Acquired Tastes in Business

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Purposeful Pathway is the haven for faith-based entrepreneurs. Part of my mission is equipping faith-based businesses with information that is practical, actionable and Scriptural.

The theme of this post is acquired tastes!

I admit it: sometimes my food choices raise eyebrows. I prefer whole foods and, generally, the simpler the better. So ordering a salad without dressing, eating raw veggies without dip and savoring brussel sprouts without butter are the norm for me. I didn’t, however, always taste the goodness in spring greens and the beauty of raw broccoli. These were acquired tastes, and I am sure you have many acquired tastes of your own!

Our acquired tastes exist not only in the food arena but also in the business arena. Many things that were once distasteful become the “tastiest” and healthiest treats of business.

Below are seven healthy tastes to acquire in business.

1. Remarkable Resistance. How can we learn to relish resistance? By recalling that resistance opens the most remarkable doors! So go ahead and smile when you sense resistance. Know that you have come face to face with an opportunity for phenomenal growth and bountiful reward.
2. Uniqueness of you. The more we appreciate being uniquely ourselves, the more we bless others and bring glory to God. Yet this is not a “taste” that comes naturally. Our natural tendency, rather, is to fit in and to avoid rocking the boat. Choosing to be boldly you for God’s glory is choosing to be blessed. So go ahead and be true to the uniqueness of you!
3. Marvelous Marketing. Ah, marketing. Who can enjoy marketing? After all, isn’t it lacking humility to bring attention to ourselves? In certain situations, yes. Yet it is also lacking humility to not share our gifts due to fear of others’ judgments. A self-conscious shrinking back stems from pride. When we market from a space of love and adding value, however, we provide life-changing opportunities to those whom we touch.
4. Sales calls. Sales calls are oftentimes the culmination of our marketing efforts. These are the moments in which our potential clients either say “yes” or “no” to God-honoring growth. If our products, programs or services are gateways to transformation, the sales call is of utmost importance and impact. The more we practice asking for business for the benefit of others, the more we grow comfortable with it…so it’s time to savor those sales calls!
5. Public speaking on purpose. Are we really, as statistics seem to say, more afraid of public speaking than of death? Scary as it may be initially, public speaking is a powerful way to present our messages and solutions to larger audiences. The secret to public speaking confidence? Practice. Start with small groups and move up from there. Lean into your fear and step onto the stage!
6. Teaching as a tool. Teaching is a tremendous tool in business. We enrich our clients and following, and we enrich also ourselves in the process. Yet teaching does not always come naturally. We sometimes feel inadequate to teach others, particularly those who have more credentials or degrees or status. We must remember, though, that God has placed on our hearts a special message and in our lives special experiences. Each of us is equipped to teach others in one area or another. Refusing to teach is, in essence, refusing to grace others with the wisdom God has freely given us.
7. Reaping the reward. It seems this would be an easy one! After all, don’t we naturally embrace rewards? In a word: no! We often feel selfish when we are paid for our gifts. If we enjoy something so much, we ask ourselves, how can we charge others for it? It is important to remember that our clients enjoy far greater success when they are invested in themselves. A client enrolled in a program for free or for a minimal fee, for example, will not be nearly as committed as the one who has paid the full fee. Would you be more likely to perform the activities and to get results if you paid $1 for a program or $1,000 for that same program? We must also remember that it is fair and just to be rewarded value in exchange for the value we give. “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.” (Romans 4:4) Additionally, compensation allows us to continue to sharing our gifts. If we are not compensated, our faith-based businesses will close and the sharing of our gifts will cease on a number of levels. So, yes, acquire a healthy taste for the reward!

Bonus Step: Give glory to God in both good and bad, in both the savory and the unsavory. After all, He is the One who brings the triumph from the trial, the opportunity from the obstacle and the crown from the cross! He is the One who tailors our healthy tastes and Who provides true transformation.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

If you need help with acquiring tastes or with building your business overall…I invite you to attract your ideal clients and powerfully boost your business over the next 40 days! There is no need to reinvent the wheel. I have organized my knowledge and experiences in business into an implementable 40-day series of actionable daily steps, instructional videos and powerful worksheets. If you need a serious boost in business, I encourage you to take the next step by visiting  Purposeful Pathway Business Academy today!

Let’s pray. Faithful Father, we seek Your favor in our businesses, our ministries and our lives. Help us to acquire healthy tastes; help us to honor You in all we do. We trust You that we will reap rewards if we do not grow weary of doing good. We cherish every precious step of this purposeful pathway with You. It is in Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

I Treasure Your Thoughts and Comments!