INS11 - Ignite The Fire In Your Business with Dean Hawkins

Dean S. Hawkins is a highly decorated Fire Officer & Trainer based in Cairns, Far North Queensland and is the author of the highly successful book Fight Fire with Fire – How to use firefighting techniques to find your purpose, overcome all obstacles and reach your goals.

What can a Fire Officer and Trainer teach Small Business Owners about making more?

Fire fighting and running a small business are very similar. You need to OUTWORK your doubts, OUTWORK your hesitations and OUTWORK your fears. These three things are your barriers to success, regardless of what you’re doing.

When you’re learning to be a fire fighter there’s early starts and late finishes. Does this sound familiar to owning a small business? It’s about doing what is required to be successful.
Success is all about preparation.

In fire fighting you mitigate what could go wrong, and you take all the necessary training and precautions. You do the same in small business.

“The heavy lifting is done prior to the event”.

Only after you’ve done all the hard work, can you enjoy the rewards of your efforts, not beforehand. This is what separates people with a wish list and people with a want list. You’ve got to want it.

Yoda: - Do, or do not, there is no try.
When people say they will TRY it’s already a sign of giving up. When people say they will ‘try and
attend an event’, you already know it means they won’t be there. This applies to all areas of life.

Take the first few steps
If you want to do something, prepare the night before. If you want to go walking get your shoes out and your clothes ready before you go to sleep. By having them ready you’ve got more chance of you doing it.

If you actually put your shoes and walking gear on, Dean dares you not to walk.
This applies to business: If you say you will TRY and increase profits by 20% it won’t happen. You either will or you won’t, there is no try.

Saying I WILL automatically makes you think of all the processes that must happen for this to be a reality.

Belief in what you do
Personal trainers, Health Practitioners, Fire Fighters, you forfeit the right to not look after yourself. It’s your responsibility.

When you wear your trade you take pride in what you do, but it’s not just a visual thing, it’s also how you perform each day. Do you perform to the highest level, or cut corners?
Create a Contract for Success by asking yourself:

1. Will you get up earlier to make it happen?
2. Will you go to bed late to make it happen?
3. Will you connect with all the authorities in your space?
4. Will you read as much as you can, and get all the qualifications necessary?
5. Will you stay on that commitment for the necessary amount of time required to make it a reality?
6. Will you pour yourself completely into it for at least 90 days?

You can do anything for 90-Days
It’s not sustainable to pour yourself into something with a break, but you can do anything for 90-days, which is how long it took Dean to write his book.
It’s a similar principle used in the book The 12-Week Year (4 x 90 day periods).
Dean admits he’s never had a natural flare for anything, but he’s done well because he can’t be outworked.

Working Less is Working Smart
We spoke about earning more, now lets talk about working less. It sounds like a contradiction but it’s not, it’s about being smart. Stick to a formula that works, but be prepared to make adjustments along the way and be open to new ideas.

The more you get in the habit of following a good structure, the easier it is to repeat and get ongoing positive results. It’s like a Standard Operating Procedure.

You need to learn to focus on what’s important today. When Dean was faced with a house fire that was the most important thing at that given moment, not the next fire, or anything else, it’s the one right in front of him.

In business it’s the most important task that needs to be done next. Not the most exciting or most fun, it’s the most important.

Keep your mind open
Learn the art of being open to the influence of others, other professions, even if they don’t have the specific answer you’re looking for. You can modify it.
You can even learn from a McDonalds ad. Yes they may be selling burgers and fries, but can you use part of their message in your own sales pitch?

Look at other industries…see what you can learn – LOOK FOR THE CONNECTIONS ON HOW IT CAN BE APPLIED to your circumstances.

If you’re looking for answers the universe will provide them, but if you’re not looking it will also meet those requirement as well.

All the answers you’ll ever need in life and business are out there; you’ve just got to put it all together. It’s like huge jigsaw puzzle for life. You’ve got all the pieces to make a picture, but it’s disorganised; however you know what the end product looks like and you know the first few steps. Start with putting the edges together, and then work on the rest.

Smart People
Good operators are always walking around with a notebook in their hands. They’re ready to learn. They cut things out of magazines and they always go into meetings with an open mind.
You can learn something from every person you meet.

You need Switch Off Days
You need to take time off from your work and really recharge the batteries.

Top Up Moments
Take 10 – 15 minutes a few times per day to reconnect with the universe. Go for a walk, or play with the dog. You may try to listen to the bird noises amongst the car noises and barking dogs. Stop and feel the breeze on your face. This is all part of having a mental break to top up your energy.
You also need to top yourself up with good food, sensible exercise.

Daily Routines
We’re products of our daily actions and daily thoughts.
If a dog barks and you get annoyed, you must ask yourself why? These things happen, so you’ve got to accept it.

We are the average of the five people we hang around with the most – Jim Rohn. Dean suggests living by this quote.

If you come across an angry person and their full of negative energy, you need to phone someone you know who’s positive to help offset and balance the energy in your day.

Deans Mantra: Today I’m going to be EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, Safe and fit For Purpose. Can you say the same?

Dean’s Book, Fight Fire with Fire is available from Amazon and other online book stores and feel free to connect with Dean Hawkins via his website http://www.deanhawkins.com.au/

If you have any question please feel free to email me directly at tf@tysonfranklin.com
My latest book It’s No Secret There’s Money In Small Business is now available from all online booksellers, and if you live in Australia it can be ordered from most bookstores.

Also, Book Depository deliver freight FREE worldwide.