I have been talking about what is perhaps the most important characteristic of success that truly great entrepreneurs possess, which is the ability to handle crisis. Now I want to point out a related characteristic that is perhaps even more important which is you need to fine tune the ability to such a degree that the recovery takes place in the blink of an eye.
You can’t go somber and be in depression or irritation or frustration for a day or a week or a month or a year. It’s like this and then you’re on to the next productive thing and that’s the characteristic of these highly successful people that we observe.
How do you get in step and stay in step with such people? That of course is why we crack the back of a success book isn’t it? That’s why we push play on a CD. That’s why we subscribe to an online course. That’s why we attend a Boot Camp or seminar. That’s’ why we move forward.
We try and educate ourselves more and learn more about how we tick so that we can do a better job of getting in step and staying in step with those highly successful people.
I suggest to you that there are these things that we can do. One is to really study such people and I don’t mean in a cursory manner. You know when you say to somebody did you read Iacocca’s book? A lot of people say, “Yeah I read Iacocca’s book.” And if you happen to be in their home or office and you look at their copy of Iacocca’s book it could go back on the shelf of the bookstore and be resold it’s in such mint condition.
Well they read it but boy they didn’t study it did they? Cause if you really study a book the thing looks like it’s been shoved through the garbage disposal and run over by a truck.
That’s how most of my books look – highlighted, written on, corners folded down, bottom page corners folded up to separate that from the time I folded them down, notes stuck in them, battered, bruised, abused, studied.
So you study those people. You don’t just read about them. You don’t just take notice of them you study them.
Author Info: Dan Kennedy is internationally recognized as the 'Millionaire Maker,' helping people in just about every category of business turn their ideas into fortunes. Dan's "No B.S." approach is refreshing amidst a world of small business marketing hype and enriches those who act on his advice. 
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When I was younger and trying to build an Amway business I had the privilege of hearing one of the founders Rich DeVoss speak in person a few times. Among the many things he talked about was this very subject–managing crisis. He said that while some people tried to avoid a crisis (which was good) that they had a way of coming about despite the best intentions. He surprised me when he said that on a given day that he and his partner Jay VanAndel handled two or three major crisisees per DAY! That is probably why they are a multi-billion dollar company.
Good post. I highly agree. Reading is not just about reading the words, but digesting and implementing them.
Crisis can be devastating, but I think that every crisis has to be dealt with on several levels, including mastering one’s psychology.