Crux Software Solutions

With a "T".

"Disciplined people" don't have more self-control, they simply are better at structuring their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control. In other words, they spend less time in tempting situations.
- Atomic Habits by James Clear

Only 18 years away..

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You reap what you sow.

Patience is a virtue, and SEO is an investment. In order to reap the benefits of investing in organic online traffic, it's wise to partner with someone who will shorten the learning curve. This will help ensure you're closer to the three months end of the results spectrum.

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Are you making the decisions you do because they're the best long-term strategies? Or only because you're impatient?

The 10x Rule can be summed up in two short sentences.
1) You should set targets for yourself that are 10X greater than what you believe you can achieve.
2) You should take actions that are 10X greater than what you believe are necessary to achieve your goals.

The biggest mistake most people make in life is not setting goals high enough. Taking massive action is the only way to fulfill your true potential. The bar should never be lowered once it is set. If a goal is not achieved, the amount of action in the pursuit of that goal is the only justifiable excuse.

Always put first things first.

Make plans, but don't be afraid for those plans to change.

The functionality may need to be turned on upon first use. Again, that's the little Microsoft Windows icon next to the left ALT key + the letter V on your keyboard. This will remove the hassle of continually having to copy & paste the same text over & over.

That's Billion. With a 'B'.

Self-awareness.

Don't get us wrong, paid ads certainly work. But, the location of the ads certainly make a difference. At one time, Google ads were a steal. Nowadays, you will get much more bang for your buck buying ads in places such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) - A concept used by search engines to discover how a term and content work together to mean the same thing, even if they do not share keywords or synonyms. By using similar terms to the main topic of your website, you can help users organically discover your content. For example, if your website's main topic is about "Accountant Services", then ensuring the words "Individual Tax Returns", "Online Tax Filings", or "Professional CPA Services" can help show your website listing to more users searching for accounting services.

Perfect planning can actually be nothing more than procrastination in disguise. Of course, you want to mitigate risk and approach new endeavors with a thought out plan. However, when you constantly refuse taking action because you're secretly scared of failure, you're only holding yourself back. "Failure is a teacher: a harsh one, but the best."

With more than 40 million copies sold, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a must have for any self-improvement junkies out there. Stephen R. Covey spent his life studying the similarities and habits of the most successful people he could find. Below, you can find a short summary of the seven habits he covers in his book.

Private Daily Victories:
1) Be Proactive, Not Reactive. You and you alone are responsible for your response to every situation & circumstance. Don't be a victim of life.
2) Begin With The End In Mind. You must have a vision or idea of where you want to end up. You cannot expect to aimlessly wander around and magically end up successful when you are unable to clearly articulate what is is you want in the first place.
3) Put First Things First. This rule is pretty self-explanatory. Make the things that are most important to you a priority even if it comes at the detriment of the less vital tasks.

Public Daily Victories:
4) Think Win-Win or No Deal. Greed, envy, and similar selfish mindsets come from a place of scarcity. When you realize there is more than enough in life to go around, you will start thinking, behaving, and interacting with others in a different manner. Everyone can come out on top when continuously seeking beneficial third-alternatives to situations with an open mind.
5) Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood. Instead of trying to force your opinion or belief on someone, first approach the situation with an open mind, and seek to first truly understand & empathize with the other person's position.
6) Synergize. To accomplish anything truly great in life, it takes a combined effort between like-minded individuals. The whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
7) Sharpen The Saw. This final habit/rule can be summarized with the infamous quote by Abraham Lincoln. "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." This habit enhances and even compounds the effectiveness of the other six listed habits.

Fast load times, appealing interfaces, and clear call to actions are all useful strategies to optimize a user's first interaction with your website.

The cold hard truth is that no one is coming to save you. No one is coming to save your business. No one is coming to save your relationship. No one is coming to save your health. Each aspect of your life is your responsibility & your responsibility alone. This can be a sobering reality check, but when digested properly, it should manifest as encouragement knowing that everything is yours for the taking. Don't rely on wishful thinking. Rely on purposeful action to see the change you want.

Free Photoshop: GIMP
Free Vector Creator: InkScape
Free Video Editor: OpenShot
Free MS Office: LibreOffice

Let's face it, people are impatient. We want things when we want them, and we don't want to wait. Your website should fulfill this innate human desire & leave your users feeling satisfied with their experience.

Many people think reading isn't for them, or they don't have enough time to read. There are few things that will provide the same return as making a consistent habit of reading informational books & applying said knowledge. Continue to learn daily, and you'll be amazed at the end result.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be a complex topic, but the same factors continue to make the most impact. Make sure your website is fast, built by a professional, has an intuitive user interface, and has great copyrighting in order to optimally compete in today's digital ranking system.

Never let fear hold you back from taking massive action. Most risk in life can be mitigated with enough activity & persistence.

The harder you work, the luckier you get.

This week's recommended reading is already well known & loved by many. In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill explains the 13 most common habits of wealthy and successful people. The essence of the book revolves around the notion that your thoughts control your mindset, which in turn creates your reality. With anything in life, you must truly believe an action can be accomplished before it can be materially achieved.

Your business is meant to serve you. Not the other way around. If you're feeling stressed about company finances & the lack of cash flow your business is producing, a great way to start turning things around is by reading "Profit First" by
Mike Michalowicz. In this book, Mike breaks down how to evaluate your business' current financial health, put practical accounting systems in place that are self sustaining, and how to "transform your business from a cash-eating monster to a money-making machine".

Innovation can be scary, but it's always necessary in order to continue to scale your business. Don't let the fear of change overcome your dreams to grow your business.

If your posts aren't performing as well as you would like, it may be helpful to re-consider your posting times. Keep this tip in mind next time your business publishes a post on Facebook.