Nice quote from Mr. George Bernard Shaw:
Power is the faculty or capacity to act, the strength and potency to accomplish something. It is the vital energy to make choices and decisions. It also includes the capacity to overcome deeply embedded habits and to cultivate higher, more effective ones.
Lao Tzu was a pretty smart dude. (He’s a guy, right?) I enjoy many of his quotes, and today this one is speaking to me:
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
From a work and career standpoint, I often know what needs to get done but then resist that understanding and do something else. There is a special magic in following your instincts. A power in making decisions and then acting on those decisions.
I have a sign near my computer that reads, “Decide then Act!”. Lately my process has been, “Decide, then think about many possible scenarios, then analyze, then doubt the decision, fear the possible consequences, and finally go back to the drawing board to make a new decision.” It’s been like playing a game of chess, where you decide the move you want to make and then never actually do it.
I’m working to let things flow more naturally and take courageous actions rather than live in a cloud of self-doubt and fear.
I’m working on a side project with some guys in Sanibel. Here is an article from the local newspaper with more information and my picture. It made front page of the business section, which isn’t much of an accomplishment on an island where everyone is on vacation or retired and not much business takes place. 🙂
My Heavenly Father, as I enter this work place, I bring Your presence with me. I speak Your peace, Your grace, Your mercy, and Your perfect order into this office. I acknowledge Your power over all that will be spoken, thought, decided, and done within these walls. Lord, I thank You for the gifts You have blessed me with.
I commit to using them responsibly in Your honor. Give me a fresh supply of strength to do my job. Anoint my projects, ideas, and energy, so that even my smallest accomplishment may bring You glory. Lord, when I am confused, guide me. When I am weary, energize me. When I am burned out, infuse me with the light of the Holy Spirit. May the work that I do and the way I do it bring faith, joy, and a smile to all that I come in contact with today. I pray, with much love and Thanksgiving….. Amen
Ok, so this is part three. The moment that you’ve been waiting for… In this post I’ll be extending my thinking about the changing retail environment and make some predictions:
Prediction #1 – If people can wait for the item and do not require expert assistance, they will purchase it for less money on-line. As such, the majority of physical retail spaces will no longer sell these items. Examples: Books, DVDs, CDs, Technology items, House wears, and Groceries (yes…groceries).
Prediction #2 – The Walgreen’s (convenience store) business model will continue to thrive. Walgreen’s has a little bit of everything. If you need it, they probably have it…speaking as a former employee. This business model will do well because of the convenience factor. No one plans to go to Walgreen’s for regular purchases…rather people go because it is convenient and they need something now.
Prediction #3 – Traditional grocery stores will face strong competition from on-line grocery stores. There are some interesting companies playing in this space…including Amazon, and a few others. Your local grocery stores may start offering on-line ordering and home delivery to retain current customers. (Why don’t they do this already? It’s the same situation that Blockbuster faced….they could have offered mail delivery of movies many years ago. They had the movies and the strong customer base…instead they didn’t accept the changing environment, watched Netflix/Redbox take over the market, and went Bankrupt.)
Prediction #4 – Certain products do not fair well on-line. A good example is most items sold at Home Depot/Menards. Home improvement stores will continue to do well. When working on a project I run to my home improvement store multiple times. I need a specialized item…and I need it quickly…often I also need help and the people there do a fairly good job of helping. Will home improvement stores offer on-line ordering and home delivery? Interesting.
Prediction #5 – Physical retail locations will continue to thrive. We live in the physical world and rely on brick and mortar retail to make purchases…and for entertainment. Have you ever gone shopping just for fun? We sometimes go to the mall or a bookstore, just to walk around as a cheap form of entertainment. The key will be for retailers to determine a winning strategy that complements the Internet rather than competes with it.
In these three posts, I’ve talked about some of my ideas about how the retail landscape is changing. Thanks for reading.
Next time we get together in a physical world, I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this topic…maybe we can plan to go shopping together.