Donnette

What does a fast paced, clutch-the-edge-of-your-seat television show about a group of desperate inmates attempting to escape from a maximum security lock-up have to do with your business?

Everything!

If you are a fan of the series, you know that the main character, Michael, has purposefully committed a crime in order to be near his older brother Lincoln, who is about to be executed for a murder he didn't commit. Michael, a structural engineer, has blueprints for the labyrinthine prison tattooed on his upper body, so that he literally carries a complex map of his escape route with him at all times.

He is determined to do what it takes to get Linc out of prison, including enrolling a group of fellow inmates to help him escape with his brother.

So what are the 6 Rules from Prison Break that you can apply to your business?

1. Focus clearly on your goal. Michael's goal is simple and direct: to get him and his brother out of prison. Your business goal (or goals) should be no less clear. Take time to focus on what you are trying to accomplish. The first thing you should be doing each morning is focusing on your goals, both long term and medium term, in addition to goals for that day.

2. Build in accountability. If Michael doesn't succeed, then his brother will die in the electric chair. How's that for accountability and motivation?! To whom are you accountable? Join a Business MasterMind or hire an excellent business coach to keep you on the straight and narrow.

3. Prepare fully but don't let endless preparation stop you from taking action. At some point, Michael had to quit his intense study and planning and simply act. Some business people get so caught up in preparation that they never put anything into action and their businesses languish as a result.

4.. Have a plan but be open to contingencies. Much of the excitement in Prison Break comes from unexpected events, the close calls that are part of every show. If you've been in business for any length of time at all, you know that even the best business plan will need constant revision. Use your plan as a guide only, and adjust it according to the circumstances.

5. Choose your team carefully and play to one anothers' strengths. Michael had to choose his team members based not only on their strengths but because they were all he had. Some of the inmates forced their way onto his team. You have the luxury of choosing your team members based on how you relate to them and how they complement your strengths with their own.

6. Form powerful alliances; collaboration is the key. For Michael, powerful alliances, even with those to whom he is not naturally drawn, are crucial. Search out the major players in your industry. Sign up for their newsletters, become their affiliate, purchase their products, attend their seminars. Be in a position to propose a join venture opportunity that will benefit both of you when the time is right.

7. Once committed, follow through is mandatory. For Michael, certain events meant no turning back. The time to put his plan into action arrived and he didn't hesitate. If you have taken action on the previous six rules, you can be confident that the time for you to take action is at hand.

So go for it!

And tune in to next week's Prison Break. Who knowsyou may pick up more tips for busting loose from your old ways of thinking about your business.

Ellen Britt, PA, Ed.D., is the author of The Seven Immutable Laws of Marketing Qi. To grab your free copy, just go to www.MarketingQi.com/SevenLaws.html