese proverb: “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”
My sincere wish for you is that when we’re celebrating our 300th or 400th edition of Reman U, you’ll be celebrating your own accomplishments. And I hope you share them with us.
That elephant of a project or dream that you’ve been thinking about?
Go ahead. Take a bite.
And, now, a few words from our readers:
 
On their favorite thing about Reman U
“The blend of product and business information, personal and career growth all packaged in to a quick, digestible read.”
“I appreciate the way you use your experiences and share them. Your experiences teach others. It is amazing that you see one thing out of what happened and someone else and take something completely different from it.”
“They are true to life and come from day to day experiences from normal folk. I can always relate to what the story is about.”
“It is always motivating, funny or puts me in a better mood. I also use them to send out to my sales team if it is applicable.”
 
On the impact of Reman U on their business/life

“REMAN U has been an important asset in helping my business. The knowledge I receive helps me provide information to my clients that results in more business from them. I’m a salesman they can trust to get them what they need.”

“The topics and advice can be put to use right away – I don’t have to wait for certain circumstances to happen to put it in affect.”
“They almost always lead me to dwell on ideas or comments to help me become a better shop owner.”
“Your articles remind me on how to focus on customer needs and ways I can stand out to differentiate myself from the competition.”
 
On how to make Reman U even better
“Links to previous articles so that I can go back and read them again or read the ones I missed.”
“To be able to read the entire article without having to click “read more” and going to the internet.”
 
 
photo credit: ©iStock.com/GuidoM