Mystic Madness

There has been a long debate running for years now, weather it is good or bad to be a super achiever form childhood. I believe there are interesting arguments to be made on both sides of the debate, and that is why I have decided to make a list of the pros and cons of being a super achiever. Super achievers seem to be able to find better jobs and generally be more successful than the rest, but I don’t think that is always the case. I believe that there is a strong argument to be made for the fact that most of the children that are referred to as super achievers lack some social skills. At the same time I agree with the concept that everyone should always push themselves to be the best they can be, but I have some reserves about some kids that are super achievers because in some cases they are forced by their parents to choose this path; It might be in their own interest in the future but I believe that a kid can grow up healthy only if he or she is left to make their own decisions.

So let see what the pros of being a super achiever as a kid are:

1.    Getting a lot of diplomas and certificates. Super achievers always will try to get recognition for every skill they have. This is important and may prove to be a valuable asset in the future. Getting certified in any sort of skill you have a curiosity in will be a major plus in your CV for your future employers.

2.    Developing aptitudes. Super achievers sometimes have a tendency towards very mild obsessive compulsive disorder. This may become an advantage because once they set their mind on something they like they will practice for as long as it takes until they become proficient at it. Usually the aptitudes that super achievers thrive in have to do mental processes, few of them have a knack for anything involving sports and physical exercises.

3.    Higher goals. Another important benefit that super achievers have is the fact that they set very high standards for themselves. This is a great advantage because by doing this they also establish their self-worth, the fact that they believe they are good enough to reach those goals. By their definition, super achievers will always try to be better and to surpass expectations, so in this sense, setting higher goals, combined with tenacity and an ability to reach them will result in a constant evolution of their abilities and qualifications.

4.    Lots of opportunities when they grow up. The biggest benefits for super achievers will undoubtedly come later on in life. A super achiever will have a much easier time finding a job because of the numerous certificates, skills and aptitudes they poses.

And now, let’s look at the cons of being a super achiever:

1.    Lack of independence. Super achievers are rarely very independent, and they usually seek to get the recognition of others by doing an exceptionally good job in a controlled environment. Always playing by the book, following orders, and teacher’s suggestions super achievers rarely have an inclination to take risks and try out new ideas and try to gain their independence by leaving everything behind and starting out fresh. This can lead to lack of initiative that can become frustrating in the future because of the fact that you will most likely have to work for others, rather than for a company you started from scratch.

2.    Social maturity. Super achievers are usually shunned out as kids and they become victims of social exclusion. This is not always a bad thing, but it will lead to social immaturity when they get older. This will result in a lot of awkward moments in their adult lives because they do not always know what the social standards for a specific situation are.

3.    No time for fun. It is very important that super achievers decide to take on a domain they love, because that is probably the most fun they will have. The drive super achievers feel to constantly study and better themselves can result in a lack of time to do anything else, including have fun. This may pay off in the future, but it also may leave the super achiever with a complete lack of knowledge of how to have fun.

I believe this argument about weather is good or bad to be a super achiever can go on and on. From my point of view super achievers should be admired for their tenacity, but at the same time I don’t believe that too much of anything is very good, so I find myself being an advocate for the “very achiever”, someone who wants to reach his or her goals, but is not willing to sacrifice anything for it.      

If you’re an entrepreneur looking for a good idea I may have just what you are looking for. In recent years, a housekeeping business seems to be the pot of gold for anyone looking to invest their money. It sounds unlikely but you can really make a lot of money in this kind of business with the right kind of managers. One of the reasons why this is true is because you don’t need overqualified workforce. You can pay minimum wage and still attract enough workers for your business. Of course this is a reason why you can start this business with few investments, but as your business grows you should try to raise your employee’s salary because if they are happy, than your clients will be happy as well. I was saying that this is a great business to invest in nowadays partly because of its success and partly due to the minimum investment you have to put in. Two employees, a car, some cleaning products and a smart marketing campaign and you’re on your way. So let’s see what are the steps needed to start a housekeeping business:

1.    Start of small. If you are a first time entrepreneur one of the best tips is to start of small. As I have said starting a housekeeping business doesn’t require that many resources, so if for some reason you don’t succeed you wouldn’t have lost a big sum of money.

2.    Find the right employees. It isn’t that hard to find employees in this field of business. The main advantage is that the job doesn’t require any studies or experience. You will attract a lot of people who might be interested in the job, but the crucial step in having a successful business is picking the right employees for you. Of course, the main quality you should look for is honesty, because one of the things your clients will be most concerned with is stealing. Maybe you should think of devising a small test for the candidates so you can find out if they actually want to make an honest buck by working, or if they are only looking to profit from the negligence of others.

3.    Focus on quality. The only way you can survive in any business is by selling a quality product. The product of a housekeeping business is evidently a clean house. So don’t ever think of buying second rate cleaning products, or of being satisfied with a job less than perfect. Although you might think you are saving money by not focusing on quality you will lose much more money in the long run by losing paying customers. Also, if you do a great job, the name of your service will spread like wildfire by word of mouth alone and you will soon find yourself with more demands than you can handle.

4.    Establish company policy. A big mistake first time entrepreneurs do, not only in a housekeeping business but in any kind of businesses, is that they forget to establish a company policy. A good and innovative company policy can give you an edge over all your competitors. If, for example, you make it a company policy to always leave a little chocolate on the bed after it is done, this may prove to be one of those endearing little details that will make you have something unique which stands out in the crowd for your customers.

5.    Always update information about your business. A big problem that I find with new businesses is that they always get sucked in to the work they do and always forget to update their site or their advertisement. I find it a very easy way to lose customers. If you’ve managed to attract the attention of a customer and they are looking for information about your service, than the hard part is done. Keeping your site updated with all the recent information about your business can’t take more than 10 minutes per day, so losing customers this way is inexcusable.

6.    Customer feedback. As with any business, a housekeeping business can be improved a great deal if you manage to get customer feedback. The customer is always right so make sure you take their suggestions into consideration.

7.    Reinvest profit. The only way to keep your business going and to try and grow it is to reinvest a big part of the profit you make. For the first year of business you should not try to focus on getting money out of but rather on reinvesting it in your company.

A housekeeping business, as with any sort of business is hard to start. You should not expect smooth sailing, and be assured you will find that your estimated budget will have to be almost doubled before you are actually ready to start working. But as first time businesses go, I believe a housekeeping business is one of the easiest to get up and running